Up on the River: People and Wildlife of the Upper Mississippi

A richly drawn and vibrantly personal exploration of America's supreme river. Some of my best time on the River has been in the company of game wardens, biologists, commercial fishermen, clammers, trappers, hunters, and a smelly, mud-smeared corcrie of river rats in general," wrote John Madson of his thirty-year acquaintance with the Mississippi. Up on the River is a loving and sometimes uproariously funny tribute, full of unforgettable characters and creatures. Like Joseph Mirchell's Up in the Old Hotel or William Warner's Beautiful Swimmers, this is a classic book about a singular American place.