In the 1950s; a series of dams was proposed along the Brazos River in north-central Texas. For John Graves; this project meant that if the stream’s regimen was thus changed; the beautiful and sometimes brutal surrounding countryside would also change; as would the lives of the people whose rugged ancestors had eked out an existence there. Graves therefore decided to visit that stretch of the river; which he had known intimately as a youth.Goodbye to a River is his account of that farewell canoe voyage. As he braves rapids and fatigue and the fickle autumn weather; he muses upon old blood feuds of the region and violent skirmishes with native tribes; and retells wild stories of courage and cowardice and deceit that shaped both the river’s people and the land during frontier times and later. Nearly half a century after its initial publication; Goodbye to a River is a true American classic; a vivid narrative about an exciting journey and a powerful tribute to a vanishing way of life and its ever-changing natural environment.
#65328 in BooksColor: Multicolor Fred Anderson 2001-01-23 2001-01-23Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x 1.80 x 5.20l; 1.82 #File Name: 0375706364912 pagesCrucible of War The Seven Years War and the Fate of Empire in British North America 1754 1766
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Thorough treatment of an overlooked episode in American historyBy Roger BerlindFred Anderson has written a very thorough account of the Seven Years' War which is also known in North America as the French and Indian War. While American students generally hear about this war in their high school American History class; it is not really given much importance; being only briefly mentioned along with other wars and events that occurred between the founding of the British colonies and the American Revolution. Anderson makes it very clear; however; that the fighting of the war and its military; political; and economic outcomes had enormous ramifications on European and American history (as well as on the history of the Indian sub-continent).During the war itself; British officers had extensive and often disappointing interactions with American colonists who enlisted in American militia. This shaped the attitudes of key generals and members of Parliament at the beginning of the American Revolution who mostly had very negative views of American soldiers and believed that putting down the rebellion would be easy. More importantly; Britain incurred large debts during the war and was faced with ongoing costs associated with manning a string of forts along the new; expanded frontier. It was these debts and costs that prompted Parliament to pass the Stamp Act and other measures that taxed the American colonists without their representation. Of course; everyone knows that these taxes and subsequent punitive measures that Parliament passed after the colonists resisted them lead to the American Revolution. Anderson makes a compelling case that we gain a much better understanding of the Revolution by starting its story a decade earlier at the beginning of the Seven Years' War.Anderson's narrative is logically laid out in 10 parts which are broken up into 74 smaller chapters that are more easily digested. His account is very thorough but also dramatic and fast-paced despite all the detail. Additionally; it includes excellent maps; portraits of key personnel; and diagrams of important fortresses.Ironically; it turns out that George Washington played a key role in the initial minor skirmish that started the war in 1754. A nice touch of Anderson's is that he ends his story with George Washington in (temporary) retirement at Mount Vernon in 1767; closing the circle of his narrative.The only shortcoming of the book is that it primarily draws on American and British sources. It would have been useful if Anderson had also provided some more French and German viewpoints about the war. But that is a minor criticism.This is one of the history books that I have enjoyed more than most others; both because it was so well written and because I learned so much about a critical period in American history of which I had previously been ignorant.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. When Empires ColideBy Jason S. TaylorEighteenth Century wars had a sinister "rationality" to them. They were to the powerful people who instigated them almost heartless struggles; fought for wealth and power. Of course when you study things closer it is more complicated. Even the instigators were not impervious to human feeling and passion. Yet if one is to point to the most cynical age in modern millitary history one could point to the eighteenth century. At that time wars were fought for rational reasons and peace was made when that was accomplished. Of course it did not feel at all that way to those actually affected by it...The Seven Years War was the greatest of European power struggles. It made the British Empire. In another way it made America. It was then that Americans first started to feel themselves a nation.The author chronicles how this happens in an extrodinarily detailed book about the Seven Years War focusing on how it affected soon-to-be America. He writes of the many people involved in it. And he accepts complexity as complex and does not lazily support either myth or iconoclasm(which is another form of myth). He also describes some of the aspects of frontier war which can be fascinating in their own right. It is well written and a book worth having. However the size and complexity means that it requires commitment to read it.The author's stated goal in this book interestingly; is not to describe the Seven Years War for it's own sake but to expound on a theory of his on how it caused the American Revolution. He does this quite convincingly but it leaves a large section(enough to make a book of it's own); that simply drags on; after the end of the war. This need not be a burden as one can stop part of the way. For the matter of that; one does not need to read cover to cover.Be that as it may; if you are willing to make the commitment; the book is an attractive one and worth the read.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Feels like it took seven year to read!By kinsellajrLoved it. However life and other books kept interrupting! Dense; very well researched and annotated. Would recommend if you havetime
