Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America

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When Mother Nature rages, the physical results are never subtle. Because we cannot contain the weather, we can only react by tabulating the damage in dollar amounts, estimating the number of people left homeless, and laying the plans for rebuilding. But as John M. Barry expertly details in Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America, some calamities transform much more than the landscape.

While tracing the history of the nation's most destructive natural disaster, Barry explains how ineptitude and greed helped cause the flood, and how the policies created to deal with the disaster changed the culture of the Mississippi Delta. Existing racial rifts expanded, helping to launch Herbert Hoover into the White House and shifting the political alliances of many blacks in the process. An absorbing account of a little-known, yet monumental event in American history, Rising Tide reveals how human behavior proved more destructive than the swollen river itself.

Book Description

An American epic of science, politics, race, honor, high society, and the Mississippi River, Rising Tide tells the riveting and nearly forgotten story of the greatest natural disaster this country has ever known -- the Mississippi flood of 1927. The river inundated the homes of nearly one million people, helped elect Huey Long governor and made Herbert Hoover president, drove hundreds of thousands of blacks north, and transformed American society and politics forever.

A New York Times Notable Book of the Year, winner of the Southern Book Critics Circle Award and the Lillian Smith Award.

Customer Reviews:

History repeats itself........2007-08-20

I happened to read this book when I was home from work waiting for Hurricane Katrina to make landfall (I live in Baton Rouge, 80 miles North of New Orleans). It was an ironic that I read this book that day. I had no idea of the book's relevance to that day's events. John Barry documents the events and reasons leading up to the great flood of 1927 in incredible detail. Being from South Louisiana, I knew a little about the flood, but most of what I thought I knew was not correct. The facts of what the US Corp of Engineers did or did not do is readily available from a number of sources. The Corp of Engineer's competence or incompetence is subject to debate (Well, It was subject to debate until August 29, 2005). The real revelations as far as I am concerned are the cultural and economic factors that Barry weaves into an enlightening book. It shows how the powers that ruled New Orleans (Canal Bank, Whitney Bank, Hibernia Bank and the Times Picayune Newspaper) deceived and lied to maintain their power and riches at everyone else's expense. St Bernard Parish (County to most of you) was sacrificed by bombing the levee system below New Orleans to take the pressure off of the New Orleans levees (as it turns out, unnecessarily). The amazing part of the book is the "how it changed America" part. From the creation of the Federal based welfare system, Herbert Hoover's rise to stardom and the ultimate election of Huey Long as Governor of Louisiana (and had he not been assassinated, may be President of the United States), the 1927 flood changed America more than any event I can think of other than the Revolutionary War and Civil War. This is a GREAT book worth your time to read. It is said that in order to know the future, you must study the past. Too bad we're still not paying attention !!!!!!!!!!!

The Rising Tide.......2007-02-18

I've barely dipped into the first chapter of this, plus reading at random to wherever the book fell open, and I'm awed. Barry's attention to detail and exhaustive documentation of his sources are exemplary. It is also a darn good read, and it is his thoroughness which makes it that way -- the principal players stand out like characters in a good novel. There was recently a PBS special (I believe it was The American Experience) on the history of New Orleans, and although Barry appeared in it, not nearly enough attention was paid to the 1927 flood, especially to some of the most unsavory aspects such as the machinations of the local power structure. Other than the pleasure of reading this book, I highly recommend it because we had a replay of this in Katrina with a similar display of greed, insensitivity and incompetence. And if it can happen in New Orleans, it can happen anywhere!

The Great Flood.......2006-12-14

I had never heard of the Mississippi flood before picking up this book and I am surprised that I had never hard of it after reading about it. This is arguably the greatest natural disaster to hit the United States until Hurricane Katrina. To see the response of the government then and now there are shocking similarities The army corp of engineers makes a similar performance and it is through private enterprise and local political networks that areas are saved. One of the sadder points in the book is the treatment of African Americans and southern racism in this time period is clearly displayed in most areas. The flood which wiped out parts of Mississippi and spread down to New Orleans was catastrophic. Seeing the idea of detonating levees and sacrificing areas of save others were tough choices that have implications in the post Katrina world. This is a highly recommend book that will make one think about natural disaster response from a truly catastrophic event.

They're Gonna Wash Us Away - The Rest of the Story.......2006-11-02

Randy Newman told the story of the great Louisiana flood of 1927 in a few memorable but not very historically accurate verses. Barry tells it with painstaking research and narrative of 75 years surrounding and including 1927. He opens with the civil engineering debate that raged for years about how to "control" the Mississippi River--levees or controlled drainage. Once the flood happens he focuses on how people dealt with it as it was happening (race relations in the early 20th century were sorely tested) and afterwards (St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parishes, having been sacrifice to "save" New Orleans, were left almost low and dry when it came time to distribute money for recovery---sound familiar?) One memorable theme is that nature is unsympathetic to political compromise. Barry rivals David McCullough in the genre of popular history writers.

Outstanding Piece of Work in History, Politics and Humanity.......2006-10-26

Mr. Barry has done an exceptional job of weaving the elements of modern life together, natural disaster, power, money, politics, race together to tell an ingrossing and disturbing story, one that is a relevant today as it was when it happened in the late twenties. America is still affected by what happened then and faces many of the same challenges today--Katrina and whenever or whereever there is great human suffering brought on by natural disaster. (Just wait until the New Madrid earthquake occurs again. That may be the only natural disaster that could rival this flood and its effect on our nation, society and culture.)

Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely, and money--having it--makes that corruption and the arrogance that comes with it, even more dangerous, despicable and deadly. We face all of those issues and threats today, and it is not limited to a political party, but rather to class,to wealth and, sadly and alarmingly, to those we "elect" to represent and protect us.

This book is a sobering look at America as it was, and, sadly, as it is. Political parties do not matter....This not about man's highest, nor is it about man's lowest. It is about man as he is...

A New Day Rising (Red River of the North #2)

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Fantastic Series
encouraging
A touching read
Ingeborg turns the corner!
Lauraine Snelling does it again!!

A New Day Rising (Red River of the North #2)
Lauraine Snelling
Manufacturer: Bethany House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0764201921
Release Date: 2006-05-01

Book Description

The dream of their own farmstead and a good life in America had brought Roald and Ingeborg Bjorklund across the Atlantic to pioneer the virgin prairie of Dakota Territory. But Roald's tragic disappearance in a winter storm had turned Ingeborg's dreams into a living nightmare. Against nearly impossible circumstances and overwhelming grief, she struggles to keep the farm and her family together. When spring appears, Roald's distant cousin Haaken arrives to help with the heavy field work, and Ingeborg is able to once again concentrate her efforts on home and children. After the bleak winter, she cannot ignore the joy that Haaken brings to their lives or the attraction she begins to feel toward him. When Roald's brother from Norway also arrives to help the family, things become very complicated around the simple prairie dwelling! He reminded her of a Viking of old--could he be persuaded to stay?

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic Series.......2003-06-14

The Red River of the North series of books by Lauraine Snelling are fabulous books. If you have any Scandinavian heritage...or even if you don't...you will like these books. I have gained insight into how many of my relatives came to America through Ellis Island and settled in the Mid West states. I highly recommend!

encouraging.......2003-05-14

Lauraine Snelling is such a wonderful writer. You can relate to the character's behaviors and beliefs. She does a wonderful job getting you to feel like you are there in the book.

This is just a wonderful, clean, refreshing book/series. She gets so many emotions zinging through you as you are reading.

A touching read.......2003-04-08

Ingeborg and Kaaren get help from another Bjorklund, Haakan, who helps make the farm life easier for Ingeborg although she has to come to grips with many issues. All the characters are easy to like and make the hard work of our ancestors clear. Through Ingeborg's problems with winters in the soddy, the books brings the hardships of those settlers to fruit. Andrew and Thorliff are such fun to read about! Lauraine Snelling has a truly wonderful and memorable work in this family's story.

Ingeborg turns the corner!.......2001-04-21

A cruel blizzard has taken the life of her husband, Roald and his brother and 2 children. Ingeborg spends the next few months bitter - and dressed in her "britches" works the fields like a man. This way, fatigue and distance keep her from facing the truth and more importantly, her children whom she nearly gives away to her sister.

Her sod-home neighbor and sister (by marriage), Karen, a widow, has accepted happiness in a new life and finally Ingeborg comes to terms and returns to the faith of her youth.

The arrival of the distant cousin of her deceased husband, Haaken, eases the farm work but complicates the decision making. He is there ONLY to help the women with the farm for a crop season - or is he?

The delinquent arrival of the young, spunky, opinionated youngest brother of Roald further turns Ingeborg's world upside down, emotionally. The relationships and the final resolution of some major hurdles end this book and call for the immediate start of book 3, "A Land to Call Home."

Please check my other reviews of Christian fiction.

Lauraine Snelling does it again!!.......2000-10-07

Ingeborg, a woman who is tough as a nail and as soft as a flower. In A NEW DAY RISING, Ingeborg meets a man who can and does match her! For a page turner, read this book. Only warning. Don't start to read it if you plan on putting it down soon. Lauraine Snelling keeps the characters so alive you see them in front of you. Working the fields, laughing and crying their tears. The only thing that will make me happy is to see if the third book is in the mail today!!! Lauraine takes a character and makes them your best friend or your worsed enemy! Either way you're going to love them!! A must read! Perfect Christmas Gift!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Athol Dickson on top of his game
Simply Profound
Christy winner--sweet, powerful, shocking
The Very Best Buy
(RAW Rating: 4.5) - A flood of faith

River Rising
Athol Dickson
Manufacturer: Bethany House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 076420338X
Release Date: 2006-11-01

Book Description

Welcome to Pilotville, Louisiana, 1927, isolated outpost on the Mississippi River--a stilt village bounded by swampland to the horizon, accessible only by boat, an island of brotherly love in a sea of racism. Meet Hale Poser, a stranger with a bad hip who's come looking for his roots. In the swamp beyond the cypress and the tupelo, veiled by Spanish moss, lies a lingering evil. Now comes Hale Poser, and it will sleep no more. It will rain down on Pilotville, and nothing but a miracle can stop this awful flood.

Customer Reviews:

Athol Dickson on top of his game.......2006-11-01

Athol Dickson is one of the most talented writers in the CBA, and River Rising proves it. A masterfully woven tale, the story gripped me from the beginning and only tightened its hold with each turned page. Dickson knows how to tell a story and his writing is clear and succinct. No frills. I highly recommend this book.

Simply Profound.......2006-09-22

River Rising is simply profound! From beginning to end the reader is drawn into a foreign world that exists not far from most of us. There is a richness to this novel that reminds this Louisiana boy of the multi-layered flavors of a good gumbo. Gumbo appears to be a simple dish but is actually made up of many layers of flavors. Such is River Rising.

There is a good mystery, depth of character, and story telling well above average. But in the end, this is a book that makes you think. Read the book to the last word. Don't skip anything. See Hale Poser's world through his eyes and you will be changed just as was Pilotville, Louisiana in "River Rising."

Christy winner--sweet, powerful, shocking.......2006-07-20

So many reviews here have covered the plot.

Bottom line: It will haunt me forever. I love to visit New Orleans and the bayou country, so the atmospheric setting, a main character itself, grabbed me and held me from the start.

And having grown up in a quiet mainline denomination, I now enjoy what Poser desired--mixed congregations that do read beyond "Be still and know" and apply the last of the Psalms. : )

With its well-drawn main characters, subtle use of dialect, often lyrical prose and powerful, sometimes shocking plot, there's no surprise it won the Christy for Mystery and Suspense.

The Very Best Buy.......2006-07-08

One of the best books I've read in a long long time. I got mine from theverybestbuy on amazon. An excellent marketplace seller in new condition!

(RAW Rating: 4.5) - A flood of faith .......2006-06-17

RIVER RISING is set during the Great Mississippi Flood in the racial climate of Pillotville, Louisiana in 1927. Although it has its share of racism and poverty, Pillotville was not quite a typical town. Blacks and whites lived in distant harmony and the black population was fairly secure.

Prior to the flood, Reverend Hale Poser journeys to the town of Pillotville in search of his roots. Posner raises interest because he is a black man with startling blue eyes; there is a vague mysticism surrounding him. Employed as a janitor at the Negro Infirmary, Posner lays hands on a woman during complications in childbirth and the baby is delivered in perfect health. He is becoming somewhat of a celebrity until the baby he helped deliver disappears.

Dogmatic about finding the baby, Posner's search takes him on a journey deep into the bayou swamps; there he uncovers the darkness of man's inhumanity to man. He finds the truth about his past and happens upon an unimaginable scene. Suddenly he is questioning his faith, humanity and God. The racial climate of Pillotville is thrown into chaos and Poser wonders if he can bridge two worlds and become an instrument of change. As the rain descends on Pillotville, Posner finds a renewed faith and reaches farther than even his natural mind can understand.

Dickson uses a narrative voice to tell an allegoric tale of ignorance and redemption, of darkness and light. In the swamp beyond the tupelo and cypress lurks a lingering evil, sleeping in dreadful seclusion. Dickson questions the moral compass of this backwoods, isolated outpost on the Mississippi River. RIVER RISING is a simple story surrounding the nature of good versus evil and all conditions lodged between the two. With it's vivid airy setting, well-developed characters and disturbing conclusions, it is being compared to books like 'Kindred' and 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.

Reviewed by aNN
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

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Blue River Rising: Healing Undercurrents For "Green River Running Red."
Excellent Book
fine Americana tale

River Rising (Missouri, Book 4)
Dorothy Garlock
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0446611719

Customer Reviews:

Blue River Rising: Healing Undercurrents For "Green River Running Red.".......2006-04-19

My attention was captured by the rural farmhouse art on the novel's cover, Dorothy Garlock's name, and the word "Americana" in reviews.

Been analyzing various types of mysteries and needed a relief from the clue focus. Was definitely refreshed returning to my old haunt of Early-American, 1930's romance. In that genre I live with the characters and plot in warm, family settings, yet I'm removed enough from the heavy work loads and financial horrors families shouldered in the depression era.

The prologue was a chilling, mesmerizing lead-in to the plot's contrast of emotionally heated grit around a good cast of strong, feisty characters weaving wit into wherewithal.

Say what?

Okay. Re-wording:

The prologue gave an accurate profile of a rapist, and the psychological response to the discovery of that profile (after 5 years grieving her husband's death) by a wife who had no clue to his dark side. The easy, quipping banter among characters in the ongoing plot gave a good contrast to the pain in the prologue.

I enjoyed the easy reading rhythm of slipping through a plot without the necessity of applying memory retention techniques to hold onto an intriguing horde of details, clues, and diversions. My recent reading tastes have been craving cozy culinary mysteries, with other genres and mainstream novels temporarily shoved off the back burner onto the floor behind the stove, where greasy dust bunnies abide and multiply. Even within a craving frenzy, though, one needs a break. This was mine.

How refreshing to live through the pages of a book with no underlying game-board beyond the simple elements of a good story. Not that simple stories are empty; with a balance of plot, characters, and setting, enough is most often enough. And, there is clearly thematic and psychological depth here.

I cheered the cunning contrast between the enduring country values of the Jones, and the un-elegant, empty ethics of a few snobs in town. It was refreshing to see redemptive evolutions of youth (Sammy) and of more mature characters (Jack). Of course the conflicts, tensions, and resolutions were predictable, as they're expected (desired) to be in this genre. If these anticipations are altered too dramatically, the drama sometimes descends into a literary category, and (for me) can too easily go sour in that miasma.

I was refreshed by the formulas met, yet literarily satisfied with this warm story's easing gently and sagely into and through difficult issues.

Surprisingly, the exposure (and healing) of a mild sexual perversion was artfully and tastefully done within this plot, edging the work almost into a literary gestalt, without leaving the appealing warmth of healthy romance

Loved the scene of peeping Fred snapping his backbone to stand up against bitter Shirley. Once backbone is acknowledged, perversion has an option to dissipate. What I enjoyed most in that first scene of Fred's spirit surge was that he accomplished this initial shift in his sibling relationship simply and gently. This situation occurred earlier in the story, giving characters the opportunity to begin healing dark tendencies, and the reader the regenerative benefits of "taking cues" from realistic character growth.

Woven naturally into the action were Lots of interesting bits of info for dealing with various types of emergencies, including medical. The fitting manner in which these "how to's" were delivered increased my involvement in the reading.

Excellent Book.......2006-03-20

River Rising is an excellent book with great subplots. I couldn't put it down. Dorothy Garlock's stories are always so real and emotional.

fine Americana tale.......2005-04-27

April Asbury leaves a big city hospital where she worked as an emergency room nurse to work in the small town of Fertile as Dr. Forbes office nurse. On the surface Fertile seems like a serene little town where neighbor helps neighbor survive the Great Depression. She meets Joe Jones when her car breaks down forcing her to walk until she finds herself in a field with a bull. Joe rescues her and takes her into town where she rents a room at Mrs. Poole's and starts work in Dr. Forbes office.

She begins to sense that the postcard prettiness of the town masks secrets that people want kept hidden. Dr Forbes is in love with a woman most people would consider black and is not allowed to legally marry her. Mrs. Poole's brother Fred spies on April when she is naked in her room and Mrs. Poole is going through with a diabolical plan that could destroy innocent lives. April is afraid to give her heart to Joe because she thinks he is a flirt while Joe thinks April would not want to get involved with a poor farmer. When the river threatens to flood the town many secrets and feelings finally see the light of day.

Dorothy Garlock is the queen of Americana tales and RIVER RISING is a perfect example of her superior writing talent. The romance of April and Joe plays out against the manipulations and actions of the secondary cast who are drawn very realistically. There are multiple sub-plots that all tie to the main storyline that enables readers to feel what it was like in small Missouri town during the Great Depression.

Harriet Klausner

An Untamed Land/A New Day Rising/A Land to Call Home (Red River of the North Pack #1-3)

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Marilyn from South Carolina
Norwegian pioneers in the Dakotas
Very good series
Couldn't Stop Reading
Red River of the North box set (1-30

An Untamed Land/A New Day Rising/A Land to Call Home (Red River of the North Pack #1-3)
Lauraine Snelling
Manufacturer: Bethany House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 076428150X
Release Date: 1997-05-01

Customer Reviews:

Marilyn from South Carolina.......2007-07-04

A friend gave me this book to read and I haven't been able to put it down. I have done extensive research on my family geneology and my maternal Great-Grandparents were some of the very first settlers in the Dakota territory. I have documentation that matches the book content so Lauraine Snelling did her research well. I, being raised in Minnesota and my Mother born in Fargo brought back so many memories about the Bjorkland family traveling through Alexandria, MN (where my Mom's aunt lived). These settlers lived through some unbareable times and they had to be very strong to survive it. Don't judge the writer about all the deaths as that actually did happen back in those times. They didn't have the medicines and doctors we have today and they died from the simplest illnesses and injuries. I can't imagine how they survived those winters. I know it got brutally cold (30 and 40 degrees below zero). Can you imagine living in uninsulated dwellings through those temps.

I am very anxious to read more books of these series and will recommend them to anyone.

Norwegian pioneers in the Dakotas.......2006-08-10

I purchased this set of books for a family member because I enjoyed them so much myself. Our family has connections to Norwegian pioneers in the Dakotas so they were even more meaningful to us.
Exciting and realistic, the stories show the trials and the courage of the early emigrants as they struggled to establish their homes in a new land. Uplifting to see how their faith in God helped them through their ordeals, and also how important the strength of family and friends were to them.

Very good series.......2006-03-18

I enjoyed this series very much. Lauraine Snelling has a very good way of introducing new characters to the main story line that continue to make each book very enjoyable and the people believable.

The way that Bible Scripture and Godly lessons are weaved throughout each book, makes these books not only "good reading" but "good for your soul" books too.

Couldn't Stop Reading.......2003-09-04

Once I started I just couldn't stop reading. She writes in a way that you can see what she describes, and feel what the character is feeling. I have read all 6 in the series, plus the 3 in the Return to Red River. Can't wait for the following books that are to follow. You won't regret buying this series.

Red River of the North box set (1-30.......2002-09-01

I bought this set of three books, and couldn't do anything but read, until I finished them!! My father imigrated to North Dakota from Sweden in 1905, and the book is so real, it brought back so many childhood memories, even though it is set 20-30 years before. The isolation and the harshness of the freezing temperatures of the winters was so very real, even though we were a family of ten children.But the love and respect that families had for each other made all the hardships worth while, and this love will stay with me forever. My grandchildren have a great heritage, and ask me many questions, as their life in California in the 2000's is so very different. The land my father homesteaded is still in our family, and is now in the 3rd generation. It has increased to over 2000 acres, and still sustains the Nelson family, and the 2 generations who live on the land.We had lots of Indian graves on the land ,and our father taught us to respect, and never disturb them. The Indians were still around when he first arrived from Sweden. What an adventure back in time!!!! Can't wait to get the continuing series!! Thanks, Ms. Snelling!!!

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River Rising: Large Print edition
Dorothy Garlock
Manufacturer: Doubleday Large Print/Warner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739454633

Romance Treasury: Rising River (Linden Grierson); Tree of Promise (Juliet Shore); The River Lord (Kay Thorpe) (Romance Treasury Collection)

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Romance Treasury: Rising River (Linden Grierson); Tree of Promise (Juliet Shore); The River Lord (Kay Thorpe) (Romance Treasury Collection)

Manufacturer: The Romance Treasury Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 037304125X

Product Description

This is a collection of three (3) great romance novels in one book. All of the stories were previously published by Harlequin Romance (or Mills & Boon Limited prior to Harlequin). The stories, along with the author, ISBN, Harlequin Romance number (HR), and original copyright year (if available) are: Rising River (Linden Grierson, ISBN 0-373-01820-7, HR 1820, c1974); Tree of Promise (Juliet Shore, ISBN 0-373-01617-4, HR 1617, c1971); The River Lord (Kay Thorpe, ISBN 0-373-02079-1, HR 2079, c1977).

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A harrowing fictional trip through a very realistic hell
Hasn't made the screen yet!
atsonishingly tough novel of prison life
THE BEST PRISON FICTION BOOK EVER WRITTEN
Prisonthriller

Green River Rising
Tim Willocks
Manufacturer: Avon Books (Mm)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0380723573

Customer Reviews:

A harrowing fictional trip through a very realistic hell.......2007-08-07

Doctor Ray Klein is a prisoner in the hellhole known as Green River State Penitentiary, Texas' toughest prison. He has made a good life for himself there, using his medical skills to win the respect of his fellow inmates. In non-medical matters, his actions are governed by a motto he has taped to his mirror: NOT MY F***ING BUSINESS. This policy has kept him alive and sane.

As the novel begins, Klein obtains the prize he has been seeking: parole. In twenty-four hours, he will emerge from Green River a free man. But fate is not kind. Shortly after he receives the good news, a riot, induced by the machinations of a manic depressive warden, erupts. Klein does his best to avoid trouble, but is forced to take a more active role when he learns that a colleague, Dr. Juliette Devlin, is trapped in the infirmary on the other side of the facility. Accompanied by a ragtag group of convicts (one inmate asks, "Where's Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen?"), he travels through the very bowels of the prison to rescue her.

This book is hard-edged, brutal and claustrophobic, full of horrifying detail. Willocks puts you inside the prison with the rest of the convicts--it becomes your world, your only point of reference. Willocks is eloquent and painfully direct. He spares the reader nothing. Green River Rising is a harrowing fictional trip through a very realistic hell--be prepared.

Hasn't made the screen yet!.......2006-07-16

It's quite difficult for a writer to cross the Atlantic in either direction, so it has to be a plus that Willocks's origin only shows once or twice. For the rest, he manages the genre pretty well: the brutal rubs shoulders with the the sentimental, and cliche with overwriting. He strings clauses together with "and" when the sexuality gets romantic. Here's a gem:
"Then Devlin did the one thing in the world that could comfort him and if ... and he wondered ... She reached up under his towel and put her hand on his cock."
The obviousness of the book suggests Willocks is writing with an eye for the movies. The prison is full of racism and the writer's vision is full of inverse racism. There's Whirlwind Wilson, a hurrican Carter type who ensures the blacks are righteous muthas, the hero is called Klein and heroine is called - of course! - Devlin! Is the movie going to play Irish music every time she appears? The warden is named Hobbes - one for the philosophy buffs - and speaks like Hannibal Lecter.
Devlin bedding Whirlwind Wilson is a bit gratuitous, though. The book's a bit too long as well.
It's also funny that in the Epilogue it states that one of the characters waited in vain for his book of the events to be made into a film. Sounds prophetic to me.

atsonishingly tough novel of prison life.......2006-01-26

I was a prisoner for 7 years in 4 different prisons in Washington State and it was during my incarceration that I discovered this book. To boil it down into a nutshell, you could say its like DIE HARD during a prison riot, with a lone protagonist pitted against some seriously depraved adversaries-- but that doesn't do it justice; this book just drips authentic atmosphere--it's as evocative as the prison writings of Edward Bunker. I was completely flabbergasted when I found out the author had not only NOT done time himself, but was actually an Englishman to boot! My hat is off to Tim Willocks; without ever having spent any time in an American prison that I know of, he has captured something as real as anything ever written by inmates themselves. What still stands out in my mind are the well drawn motivations of the various factions warring inside the prison and the absolute vileness of some of the villains.

THE BEST PRISON FICTION BOOK EVER WRITTEN.......2005-01-06

I dare you to read "Green River Rising" and then the "The Green Mile" back to back. You will probably throw "The Green Mile" in the toilet after going 1/4 the way and then re-read "Green River Rising".

If you like books like Stehen Hunter's "Dirty White Boys" or Mr. Willock's other book "Bloodstained Kings" (has there ever been a cooler title?) then you will love "Green River Rising".

I enjoy guys like John Connolly, Stephen Hunter, Brian Keene, James W. Hall, and the Child/Preston collaborative novels. if you are familiar with these guys and you like them, then give Willocks a try. He's an original, creative genius.

Prisonthriller.......2003-04-30

I think it's stupid to put Stephen King and Tim Willocks on the same level. Green River Rising is a thriller. It reminds more of an actionmovie. Stephen King on the other side writes horror. Green River Rising doesn't have any mysterious elements, and has much more action then King books. Kings books are very detailed, and GRG on the other sides has a pretty quick developing story without pagelong descreptions of for example rooms. To me GRG was like a good actionmovie. I read the german translation, and I thought that the bad language and all the violence fit in the atmosphere of the book. The books lives off his sick crazy characters. And I think that it's really interesting to read chapters out of views of mentally ill people. If you like movies like "Face off", but you like deeper stories and complexer characters you should read this book. It's one of my all time favorites. And people that complain about the dirty language and the violence should not even write a review about this. It's about a prison with mentally ill people. So what do you think what they are doing, maybe playing with puppets and drink tea?

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Dive Into This One!
A Beautifully Written Story
Why Do We Live Here?

Flood Stage and Rising
Jane Varley
Manufacturer: University of Nebraska Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Red River Rising: The Anatomy of a Flood and the Survival of an American City

ASIN: 0803246781

Book Description

What could be safer than Grand Forks, North Dakota, settled on the vast, flat plain of the Red River? There’d be no danger unless the whole town went under water. But in April 1997 that is precisely what happened. Flood Stage and Rising tells the story of that month-long disaster from the point of view of one who lived through it—fighting the flood shoulder-to-shoulder with her neighbors, watching in horror as the water breaks the dikes, fleeing the city only to see, via newscasts, her town burst into flames at the height of the flood—and finally working to put her own and Grand Fork’s life back together.

As she chronicles North Dakota’s disastrous winter and spring—and the tortuous recovery process that continues to this day—Jane Varley gives us a shocking, moving picture of the reality behind the headline news that riveted the nation. A gifted poet and essayist, Varley has crafted a first-rate adventure narrative that is also a love story about a particular place and time, infused with her passion for the natural world, a curiosity about rivers and remote landscapes, and a need for meaning. Her story culminates a life of travels that prepared her—and prepares us—for what we see in North Dakota as the lake bed of the Red River Valley refills with water like a ghost of its ancient past.

Customer Reviews:

Dive Into This One!.......2005-06-27

I live on the floodplane of the Mississippi River. In flood years, the spring rise threatens my existence in deluging ways, the river flowing into the first floor of my house. I keep a dinghy tied to my back doorknob for quick escape. Jane Varley's book provides haunting and fascinating images of what happens when a river relcaims its rightful place. Always in the counter-balance, of course, is how it wreacks havoc on human life. What does the river give? What does it take? Varley's book tackles both these questions in insightful and poetic ways.

Buy this book. You'll find her story of living in the midst of disaster life-giving and awe-inspired.

A Beautifully Written Story.......2005-04-27

This book is an amazing story of the beauty and strength of nature. Though written as a narrative, the language is beautifully poetic. The author is a fantastic story teller, and shares a personal account of an incredible event.

Why Do We Live Here?.......2005-03-18

This is a question that Jane Varley probes in Flood Stage and Rising. It is thrilling and fascinating that she is writing about midwesterners, and more specifically, Grand Forksians, inhabitants of this Red River Valley---but Varley's explorations in this work move well beyond our area, begging everyone to look closely at their surroundings and experience a sense of place more fully.

Every other chapter in Flood Stage and Rising is about Varley's experiences during the 1997 Grand Forks flood. The other chapters reveal her connections to water, particularly rivers, over the course of her life. She was born during an April flood in Dubuque and in the chapter describing it says, "I was born from water into water."

As a newcomer to North Dakota, Varley maintains a compelling distance from her topic, offering us a view of ourselves that is rich in familiar phrases ("Forty below keeps the riff raff out"), accents ("Ya got cherself in a spot there, didn't cha?") and ways of life ("In Minnesota, kindness can be an urgent business"). Yet Varley reminds us of her transient status: "Was the flood helping me know this place better or preventing me from knowing it, spurring on the feeling that I should leave and find new territory?"

It's a question we ask ourselves: Why do we live here? Varley will not answer this question for you, or even really for herself. You will not want her to; you will read the book and ask questions of yourself, your home, your memories, your observations, and your thoughts. As I stated earlier, people from all parts of the country will relate to and enjoy this book, and we owe an extra thanks to Varley for reminding us where we've been, making us put aside the jokes about living in North Dakota long enough to truly appreciate our own stories. "The stories reveal who we are, full of words, ready to say what happened to us, as well as silent, turning back to the cold muck of a basement, reaching in and ordering a new kind of life."

Red River Rising: The Anatomy of a Flood and the Survival of an American City

Average customer rating:

Awesome book - a must read!
Over-sensitive Idiots Rising
Fabulous journalist, fabulous journalism.
I couldn't stop reading!
superb book!!!

Red River Rising: The Anatomy of a Flood and the Survival of an American City
Ashley Shelby
Manufacturer: Borealis Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

Disaster Relief | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Natural Disasters | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
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Flood Stage and Rising

ASIN: 0873515005

Customer Reviews:

Awesome book - a must read!.......2005-09-13

This book grabs you and never lets you go. I read this book in a few days. Shelby does a great job of showing us how the citizens of Grand Forks, local authorities, FEMA, and our president Clinton handled one of the biggest floods in American history. This book has given an insight on how New Orleans may be able to survive hurricane Katrina.

Over-sensitive Idiots Rising.......2004-06-28

I enjoyed this book. As a life-long resident of North Dakota, I love getting an impartial analysis from outside the state on such a major event, and heartily enjoy the ball-busting this author gives the area. The simple fact is, people did look desperately for scapegoats in the form of the National Weather Service or the Army Corps of Engineers or what have you, and I think the same story is likely repeated every year in similar disasters in this country. People do and think foolish things in times of calamity, and I wish more people in this area would own up to our own displays of idiocy.

Fabulous journalist, fabulous journalism........2004-06-17

This is a book about Democracy and the roll of government. Increasingly, as taxes, tensions and the everday involvement of government slowly rise, we ask ourselves and our leaders: Where should personal responsibility end and regulation begin?

Do taxpayers owe anything to disaster "victims" who willingly live, year after year, uninsured, at the constant verge of mortal danger?

And the rich social and political subtexts abound. Anyone who wonders why no qualified leader in his or her right mind would enter public service in America needs only read "Red River Rising." Shelby's descriptions of the government, the press and the people and their interactions -- from the origin of questionable information under the strict rigors of flawed government mandates, to its botched transfer through the hands of under-educated reporters, to the public's inability to assimilate and use it, is priceless.

Aside from being an amazing book about strife, courage and recovery, this is a text so socially relevant to our country's current struggles that it can be extrapolated to relate to any issue on any level. From imposing a recycling tax, to going to war, this book describes how every public decision in America transpires -- right down to the last militant holdout spitting in the face of The Man.

Every leader, voter and reporter needs to read this book.

Bryan Harris
Journalist

I couldn't stop reading!.......2004-06-10

Red River Rising offers great journalism and an enthralling read in the same package. I kept saying to myself, "Just one more page..." Shelby presents a masterful overview of the disaster and brings all of the people to life, too. A terrific book.

superb book!!!.......2004-06-03

I picked this book up as a gift for a friend who lived through the flood and I became so engrossed in it I never put it in the mail! (I bought another copy for my him. ) As well as being hugely infomative, there was a richness of detail and character that gave it the feel of a gripping novel.

The book brought home for me the true devastion of the flood, which I had of course heard about, but could not truly fathom until Red River Rising.

I was surprised to read another Amazon reviewer (and local) say: "There is a sense throughout the book that North Dakota residents are hicks waiting on federal hand outs, too stupid to purchase flood insurance, and too easily swayed by a newspaper column."

It's a strange comment. You could only conclude the person read a different book. Red River Rising reads as nothing less than a moving tribute to the intelligent, proud, generous and above all courageous people of Grand Forks.

I recommend it highly!

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