As one of the most important rivers in the history of the United States, this book allows the reader to learn about it from multiple different perspectives and ways. A good way to learn about how important the mighty Mississip is to where we are today.

A compelling and necessary work, that showcases how we must protect our rivers and respect nature. The writing itself is easy to read and immersive, and though it's a heavy topic, I didn't think it was a heavy read. I did appreciate the more technical and engineer aspects, told in a way I didn't expect to find interesting, yet did.

Guest review from my wife (who is something of a water nerd).

I received a copy through Netgalley and was not otherwise compensated for this honest review.

I have a shelf full of books about water and I run a public education series about Water & Infrastructure. I knew nothing about the book when I requested it, but I wanted to learn more about the Mississippi River.

Living in the Western United States, I have read about and traveled extensively in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Watershed and the Colorado River Watershed. But, despite living 14 years in the Mississippi Watershed, I have never *seen* the river. The watershed is so vast, the river banks are so tall, what is there to see that is worth the journey?

I was expecting a natural history book, but this is so much more. It's a tough read full of genocide, slavery, and ecocide. It's a book about destruction and futility. It reminds me of Water Always Wins: Going With the Flow to Thrive in the Age of Droughts, Floods, and Climate Change.

All that killing. All that dynamite. All those plans and dreams. It's not going to make a drop of difference on the scale of the history of this planet and this river.

There's too much in this book for me to cover. But two notable things I learned stand out.

My K-12 history education failed to teach me the accomplishment of the Native Americans. How is it that I learned about the Central American pyramids of Chichen Itza but not of the North American Mounds?

Secondly, in school, I was taught that Thomas Jefferson was a learned man who donated his books to found a public library. But, in college, I learned that his "Natural Philosophy" was nothing more than prejudice dressed up in pretty words.

Until I read this book, I did not know that Jefferson's and John Locke's unfounded (and completely wrong!) natural philosophy theories were used to carve up the Mississippi Valley into rectangular farms that disastrously paid no attention to land, water, weather or ecology.

I read in high school that Jefferson negotiated a great bargain with the French for the Louisiana Purchase. But I did not know that the low price was because he didn't purchase the territory. He only purchased the right to negotiate with the Native Americans. Jefferson then orchestrated a carefully worded plan to steal the land from the Tribes and pass it on to an army of "Citizen-Farmers" that would vote perpetually to reinforce his preferred political preferences.

By the end of the book, I was ready to start a campaign to get Jefferson's name off a local elementary school.

I highly, highly recommend reading The Great River: The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi, but I recommend reading the early chapters in small doses. The emotional toll of reading about all that death and destruction is tough. I can only imagine the toll on the author to research and write that.
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The Great River by Boyce Upholt is one of those books you did not know you wanted to read! The author takes us to the beginning and weaves a fascinating historical tale of the Mississippi and it's tributaries. We learn about Native Americans, frontierman, floods, war and of course the birth of the Corps of Engineers. Upholt kept the book interesting without being too technical in his explanations. I enjoyed hearing about some of his peronal visits along the river.

I did not know or really think about how important The Mississippi was to our country from it's beginnings until today. Upholt thoroughly explains the how and why of the importance of the river. It certainly makes me want to visit some of these places to see for myself. I am no historian and do not read a lot of non fiction. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I want to read more books like this one. Thank you Netgalley for the chance to review this book.

I really enjoyed this book. It is an interesting, informative, and balanced history of the Mississippi River, written with enough detail to be enjoyed by academics, but not so much jargon that non-academics would be overwhelmed. We see images every few years of flooding along this river and its major tributaries, and there are always 'easy' solutions offered after each flood, but reading this book, it is clear that any solution to this and all the other issues related to the Mississippi River will be complicated.

"The Great River: The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi" by Boyce Upholt is a captivating exploration of the river's history and human interventions that have shaped American society over centuries. Upholt skillfully navigates the awe and respect Indigenous peoples held for the river, contrasted with European settlers' views of it as a conquerable force. From Jefferson's expansionist ambitions to modern environmental concerns, Upholt chronicles ambitious engineering projects—levees, jetties, dams—that aimed to control the river, often with damaging consequences for ecosystems.

Upholt's narrative weaves history, geography, engineering, and environmental science with elegance and clarity. Through meticulous research, he reveals the consequences of attempts to tame nature and explores ongoing efforts to restore what has been lost. "The Great River" offers a comprehensive and fast-paced read for those interested in the Mississippi's complexities and its impact on American society.

Overall, it's an essential exploration of how humans have shaped the land and been shaped by it, providing valuable insights into the past, present, and future of the mighty Mississippi.

Thank you to W.W. Norton and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

A wide-ranging and deep look at man's efforts to control the Mississippi River. Even with the best of intentions, these efforts often result in disaster for the river, the land surrounding the river, and the people. Upholt does not castigate blame and writes with great sympathy, but people rarely win in their efforts to control nature. This is a great book that includes history, ecology, engineering, and wonderful human reporting.

In The Great River, Boyce Upholt takes on the task of telling the story of the Mississippi. He includes the technical aspects of controlling river’s flow, the cultures and activities of the people of the Mississippi basin, and the economic and commercial demands placed on the river. A mighty challenge!

=== The Good Stuff ===
* I have always been fascinated by the mechanics of the man’s attempt to manage the flow of the river. The Mississippi, if left alone, would have very large floodplains, numerous rapids and shallows, and a constantly changing pathway through the heart of America. In short, it would do exactly what man doesn’t want it to do. The Great River gives a good overview of the technologies and techniques used over the years to manage the river.
* While I have read much of the technical side of the river’s history, the book contained fascinating information on the inhabitants of the Mississippi River basin, including the civilizations that existing before the native American tribes that we commonly associate with the area.
* Upholt explains the complex and conflicting requirements man places on the river, and the political and cultural challenges they create. As an example, the demands of commercial navigation, commercial fisheries, sportsmen and farmers over flood control strategies and very opposed to each other. The book explains these and the resulting conflicts.
* The author writes in an easy-to-read style, and the pages flew by. He explains topics well, and avoids needlessly complicated vocabulary. The draft copy did not have the footnote indicators in place, but the list of references certainly seems credible.

=== The Not-So-Good Stuff ===
* When discussing the hydraulics of flood control, Upholt is very scientific and concentrates on the engineering challenges and solutions. However, the book becomes much for “touchy-feely” on the topic of environmental and conservation claims.
* The author lets his own opinions seep into the discussion. As an example, he cites the reduction in the number of farmers in the river basin as a cause for concern. And yet the percentage of non-farm labor in an economy is often used as a predictor of the rise of standard-of-living.
* The biggest shortcoming of the book is that it simply tries to do too much. The engineering, cultural and political aspects of ‘managing” the Mississippi river are all fascinating topics, but at 4400 Kindle locations, is just too short to do them justice. The result is an overview that leaves the reader wanting more details.

=== Summary ===
If you have not read much on this topic, the book is an enjoyable overview and jumping-off point. I have read previous works describing the engineering challenges of the river, so I was a bit disappointed with that aspect of the book. But had never read the details of the various civilizations that have risen and fallen along the river, and enjoyed that material.
As a first book on the Mississippi River basin, this is an excellent book. However if you are already somewhat familiar with it, you will wish the book had another 300 pages to it.