Two books and one interactive website illuminate the stories of our Mississippi River

With the snow beginning to fly up North and cold weather settling in across the basin, there’s no better time than now to dive into a book or collection that illuminates the history, beauty, and stories of the River, for instance Hear the River Dammed: Poems from the edge of the Mississippi by Cole Williams; Old Man River: The Mississippi River in North American History, by Paul Schneider; or Relay of Voices, an online collection of stories, from Victoria Bradford Styrbicki.

Limited Time Special Opportunities 

Would you like your own copy of Hear the River Dammed or Old Man River? You’ll receive one of these two books with your donation of $50 or more, or with any new monthly donation of $10 or more. Offer is available through December 31, 2022, or while supplies last.

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We also have a special event Wednesday December 7, 2022 on Zoom at 12pm CT with author Paul Schneider. Paul will share stories from his book Old Man River and answer your questions. We’ll also share readings from Cole Williams’, Hear the River Dammed and have a drawing for signed copies of both books. The event is free to attend.

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Hear the River Dammed: Poems from the edge of the Mississippi   

Cole W. Williams is a River Citizen who responded to one of our emails and shared that she is an author of several books about the Mississippi River. Cole lives along the River, and we were intrigued and impressed with her work. After purchasing some of her books to offer as prizes for a 1 Mississippi Trivia Contest, Cole offered to donate several copies of her book, Hear the River Dammed: Poems from the Edge of the Mississippi.  

Here is a description ​from the book cover: “Hear the River Dammed leads us to the edges of the Mississippi River, inviting us to tap in, to fly with the eagles, and to listen to what the waters are telling us. Like so many conservation efforts, Hear the River Dammed draws attention to the beauty of the Mississippi River in an attempt to save it. Cole W. Williams arms readers not only with an ode, but a resource section that transforms this collection into a call and response, into poetry with purpose.” 

Hear the River Dammed is the winner of several awards including: 2017 Nature Conservation Award: Living Now; 2017 BEA Award: Poetry; 2017 Silver Nautilus Award: Poetry.   

“A magnificent collection – part social commentary, part elegy, and part lyrical love song.” -Lynn Gray, author of In the Dreaming and Longing for the Wild 

“Our connection to the natural world is critical, now more than ever. The words of Cole W. Williams will inspire us all to notice, connect, care, and protect precious water resources.” – Judy Onufer, Program Coordinator, H2O for Life.  

Old Man River: The Mississippi River in North American History  

In 2013, author Paul Schneider published his book Old Man River: The Mississippi River in North American History and he donated several signed copies of his book to Mississippi River Network to help us advance our mission.      

Old Man River is an account of the Mississippi River and the people who have explored, fought battles, worked, wrote stories, and made their homes there. The book spans from Paleolithic times through present. Schneider weaves his own story throughout, as he kayaks and boats the rivers in the Mississippi River Watershed.     

“In Old Man River, Paul Schneider tells the story of the river at the center of America’s rich history—the Mississippi. Schneider traces the history of the Mississippi from its origins in the deep geologic past to the present. Though the busiest waterway on the planet today, the Mississippi remains a paradox—a devastated product of American ingenuity, and a magnificent natural wonder.” – Amazon.com 

“Nonfiction lovers with eclectic tastes and readers bored by a single-discipline approach will love Schneider’s multiple-angle portrait of the Mississippi watershed. Throughout, there are bits of memoir, as Schneider sets out on one of the watershed’s rivers by kayak or motorboat.” –Mary Carroll Booklist – 

“A hugely entertaining journey along one of the world’s greatest waterways. This lucid, immensely diverting excursion could only have been written by one who not only knows but love the Mississippi, and fears for its future”  – John Sudgen 

Relay of Voices. A collection of stories that brings us to the banks of the Mississippi River to explore the way the River connects instead of divides us.   

Relay of Voices is a new storytelling project from Mississippi River Network member, A House Unbuilt, and Victoria Bradford Styrbicki. While running down the full length of the Mississippi River, Victoria and her husband Tom gathered 600 stories from locals. 

The first chapter of these gathered “voices” are now available on the interactive website. You’ll find resources from each storyteller including  video, photos, audio, and written accounts and more. This website, with its rich resources, is like a book that keeps on giving and growing. 

“We want to support a culture of listening around the communities of the Mississippi River. As we build a physical vocabulary drawn from these lives that are shaped around a volatile natural resource, as well as a reliance on community relationships, a story that resonates beyond the River and connects all Americans has emerged. Just being present in people’s lives was the first step, and now theri stories can be a catalyst for all the voices of the River, while also providing insights for education, policy, and science” – Victoria Bradford Styrbicki, Executive and Artistic Director at A House Unbuilt.