Customer Reviews

Goodbye to a River: A Narrative

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I first read this book 15 years ago. And although I've never been to that part of Texas, I feel as if I know Mr. Graves' stretch of the Brazos as well as the back of my hand. I have always felt guilty for never writing him a fan letter. He deserves as much credit as Wallace Stegner, Edward Abbey, John McPhee and all the rest or our naturalist philosophers for his beautiful prose and endlessly ruminative mind. I know that at least one reviewer found the book dull, and I have no capacity for empathy. In fact, I recently purchased, through Amazon, an autographed copy of the book with Mr. Graves' own photographs, for [$$]. If my son loves this book someday as much as I have, I'll consider my life a success. It is that good.

I first met John Graves in 1981 at a Texas Writers' Convention in Ft. Worth. I told him that I'd bought at least 30 copies of Goodbye (which was true), having lent or given outright some 29 previous copies. He autographed it, and wrote a prelogue thanking me for my good opinion of the book. Read it for yourself, and enjoy Texas history and the mind of a man who is attached to every feeder creek, low water crossing, or sweeping bend. This book is what the best and worst of Texas is all about. Read it, then come on down to the River, and catch some fish. I'll set you up with a canoe rental ...

With all the previous and excellent reviews for this wonderful book, I will only add brief personal comments:

This was recommended to me for a Texas history course, but this is not merely the best history book I have come across, but this is the best book I have read bar none. If you read for self-discovery, history or for appreciation of good writing, then you will not leave this book on your shelf disappointed when you are done. You will, if you are like me, go and find your parents or your grandparents or both, hug them and say, "I never appreciated what you did and what you left behind for my generation. Thank you."

And thank you, John Graves.

I carried a copy of this book with me while away from Texas, while in the US Army back in '71. Every time I would get terribly lonely for home and Texas, I would read this book. I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves history, Texas, nature, or rivers. I own several copies (five last count, as have given away half a dozen to good friends), and continue to re-read the book, as I always enjoy Mr. Graves' words, his history lessons, and his use of the English language. His imparting of the north Texas dialect is wonderful, as that dialect is the one in which I also was and am immersed. I have many other of Mr. Graves books, but GTAR is the first you should read! By the way, I also went to Boy Scout Camp at Worth Ranch on the Brazos as many boys did during the mid 50s, boated and canoed and fished on the Brazos, or the Brazos de Dios, the Arms of God. The sweet smell of oak and cedar, of campfires on river islands, the sounds of water rushing down river, the taste of fresh catfish fried up in a campfire...the bald eagles and deer, the ghosts of "The People" and early settlers....the best times..

I was very impressed with this book. Graves does so much in this enjoyable volume. As he takes a canoe trip down the Brazos near where he grew up, he shares the history of the land--both recent and not-so-recent. Through him, we learn the reality of life for the average settler on the edge of the frontier. He also seems to be detailing a life that in his time was declining and in our age is nearly completely gone. His writing is difficult to describe and unlike anything I have ever read. It flows smoothly with a combination of regional speech and erudition. As you read you feel like you are in the canoe with an incomparable guide to this region of our state. A great book that deserves to be read much more widely than it is.

I live 25 miles from the spot on the Brazos river where John Graves begins his tale. I have floated this section of the river many times. Reading this book before making the trip makes the float immeasurably more interesting. Each time you come to a certain spot or bend in the river, you recall the tale the author related about the history surrounding that particular spot. This is a great book for anyone who has ever floated or would like to float this section of the Brazos river.

A great story that incorporates history, the outdoors, and philosophy. With the rugged country of the upper Brazos river as his backdrop, Graves takes you on an enjoyable journey that you hope will never end. You hear tales of the "Old West" and modern Texas as well. Graves' thoughts as he travels alone on the Brazos are classic for their insight and humor. I highly reccomend this book to all Texans, or anyone who wants to feel like a Texan for a while. I'm buying another Graves book soon.

I was only a few pages into this book when I realized that I was reading a person who was the real thing. John Graves is a master wordsmith, a thinker, and a person who has the background and experiences to address the subject. As a former Marine and a native Texan, I admit that I might have identified with him a bit more strongly than some, but there is no question that his prose is from a gifted and talented pen. I have experienced part of the trip he described (the first couple of days...spectacular sandstone bluffs and all...)so it made the read more enjoyable and absorbing for me. The book I read was borrowed, so naturally, I have to have my own copy as well as other of his efforts.

This is one of my favorite books. I went to YMCA and Scout camp in the Palo Pinto country. Back then, the divide that exists today between the so-called "cultural elite" and rural Texas didn't exist (or at least both sides respected each other enough to be civil, as a funny episode from the book relates), and Graves lived in both worlds. His is a lost generation, and although only one or two of the dams along his route got built, the country is now part of the vast exurb of Dallas-Fort Worth, filled with rural retreats for the city folk, 5 acre ranchettes, and driveways lined with 40-thousand-dollar pickup trucks. Graves doesn't mourn its loss, but commemorates what seemed like "progress" in the 60s and has only accelerated thousandfold since. If you pass through that country, or want to know what rural Texas used to be like, read this book. It's a bit long in the telling, but if you trace the journey on a map, it was no small trip.

As a Texan, I found this book to be a wonderful heartfelt tribute to Mr. Graves love of the Brazos River which included a lot of local history. I formerly lived in that area and have also canoed on the river and so I enjoyed his thoughts very much. I now live in the Hill Country and he wrote a book called "From A Limestone Ledge" that deals with his ruminations on life in our area! It is a pretty good one too! I agree that sometimes he gets a little "wordy" but I think it is still worth reading!