Voice of the River [Paperback]

Marjory Stoneman Douglas (Author), John Rothchild (Contributor)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Society editor for the Miami Herald, circa World War I, and a freelance writer between the world wars, Douglas wrote the classic Everglades: River of Grass in 1947 and launched a new career as conservationist. At 97, Douglas is still a potent force in Florida's environmental politics. With Rothchild, author of Up for Grabs, she here talks about her life; he has edited some 200 hours of tapes for a delightful portrait of an indomitable lady. Douglas's parents separated when she was six, and she grew up in New England with her mother's family. After graduating from Wellesley, she was married briefly, then, in 1915, joined her father in Miami and began her writing career. Rothchild gives us an affectionate introduction to the "tiny woman in the floppy hat." Photos.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

"Complaining about being old, nobody loves you, nobody comes to see you is a big mistake. Maybe people don't come to see you because you bore them to death," 97-year-old Douglas writes. This author/conservationist has been making headlines and boring few in Florida since 1915 when she began writing for the Miami Herald, the paper her father founded. Her story is wordy, chatty, and well worth wading through. Each page is packed with wit, insight, and common sense. Douglas also wrote the well-read The Everglades: river of grass (1947). Douglas's voice is as flowing and forceful as the river she writes about. Jo Cates, Poynter Inst. for Media Studies Lib., St. Petersburg, Fla.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 268 pages
• Publisher: Pineapple Press (March 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0910923949
• ISBN-13: 978-0910923941
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #862,691 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Grand Life of a Grand Woman!, July 20, 2007

By 

David B Richman (Mesilla Park, NM USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Voice of the River (Paperback)

When I moved to Florida in 1973 I almost immediately fell in love with the pine forests, the bayheads, the shallow lakes, the hardwood hammocks and the swamps. By then much damage had been done to the state and more was contemplated. The drainage canals around Miami, the cross Florida Barge Canal and other, often quite unfeasible schemes, had either been done, started and then scrapped, or were in the works. It seems like the temptation to "improve" Florida from the late 1800s on was so strong it was almost impossible to stop. A number of people had warned about the fragility of the Everglades and other Florida ecosystems, but few listened. However one talented writer with a remarkable background was able to help along the effort to protect the Everglades. Almost simultaneously with the establishment of Everglades National Park, Marjory Stoneman Douglas published her "Everglades: River of Grass'" now the standard work on the subject. In it she demonstrated that the Everglades was not a worthless swamp, but a vibrant ecological community with a long history. Her book's first printing was sold out within 2 months! Other fights were raging by the time I reached Florida- the Florida Barge Canal, of course, but also efforts to protect the Big Cypress and Fakahatchee Strand. Among the people involved were Archie Carr and his wife Marjorie Carr (the latter is included in a photo in the current book).

Marjory Stoneman Douglas, in her autobiography based on tape recordings by John Rothchild, subtitled "Voice of the River," was an institution in the Sunshine State and her book informs her many admirers of the struggles and triumphs she had in a life that spanned a whole century. It is a fascinating tale and full of associations with the most prominent names in Florida and in literature, newspaper publishing and politics. I recommend it highly to anyone, but especially those who are interested in the Florida that used to be.

This brings up another point, and a very sad one. I got to see some of what was left of Florida's natural environment, including Everglades National Park and the Ocala Scrub while I was in Florida (some in the company of Archie Carr). It was a ghost of what once was! Even though the citizens of Florida voted in monies to buy up thousands of acres of sensitive areas, there were many tragic losses. The state's wilderness has deteriorated further since I left it in 1978. I have no wish now to return and see the result, but what is left in Big Cypress, the Everglades, the Ocala Scrub, and many others, is there because of people like Marjory Stoneman Douglas!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars REMARKABLE STORY, February 4, 2007

By 

P. A. Lavins (Washington, D. C.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Marjory Stoneman Douglas: Voice of the River (Hardcover)

It was a great surprise to find that there were no customer reviews for a book that was first published in 1987. This remarkable book is an insight into an American legend, Marjory Stoneman Douglas. She began as a young girl to write for the Miami Herald in 1915. The book shows how she was able to achieve a long history of publications and books to her credit. Additionally, this eminent conservationist who died in 1998 at age 108 has been honored with the saving of the Florida Everglades. This book is a must read for all American women because it provides insight into just what can be accomplished when one woman is motivated to take action.

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for any person in Florida and beyond, February 8, 2011

By 

wwww - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Marjory Stoneman Douglas: Voice of the River (Hardcover)

how we screwed up Florida, history from the Ice Age to now. This is the bible of Florida, timeless and true.