Rating: 
Summary: eloquent
Review: A very thoughtful and elegant book which shares the author's passion for a very unique river with the rest of the world. I hope it becomes as associated with the St. Johns as M.S. Douglas' River Of Grass did with the Everglades, for it seems to grasp the full reach of ecology and art every bit as thoroughly as Ms. Douglas once did. I heard about this book from a friend, and have since heard about it from others. Already, it seems to have the feel of a Florida classic to it.
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Summary: In Touch With Nature
Review: As the author states, we are all students in this great shared learning experience of life, and we can see the river not only as a conveyer of water but also as a great lesson in ecology. Very true. This is a fascinating exploration of the St. Johns river and surrounding areas in Florida, much of it still largely unspoiled wilderness. I have been to one of it's (small) tributaries , Juniper Springs, twice while canoeing, and it is a beautiful wilderness I can attest. The author, Bill Belleville, takes readers on a leisurely tour of the St. Johns river system starting in his own backyard and neighborhood, and from the marshy headwaters in an airboat, and later a kayak down river to a houseboat, and finally to the ocean, sometimes written in a dreamy poetic style, but still with lots of river lore and information. The St. Johns river is steeped in tons of history and Bill navigates it to great effect. By reading this book you can learn a lot about geology, history, plants and animals, ecology and conservation, evolution and natural selection, the beauty and value of nature, why it is important to preserve our wetlands, and along the way meet several interesting folks. At the back of the volume is a list of access points on the St. John river and near it, a list of public and private agencies, and also an extensive bibliography. Finally, I want to add that the part in the book where Belleville was floating past that tavern next to the river that was blaring out the Patsy Cline song "Crazy" (p. 140), in light of the history associated with that area, well, I laughed so hard I almost broke a rib!
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Summary: An Invitation
Review: Bill Belleville invites you aboard an allegorical raft as he explores Florida's St. Johns River. I was glad I accepted his invitation. With him as your guide "discover" this river with its many surprises and wonderments. With Belleville you learn how much of the "old" has survived modern day Florida and how important it is to preserve what remains. It is a wonderfully written book and before you know it you are caught up in Belleville's storytelling and when his story is finished you wish there were more bends in the river to travel and more tales to read about.
Rating:
Summary: An Invitation
Review: Bill Belleville invites you aboard an allegorical raft as he explores Florida's St. Johns River. I was glad I accepted his invitation. With him as your guide "discover" this river with its many surprises and wonderments. With Belleville you learn how much of the "old" has survived modern day Florida and how important it is to preserve what remains. It is a wonderfully written book and before you know it you are caught up in Belleville's storytelling and when his story is finished you wish there were more bends in the river to travel and more tales to read about.
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Summary: A beautifully written portrait of the St. Johns River
Review: Bill Belleville takes to Florida's St. Johns River in "River of Lakes" to tell the story of its history, culture and nature with eloquence and ease. He is truly smitten with the waterway, and it shows. His descriptions of the river's flora and fauna are sure to captivate readers, taking them along for a vividly colorful ride as he explores the river and its tributaries and springs via airboat, houseboat and kayak. Belleville's provocative thoughts also prompt deep ponderings of the river and its fate as Florida steps into the next millennium and struggles with the issue of balancing growth with its fragile environment. This is a Florida rarely seen by tourists, and, thankfully, Belleville delivers a stunning and remarkable guided tour.
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Summary: Special St. Johns
Review: Bill Belleville travels the length of the St. Johns River from south to north, a rarity for rivers in North America, by houseboat, kayak or whatever means necessary to travel the river and many lakes through which it traverses. The book is an excellent balance between the natural and human history of the river and the river valley. The human history focuses on the early settlers, the growth of agriculture and lumbering as well as the later growth of tourism. It disusses some current problems with pollution and sprawl. The unique nature of the St. Johns truly comes across in the descriptions of the natural history. It has narrow passages through subtropical vegetation and then goes through a number of lakes, large and small, all of which have their own personality and unique characteristics. To me, the most interesting part of the book were the dives into the cave from which the many spring come to the earth and are the point where manatees often gather. Well-written, lyrical with just enough ironic humor to make you enjoy the trip.
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Summary: Riverfront Resident Finds "River of Lakes" a Scenic View
Review: Bill Belleville's sublime story of the St. John's River was a book I could not put down. A modern version of William Bartram's Travels, "River of Lakes" truly catches the history, geology and flavor of life along the St. John's River. For those of us who have grown up on the river, and who have played in its creeks and springs since childhood, it was an absolute joy to read. I hope that Belleville (who also makes films about rivers) makes a film about the St. John's based on this book. Hang up your hammock by the river, sit back and soak up the beauty of this poetic odyssey. If you haven't seen the St. John's before, you will want to now!
Rating:
Summary: Riverfront Resident Finds "River of Lakes" a Scenic View
Review: Bill Belleville's sublime story of the St. John's River was a book I could not put down. A modern version of William Bartram's Travels, "River of Lakes" truly catches the history, geology and flavor of life along the St. John's River. For those of us who have grown up on the river, and who have played in its creeks and springs since childhood, it was an absolute joy to read. I hope that Belleville (who also makes films about rivers) makes a film about the St. John's based on this book. Hang up your hammock by the river, sit back and soak up the beauty of this poetic odyssey. If you haven't seen the St. John's before, you will want to now!
Rating:
Summary: Riverfront Resident Finds "River of Lakes" a Scenic View
Review: Bill Belleville's sublime story of the St. John's River was a book I could not put down. A modern version of William Bartram's Travels, "River of Lakes" truly catches the history, geology and flavor of life along the St. John's River. For those of us who have grown up on the river, and who have played in its creeks and springs since childhood, it was an absolute joy to read. I hope that Belleville (who also makes films about rivers) makes a film about the St. John's based on this book. Hang up your hammock by the river, sit back and soak up the beauty of this poetic odyssey. If you haven't seen the St. John's before, you will want to now!
Rating:
Summary: A Friend of the River
Review: Every river should have a writer-in-residence as fine as Bill Belleville. He gives the St. Johns its due, and commands a reader's respect with the quality of his prose and depth of his research. "River of Lakes" is personal without being confessional. Belleville is river-absorbed, not self-absorbed, and the result is a rigorous and companionable book. I'm just sorry Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (another important witness to the St. Johns) isn't around to read it.
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