My One Sentence Review
The Good Rain
Genre: Non-fiction, nature
Amazon.com review
Egan succeeds in capturing the richness and beauty of the Pacific Northwest (and it’s possibly imminent destruction) with rich description, appropriately chosen and reported interviews, and visits to exactly the places I would have chosen for such a book. From manicured gardens in essentially English Vancouver, B.C., to Indian reservations in western Washington, to the proud rural communities in eastern Washington, and visits to the precipitous peaks and brooding volcanos of the Cascade Mountains, Egan captures the presences and peoples of this region more effectively than most any other book I have encountered. Highly Recommended.
Chapters
Introduction: Finishing Up with Grandpa
While scattering the ashes of his grandfather on the slopes of Mt. Rainier, Egan ponders the origin of the name of Winthrop Glacier. He later finds out the glacier was named for Theodore Winthrop, a Nineteenth Century explorer and author who would become Egan’s muse for The Good Rain.
1: The Continental Heave
The treacherous Columbia River Bar, where the mighty river empties into the Pacific.
2: Enchanted Valley
Egan hikes up into the heart of the sublime Olympic Mountains.
3: Toe of the Empire
A visit to Victoria on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
4: The Last Hideout
Searching the high mountains for Fred Beckey, infamous mountaineer and author of the Cascade Alpine Guide
5: With People
The history and changing faces of Seattle.
6: Natives
The Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest, with a focus on the Pullayup tribe in Washington.
7: Friends of the Hide
Sea otters, wolves, killer whales and other wildlife.
8: Under the Volcano
The volcanoes of the Cascades.
9: The Wood Wars
The logging industry and the conflicts surrounding it.
10: Salmon
The history of the salmon fisheries in the northwest.
11: Harvest
The agricultural bounty on the east slopes of the Washington Cascades.
12: God’s Country Cancer
Rural politics and scandal in the Okanagan Valley of Washington.
13: Columbia
Dams, salmon, and culture of the Columbia River.
Epilogue: Pacific Nation
I am an Amazon Associate– if you choose to purchase this book from Amazon
{ 0 comments… add one now }