A River Ran Wild: An Environmental History by Lynne CherryMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Somewhat Educational Nonfiction
I love Native American culture and gravitate toward literature related to it. As a writer and Grandma/caregiver of kids, I read a large amount of juvenile books. Hence, my selecting this title.
I appreciated the foreword. The inclusion of historical data was helpful, though most may not read it. Its placement is beneficial, but is easily overlooked, which is a shame. It lends better context and detail.
I feel the story is too generalized in some ways – Natives good while English bad. Though history isn’t favorable to the thoughtless colonization done, the ultimate harm to the environment wasn’t from the actions of one race alone. It was from an ideology that developed the culture of all industrialized nations, so that came across bias and disingenuous. If elaborated, it could be presented more appropriately.
No people are without past horrors in their history. That’s a sad but true fact. Environmental damage is global and done by all. Correction has been a unified effort. I get what is trying to be done with this story, but it is deceiving as to who is “good” and who is “bad”. That isn’t cool when educating kids.
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J.M. NORTHUP 