Marjory Stoneman Douglas: Voice of the River

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!

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.