The Great River by Boyce Upholt

7 out of 10

For centuries, the Mississippi River and its tributaries have played a huge role in North American life.  Rich with wildlife and canoeable, it was an important homestead for indigenous people.  European explorers became very familiar with its waterways.  After Thomas Jefferson facilitated the purchase of over 2,000,000 sq km from Napoleon, American settlers and businesses began to prosper on the river banks.

This book is educational on many fronts: Geography, history, politics, and civil engineering.