In Praise of Floods

"An astonishing and beautifully written book that redefines rivers and our relationship with them."—Tim Flannery, author of The Future Eaters and The Weather Makers

“What a gift that, if we must lose James Scott, we at least gain his insights on rivers and the power of their unruliness. This book will reshape the world around you.”—Boyce Upholt, author of The Great River: The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi
 

“Jim Scott has done it again! By viewing rivers as dynamic systems, he exposes our species’ lust for domination, and enters a passionate plea on behalf of all sentient beings. This enthralling account is unforgettable and indispensable. “—Peter C. Perdue, author of Chinese Environmental History: Past, Present, and Future
 

“James Scott did not write small books, and this last one takes on a scholar’s greatest challenge: how to write a history that contains all life and not just human life.”—Richard White, author of The Republic for Which It Stands: The United States during Reconstruction and the Gilded Age, 1865-1896

“With characteristic and subtle insight, James Scott challenges our preconceptions of what rivers are, arguing for a perspective including river species and landscapes as well as multiple time scales. Bold and original.”—Ruth Mostern, author of The Yellow River: A Natural and Unnatural History