Life on the Mississippi

Part memoir and part travelogue, this book recounts the author's early days as a steamboat pilot on the great river before the Civil War. It vividly describes the golden age of steamboating, the intricate science of piloting, and the colorful characters who worked the waters. The second half contrasts this nostalgia with a return trip years later, observing the changes wrought by war and railroads. It is a loving tribute to the majesty and danger of the Mississippi River.