Synopses & Reviews
Mike Tidwell knew nothing of the disappearing bayou when he first visited the Cajun coast of Louisiana, but the evidence was all around him: the skeletons of oak trees killed by encroaching sea water, human burial vaults sinking out of sight, telephone poles in deep, standing water. America's largest wetland landscape was approaching extinction, but no one seemed to know how to talk about the problem. Tidwell -- a celebrated travel and environmental writer -- derided to begin the much-needed conversation, and this vivid, elegiac book is the result.
Tidwell introduces us to the surprisingly varied population of the area: the Cajun men and women who work the seasonal shrimp harvest; the Vietnamese fisherman; the Houma Indians who were driven to the farthest ends of the bayou by the first European settlers. He describes the food, the music, the culture, and the lives of those who live along the bayou. And, under his keenly observant eye, the bayou itself becomes a complex, compelling character -- reminding us of how much we stand to lose if we fail to address the problems facing this most vibrant of places.
Synopsis
Tidwell--a celebrated travel and environmental writer--introduces readers to the surprisingly varied population of the Louisiana area. He describes the food, the music, the culture, and the lives of those who live along the bayou--a complex, compelling character itself.