Synopses & Reviews
andldquo;An intimate look at a complex and brilliant woman who had to battle against stereotypes and, in so doing, invented a new form of scientifically based environmentalism. This is a must-read for anyone who truly cares about the andlsquo;real Florida.andrsquo;andrdquo;andmdash;Lee Irby, author of
7,000 Clamsand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;andldquo;Through a meticulous and beautifully illustrated study of Carrandrsquo;s childhood, education, career ambitions, marriage, and family life, Macdonald shows how Carr overcame numerous obstacles to emerge as one of the leading environmental activists in Florida.andrdquo;andmdash;Frederick Rowe Davis, author of
The Man Who Saved Sea Turtlesand#160;andldquo;Carrandrsquo;s unprecedented four-decade campaign stands today as a model for all future environmental movements. This is an enthralling account of one womanandrsquo;s tireless efforts to prevent ecological disaster.andrdquo;andmdash;Kathleen Kaska, author of
The Man Who Saved the Whooping Craneand#160;andldquo;This insightful biography portrays Carr as scientist, activist, enlightened woman, and one of twentieth-century Americaandrsquo;s premier earthkeepers.andrdquo;andmdash;Jack E. Davis, author of
An Everglades Providenceand#160;and#160;Marjorie Harris Carr (1915-1997) is best known for leading the fight against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineersandrsquo; Cross Florida Barge Canal. In this first full-length biography, Peggy Macdonald corrects many long-held misapprehensions about the self-described andldquo;housewife from Micanopy,andrdquo; who in reality struggled to balance career and family with her husband, Archie Carr, a pioneering conservation biologist.
Born in Boston, Carr grew up in southwest Florida, exploring marshes and waterways and observing firsthand the impact of unchecked development on the stateandrsquo;s flora and fauna. Macdonaldandrsquo;s work depicts a determined woman and Phi Beta Kappa scholar who earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in zoology only to see her career thwarted by institutionalized gender discrimination. Carr launched her conservation career in the 1950s while raising five children and eventually became one of the centuryandrsquo;s leading environmental activists.
A series of ecological catastrophes in the 1960s placed Florida in the vanguard of the burgeoning environmental revolution as the nationandrsquo;s developing eco-consciousness ushered in a wave of revolutionary legislation. Carr served as one of the most effective leaders of a powerful contingent of citizen activists who opposed dredging a canal across the state because it threatened an ecologically rich river valley. Under her leadership, andldquo;Free the Ocklawahaandrdquo; became a rallying cry for environmentalists throughout the country.and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;
Marjorie Harris Carr is an intimate look at this remarkable woman who dedicated her life to conserving Floridaandrsquo;s wildlife and wild places. It is also a revelation of how the grassroots battle to save a small but vitally important river in central Florida transformed the modern environmental movement.
Review
andldquo;Portrays the skill and strategy that Marjorie Harris Carr used to overcome powerful social conventions and political enemies in order to chart her own path as a woman, an environmentalist, and the foremost defender of Floridaandrsquo;s environment.andrdquo;andmdash;Journal of Southern History
Review
andquot;An absorbing account of a remarkable woman.andquot;-- The Gainesville Sun
Review
andquot;A fascinating tale of Carrandrsquo;s personal and professional lifeandquot;.--Florida Historical Quarterly
Review
andquot;Marjorie Harris Carr is an intimate look at a remarkable woman who dedicated her life to conserving Floridaandrsquo;s unique environment.andquot;-- Ocala Star-Banner
Review
andquot;An important, well-researched chronicle of a portion of Floridaandrsquo;s environmental history and the life of one of its prominent leaders.andquot;--Lakeland Ledger
About the Author
Peggy Macdonald is adjunct professor of history at Stetson University.