Sneak Peak at my Book

[Al Agnew]

Several years ago I began writing a book on the Meramec River system.  It was a project that proceeded by fits and starts; I finished the preliminary writing fairly quickly but then spent a lot of time rewriting, adding to, changing, and getting the book read by a friend who is a writer to get suggestions on changes.  At present the writing part is more or less complete, but I'm still collecting photos and illustrations, and exploring possibilities of publishing it.  It has been a lot of fun doing.  

Today I decided to put the opening chapter on my blog, with some of the photos and illustrations I plan on using in that chapter.  So if you want to get a sneak peak at my working cover and the opening chapter, you can go to riversandart.blogspot.com and read it.  I still don't know when it will be completed and published, or how I'm going to publish it.  But let me know how you like the first chapter.  There will be chapters on each floatable river; Meramec above Maramec Spring, Maramec Spring to Onondaga, Onondaga to Meramec State Park, Meramec State Park to the Bourbeuse River, and lower river.  Upper Big River (down to Washington State Park), lower Big River, upper Bourbeuse, lower Bourbeuse, Huzzah and Courtois, and a chapter on selected smaller streams within the basin.  There will chapters on history, geology, ecology, and environmental challenges.  The history of the Meramec Dam and other dams once planned for the rivers is in there.

[Phil Lilley]

Wow... that's the FIRST chapter???

Thank you for being so willing to share what you've learned over the years.

[DG73]

That chapter put me on the river as much, if not more, than your paintings.   Well done!

[FishnDave]

Wow!  That's quite a first chapter!  The mix of personal stories, facts, and history is fascinating.  Well done, Al! 

[Guest]

Deleted.

[Dave H]

Outstanding!

[jdmidwest]

Nice job, look forward to the rest of it