Review - Return to the River: The Classic Story of the Chinook Run and of the Men Who Fish It
by Roderick Haig-Brown
Originally published in the 1940s, this "historical novel" was reissued in 1997. It's a wonderful tale of the lifecycle of chinook salmon told from the perspective of one fish from birth to death. The detail is incredible as "Spring" hatches, begins to grow, travels downstream to the ocean, and returns years later to spawn and die at the spot she was born.
While at times verging on the hokey to a modern reader, the rich, colorful prose more than makes up for any feeling of being dated. It's still an excellent read.
What is disturbing is that the occasional optimism at man's hoped for ability to use technology to restore nature, and salmon runs in particular, has not been borne out.
This is a theme that is cropping up over and over again as I explore more books about salmon -- humanity's seeming inability to learn from mistakes. Or inability to enforce regulations and laws to prevent short-term "gain" and destruction.
Posted by Paul at December 30, 2004 05:46 PM