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Reviews
Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America by John M. Barry
p_t_b's review against another edition
2.0
Great topic, excellent vision for how to tell this story, but I found the writing and the organization of the narrative bad to the point of distraction.
plbeyer70's review against another edition
5.0
Even though this book is a very detailed historical account with lots of science and politics, it's extremely easy to read. I found myself looking forward to it and got sucked in like it was a novel. The scope of this book is immense, from the early pioneering engineers who learned about the Mississippi river and how to try and tame it, to the disgraceful mistreatment of blacks, to the backroom politics of some of the most powerful men in America. John Barry does a great job of tying it all together to make it understandable and very enjoyable.
mondovertigo's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Classism
Moderate: Suicide, Police brutality, Antisemitism, and Religious bigotry
Minor: War
lucasbrooks's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
For those wanting to learn more about the 1927 flood, I am sure there are shorter books. Read this one for a comprehensive (some would say bloated) look into the lives of those making key decisions about the Mississippi, both during the flood and decades before it.
enzley's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.5
Extremely interesting book about the Mississippi basin and the historical struggle to contain its power. Also includes historical perspective about the social setting of this region at the time of the 1927 flood and how racism informed the decision making of political leaders during a crisis.
jgintrovertedreader's review against another edition
3.0
Telling the story of an epic flood of the Mississippi River in 1927, this book explores the early history of flood control efforts and a rivalry that made flood controls at the time practically a joke, the politics involved in decisions for handling the flood itself, the politics of disaster relief, and the impact of the flood into the future.
It's too much. There is a ton of interesting detail in this book, but I got bogged down in the details. Any one of the above aspects of the flood would have made an interesting, shorter book on its own. Putting them all together made me read at a stupefying pace and left me confused as to who was who and what was going on where. Just too much.
However.
The author makes a lot of good points. He asserts that the flood was responsible for hundreds of thousands of African Americans migrating out of the Mississippi River valley, the slow decline of New Orleans, the death of a way of life in the South, the eventual shift of the black vote to Democrats, the beginnings of big government in America, and could someday lead to the mouth of the Mississippi transferring over to the Atchafalaya. It's interesting to see how one event led to so many changes in America.
Reading this as the Mississippi is currently having another epic flood is interesting too. I have to say that I've gotten pretty good at keeping my head in the sand when it comes to national news, but this flood has even made it into my awareness. Today's flood is being compared to the flood of 1927. I read a brief article about it before I wrote this review, and I now have an understanding of the flood control measures that are in place, precisely because of the 1927 flood. I feel horrible for the people who live on the wrong side of the levee(s?) we have blown up to save bigger cities. I don't know what the answer to that is, but I hope that we treat these people better than people in similar situations were treated in 1927.
Parts of the book just enraged me. All the back room deals that the men in positions of power made was ridiculous. I'm not naive, I know it still happens, but seeing it spelled out like this is maddening. Elected officials had no power and no voice in any of the decisions made about the 1927 flood. The men with the money were trying to protect their own interests, with little to no regard to how their decisions affected those who were already barely surviving. It is amazing what a talent politicians and powerful people have for believing the science that is convenient for them. Many things were effectively shown to them (for example, it was unnecessary to blast a levee to save New Orleans), yet they went ahead and did what they wanted to do anyway. And then there were the race issues. Holy cow. It was nasty. In some areas, black men were forced to work on the levees for food. If they didn't work, the whole family went hungry. There was no question of receiving any actual pay, when they had lost what little they had in the flood as well. They were beaten and killed and whipped and just treated worse than farm animals. Truly. Farm animals trapped on the levees were evacuated on boats while black families were left behind to continue working.
It took me about two months to wade through this ~430 page volume. History like this isn't typically my first choice in reading material, so those who do have a bigger tolerance for straightforward history will enjoy it more than I did. I do feel that I learned a lot, I just wish I hadn't had to work so hard to finish this!
It's too much. There is a ton of interesting detail in this book, but I got bogged down in the details. Any one of the above aspects of the flood would have made an interesting, shorter book on its own. Putting them all together made me read at a stupefying pace and left me confused as to who was who and what was going on where. Just too much.
However.
The author makes a lot of good points. He asserts that the flood was responsible for hundreds of thousands of African Americans migrating out of the Mississippi River valley, the slow decline of New Orleans, the death of a way of life in the South, the eventual shift of the black vote to Democrats, the beginnings of big government in America, and could someday lead to the mouth of the Mississippi transferring over to the Atchafalaya. It's interesting to see how one event led to so many changes in America.
Reading this as the Mississippi is currently having another epic flood is interesting too. I have to say that I've gotten pretty good at keeping my head in the sand when it comes to national news, but this flood has even made it into my awareness. Today's flood is being compared to the flood of 1927. I read a brief article about it before I wrote this review, and I now have an understanding of the flood control measures that are in place, precisely because of the 1927 flood. I feel horrible for the people who live on the wrong side of the levee(s?) we have blown up to save bigger cities. I don't know what the answer to that is, but I hope that we treat these people better than people in similar situations were treated in 1927.
Parts of the book just enraged me. All the back room deals that the men in positions of power made was ridiculous. I'm not naive, I know it still happens, but seeing it spelled out like this is maddening. Elected officials had no power and no voice in any of the decisions made about the 1927 flood. The men with the money were trying to protect their own interests, with little to no regard to how their decisions affected those who were already barely surviving. It is amazing what a talent politicians and powerful people have for believing the science that is convenient for them. Many things were effectively shown to them (for example, it was unnecessary to blast a levee to save New Orleans), yet they went ahead and did what they wanted to do anyway. And then there were the race issues. Holy cow. It was nasty. In some areas, black men were forced to work on the levees for food. If they didn't work, the whole family went hungry. There was no question of receiving any actual pay, when they had lost what little they had in the flood as well. They were beaten and killed and whipped and just treated worse than farm animals. Truly. Farm animals trapped on the levees were evacuated on boats while black families were left behind to continue working.
It took me about two months to wade through this ~430 page volume. History like this isn't typically my first choice in reading material, so those who do have a bigger tolerance for straightforward history will enjoy it more than I did. I do feel that I learned a lot, I just wish I hadn't had to work so hard to finish this!
tamdot's review against another edition
4.0
Really cool book. It's about so much more than the 1927 flood. It starts with understanding engineers who fought over the best way to control the Mississippi, moves into genteel Southern society with a strong dose of post-Reconstruction race relations, detours slightly for an adventuresome Herbert Hoover, and then floods almost the entire Mississippi River drainage valley.
wescovington's review against another edition
5.0
The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 may be one of the most devastating natural disasters to ever hit the United States. Its effects were far-reaching, yet it is little remembered today.
The flood transformed the way of life in the South and was one of several factors that started the Great Migration of African-Americans to cities like Chicago and Los Angeles.
President Calvin Coolidge practically ignored the plight of those affected by the flood. His designated representative to coordinate flood relief efforts was Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover. Hoover was able to capitalize on his popularity from the handling of flood relief (which Barry faults in several places) to propel himself to the White House.
The Mississippi River is one of the most powerful forces in America both in hydrological terms and in economic terms. The river is more powerful than any one person or even millions of people.
The flood transformed the way of life in the South and was one of several factors that started the Great Migration of African-Americans to cities like Chicago and Los Angeles.
President Calvin Coolidge practically ignored the plight of those affected by the flood. His designated representative to coordinate flood relief efforts was Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover. Hoover was able to capitalize on his popularity from the handling of flood relief (which Barry faults in several places) to propel himself to the White House.
The Mississippi River is one of the most powerful forces in America both in hydrological terms and in economic terms. The river is more powerful than any one person or even millions of people.