From These Beginnings looks at history through engaging biographical portraits of well-known men and women whose contributions helped to create the nation and society. Each biography offers a uniquely personal and provocative glimpse into the lives of these Americans and shows how their experiences are linked to historical events, covering everything from the environment to popular culture.
Roderick Frazier Nash is a professor emeritus of history and environmental studies at the University of California Santa Barbara. He was the first person to descend the Tuolumne River (using a raft) [from: en.wikipedia.org]