Chattooga

by John Lane

Before the novel and the film Deliverance appeared in the early 1970s, any outsiders one met along the Chattooga River were likely serious canoeists or anglers. In later years, untold numbers and kinds of people have felt the draw of the river s torrents, which pour down the Appalachians along the Georgia-South Carolina border. Because of Deliverance the Chattooga looms enigmatically in our shared imagination, as iconic as Twain s Mississippi--or maybe Conrad s Congo. This is John Lane s search for the real Chattooga--for the truths that reside somewhere in the river s rapids, along its shores, or in its travelers hearts. Lane balances the dark, indifferent mythical river of Deliverance against the Chattooga known to locals and to the outdoors enthusiasts who first mastered its treacherous vortices and hydraulics. Starting at its headwaters, Lane leads us down the river and through its complex history to its current status as a National Wild and Scenic River. Along the way he stops for talks with conservation activists, seventh-generation residents, locals who played parts in the movie, day visitors, and others. Lane weaves into each encounter an abundance of details drawn from his perceptive readings and viewings of Deliverance and his wide-ranging knowledge of the Chattooga watershed. At the end of his run, Lane leaves us still fully possessed by the Chattooga s mystery, yet better informed about its place in his world and ours. "

Genres: Nature, Nonfiction

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

John Lane (1954–) is emeritus professor at Wofford College, where he taught creative writing, environmental studies, and directed the Goodall Environmental Studies Center. There, he helped imagine and direct the Thinking Like a River Initiative. Lane was named one of seven regional Culture Pioneers by Blue Ridge Outdoors. He has been honored with the Water Conservationist Award from the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, the Clean Water Champion by South Carolina's Upstate Forever, and inducted, in 2014, into the South Carolina Academy of Authors.

His selected poems, Abandoned Quarry, won the Southeastern Independent Booksellers Alliance Poetry Book Award, his nonfiction book, Coyote Settles in the South, was named a finalist and a Nature Book of Uncommon Merit by the John Burroughs Society, and his novel, Fate Moreland's Widow, was named Independent Publisher Silver Medalist.

One of the founders of the Hub City Writers Project, Lane lives near the banks of Lawson's Fork outside of Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Reviews

[Jessaka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This river has also been called, Deliverance river , because this is the river that James dickey wrote about in his book, Deliverance. Ever since James dickey's book was published people have been flowing into the area to either hike or boat. This is causing the River and woods environmental damage. Dickie actually felt bad about this because he loved the area. But I doubt if he felt Bad about depicting these mountain men as rapists. And I don't know if his book would have actually been as popular if there had not been a rape scene in it. Yet, I have to admit it was an excellent read If only the sex scene had been deleted.

The author of this book Says That this river is the most beautiful river that he has seen. It is also 1 of the most dangerous as people Have drowned in it and continue to drown.

I picked up this book because I wanted to learn more about the people in the area especially after James dickey's book. And I wanted an adventures boat trip. It came in spurts. It is filled more with history of the area than anything. But I have to say that this author is an excellent writer.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

So glad we chose this for our virtual book club! I hike in this area, so it's always good to read about a place I love from others' perspectives. Reading about people who've always lived in the area as well as about folks who travel to the river to appreciate it in different ways just re-energizes my hope to protect and preserve natural, wild places. The conversation our club had with John Lane was encouraging as well; he had a chance to update some thoughts- directing us to women minorities who are writing about their experiences going into wild places... a conversation worth continuing!

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a personal narrative about the Chattooga River that separates South Carolina and Georgia. This book includes the factual story of Rachel Trois, who drowned in 1999 in a hydraulic in the river, the subject of one of the short stories and later novels by Ron Rash. The premise of the book was to dismiss the myth of the river of the movie and book Deliverance by James Dickey.

[Martine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It was sent to the Birmingham canoe Club and I reviewed it in our monthly newsletter. It speaks to whitewater paddlers about the rivers and forests that occupy their weekends.
Great Book