River of Lakes: A Journey on Florida's St. Johns River

by Bill Belleville

First explored by naturalist William Bartram in the 1760s, the St. Johns River stretches 310 miles along Florida's east coast, making it the longest river in the state. The first "highway" through the once wild interior of Florida, the St. Johns may appear ordinary, but within its banks are some of the most fascinating natural phenomena and historic mysteries in the state. The river, no longer the commercial resource it once was, is now largely ignored by Florida's residents and visitors alike.

In the first contemporary book about this American Heritage River, Bill Belleville describes his journey down the length of the St. Johns, kayaking, boating, hiking its riverbanks, diving its springs, and exploring its underwater caves. He rediscovers the natural Florida and establishes his connection with a place once loved for its untamed beauty. Belleville involves scientists, environmentalists, fishermen, cave divers, and folk historians in his journey, soliciting their companionship and their expertise. River of Lakes weaves together the biological, cultural, anthropological, archaeological, and ecological aspects of the St. Johns, capturing the essence of its remarkable history and intrinsic value as a natural wonder.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Nature, Travel, Environment, Memoir

246 pages, Paperback

First published February 3, 2000

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author doesn’t just tell the stories of the river. He experiences the river himself from its upstream beginnings in the south all the way downstream to Jacksonville, and he takes the reader along for his adventures kayaking, camping, scuba diving, and boating the whole expanse. Weaved throughout he describes the history of that particular point in the river as well as the plants and animals encountered. This book not only passes along knowledge but instills a desire to go explore the river yourself.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for anyone living in Central Florida.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book. All that are interested in nature should read this!!

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was not bad, not good but not bad. The writing style was overly flowery and lyrical in a non-natural way. It was almost like he attempted to imitate the writing of older explorers’ journals (most likely Bartram) and fell short. Not everyone can write that way and have it work for them. And that is fine. I understand it was an attempt to write “as the river flows” slow, meandering, etc. But if you meander too much you begin to lose your audience, which is what happened here.

The author also comes off with a great sense of superiority and entitlement. Every time he talks about people who use the river for recreation or for their livelihood he comes across very demeaning about them. It makes me wonder who he wrote the book for. He’s not writing it for the everyday common person, he constantly insults them through the book. I read the book for a class about the ecology in the St. Johns river and that is the only way I can see this book being read. Maybe if you enjoy reading the expedition notes of explorers this may be for you. I was not one of them

The parts of the book I did enjoy was when he was talking about the flora and fauna found along the river. It was interesting to hear the anecdotes and tid bits about that. Seeing how the environment changed as he traveled north along the river. I would recommend this book in very specific cases, but not to just the general population. Its for a very select audience in my opinion.

[Karen GoatKeeper · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing in this book deserves a higher rating. The book is a lazy meander down the St. John's River which runs north for more than 300 miles in Florida. Along the way there is history, ecology and scenery to entrance the reader.
Anyone even slightly familiar with this area of Florida would find this book a wonderful trip. Unfortunately I am not one of these people so many of the places and other things mentioned in the book were not relatable to me.
Florida's history goes back a long way. The peninsula has been under and above the sea several times. Some of that ancient sea water flows up as springs into the St. John's River allowing sea creatures to live far upstream.
Although the Indians lived along the St. John's long before the Europeans discovered and eliminated them, the Spanish arrived in the 1500's and had settlements there. The Spanish towns were built on top of where Indian towns once stood. More modern settlements are now on top of these as nature reclaims the area quickly after men leave.
There is one note of hope. Much of the upper St. John's River is protected from the rapacious developers. Since the health of the river reflects and influences the health of the land, Florida will harvest the results until the land again sinks under the sea.

[Patrick SG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Belleville manages to evoke a sense of place and positions this account of the northward-flowing river in eastern Florida amid the long tradition of first-person nature narratives dating back to Thoreau and others. He presents the river in both ecological terms as well as the cultural influences of the stream on the historic and pre-historic peoples who lived and worked along its banks.

[Jennifer Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bill Belleville journeys Florida’s St. Johns River from its headwaters north to Jacksonville where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean. He travels by canoe, kayak, houseboat—and even underwater when he scuba dives in several of the springs that feed the river—and shares ecology and history along the way. Published in 2000.

[David DiLoreto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review as Elevator Pitch: “Naturalist and journalist, Belleville journeys down the St. John’s from the headwaters to the Atlantic in assorted vessels. The river’s mysterious course prompts splendid observations and experiences that Floridians and visitors rarely, if ever, experience.”

[Kate Baldwin Meador · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very informative read! It took me longer to read than I thought because it was so full of great information and I wanted to track his progress on a map. I grew up in this part of the world and learned so much about the places I took for granted.

[Joseph Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. Well written.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a terrible book by any means; just not quite my cup of tea. I did enjoy the sections about the wildlife, but flagged a bit during the history ones.

[Steven Thyme · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book if you want to learn about the natural history of the St John’s or Florida. Writing is a little dry and repetitive, but worth it.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plan to spend some time with this short book: the content is fascinating, but the prose is supreme. Belleville writes with grace, precision, melody, and rhythm, and you just can't read him fast. I haven't read his other works, so maybe he always write with such rhapsodic cadence, but I choose to think that his writing here reflects his subject. The St. Johns River is the longest in Florida, and like the rest of the state it's unlike its peers elsewhere in the United States. This river rises out of swamps and springs, collecting filtered rainfall and adding millions and millions of gallons from dozens of springs throughout central Florida. It meanders and backtracks, hosting plentiful and often unique animals and lush plants found nowhere else in the States. It shaped the state's early culture, both the crackers who lived off the river and on it, as well as the Northern rich who came down to enjoy the climate that enveloped it.

Birds and gators populate this book, and so do humans, those of today and those of historic Florida and of prehistoric too. Belleville weaves a melodious fascinating story of interconnectedness between man and nature, often rapacious, portraying a Florida much different from the state we think we know.

Plan to savor this rich offering with joy.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, while sometimes laden with gushy prose, is a must read for any inhabitant of the state of Florida, especially those of us who live on or near the St. Johns River. What better stewards of our natural places we all would be if we could share in and realize the beauty and life the river gives us. I'd like to meet Bill Belleville, if only to thank him for writing this book.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this one our first adventure to the St. John's River in Florida. It was a well done eco/social/political history of the area. I would recommend it for anyone looking to understand the river system.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still reading it but so far I have found it to be very interesting.

[Paul Harrington]

What an interesting book. Bill Belleville documents his travels down the St John's River from the swamps close to Vero Beach to the mouth at Jacksonville.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This river is one of the the best kept secrets in the state of Florida. And it's right in my backyard. I enjoyed the journey down the river, from start to finish - and learned a lot!

[Susan Stans · Rating 3 out of 5]

This ambitious book is filled with a nostalgic trip down the St. John's. Floridians are sure to enjoy it. I am glad I read it, even though my mind wandered.

[Robert Vandiver · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. A good look at the St. John's ecosystem in a readable format.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and informative look at the River that dominates central & northeastern FL. Well researched and well written.