The Brandywine

Rivers of America #13

by Henry Seidel Canby, Andrew Wyeth (Illustrator)

The Brandywine River winds from Southeastern Pennsylvania into Delaware along a rolling, agricultural plane. Henry Seidel Canby was born along its banks into a family that has lived in the region for generations. His personal affection for the river is woven into this charming history of events that make the Brandywine one of America's most important small rivers. He explains how the Swedes built the first log cabins in America at the mouth of the Brandywine, why William Penn's Quakers later came here, that prairie schooners were built to haul grain to local flour mills, and how the duPont family started a chemical empire in these narrow gorges. The Battle of the Brandywine was a major confrontation in America's war for independence.

Genres: Nonfiction

285 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1941

About the author

from wikipedia article: Henry Seidel Canby (September 6, 1878 – April 5, 1961) was a critic, editor, and Yale University professor.

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book about a wonderful river, especially to tube and canoe in. Canby is most interested in the people of the Brandywine, and tells the story of the Lenape Indians, the Quakers, the DuPonts, the Battle of the Brandywine, the Great Battle of West Chester (to determine whether the county seat of Chester County should move from Chester to West Chester, Quakers prevented it from happening, but there was a lot of whiskey drinking and bravado).

The book is illustrated by Andrew Wyeth before he became famous in his own right. Andrew Wyeth was born in 1917 and this book came out in 1941, so he must have illustrated in his early 20s.

This is a very good book about my local small river - which is more beautiful than any swimming pool, and is one of my favorite places to explore.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

excellent illustrations. buy this