Tree of Rivers: The Story of the Amazon

by John Hemming

A history of the Amazon, its peoples, and those who have explored the river by an author with unsurpassed knowledge and experience in the region By far the world's largest river, the Amazon flows through the greatest expanse of tropical rain forest on earth. Human beings settled in Amazonia ten thousand years ago and learned to live well on its bounty. Europeans first saw the Amazon around 1500 and started settling there in the seventeenth century. Always in fear or awe of the jungle, they tried in vain to introduce crops and livestock. John Hemming's account of the river and its history is full of larger-than-life personalities this unique environment explorers, missionaries, and naturalists among them. By the nineteenth century, Amazonian natives had almost been destroyed by alien diseases and slavery, as well as violent class rebellion. Although the rubber industry created huge fortunes, it too was at a fearful cost in human misery. In the last hundred years, the Amazon has seen intrepid explorers, entreprenurial millionaires, and political extremists taking refuge in jungle retreats. Alongside them, natural scientists, anthropologists, and archaeologists have sought to discover the secrets of this mighty habitat. Today, the world's appetite for timber, beef, and soya is destroying this great tropical forest. Hemming explains why the Amazon is environmentally crucial to survival and brilliantly describes the passionate struggles to exploit and protect it.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Nature, Travel, Science, Amazon, Environment

368 pages, Hardcover

First published May 26, 2008

About the author

Dr. John Hemming, CMG is one of the world's experts on Brazilian Indians, the Amazon environment, the Incas, Peruvian archaeology, The Royal Geographical Society, and the history of exploration generally. He is also Chairman of Hemming Group Ltd., a company that publishes trade magazines and organises trade exhibitions and conferences.

Reviews

[Michael Huang · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amazon is really a “fresh water ocean”. The closed-canopy forest surrounding it is larger in area than Western Europe. There are estimated 30K species of trees. One study showed 95 species of ants on one tree, almost the same as that in the entirety of Germany. (But if a column of army ants come your way, run for dear life.) Despite the luxuriant forest, the soil is in fact impoverished as the trees have roots so shallow to compete for dropping organic matter that humus seldom have time to form. Visiting the Amazon should be on the list of every ecotourist. This book had the potential to be a great preparatory reading. So why only 2 stars?

It covered the ecology and the history of the region. However, the region never had a large empire with deep cultural roots, so the “history” is mostly about white settlers. And it was no fun reading it. In fact, for 400 years after Pinzon arrived at the coast of Brazil, the region is visited by basically scoundrels (with occasional naturalists, ethnologists, and other do-gooders). Not only was the material depressing (the settlers basically killed off 80-90% of indigenous population through slavery and other exploitation in the meanest way imaginable). But it was boring as well. Pages and pages are filled with detailed biographies and exploits of the white settlers. You’ll even know what those scoundrels were like when they were children. And this went on basically for 10 out of the 11 chapters. I don’t think the author honestly thought the pedantry is enlightening. My guess points to a general dislike to distill his assuredly copious notes taken during research. If the first 320 pages were compressed down to 80, it would be a solid 5-star book.

[Mike Histand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hemming apparently is one of the definitive historians of the Amazon region. His book is a densely packed tome describing explorations starting with the Spanish and Portuguese explorers in the 1500's and finishing with the trans Amazon highway of the present time. He includes references to the many tribes of indigenous peoples and the overwhelming atrocities brought against them by explorers and their diseases. The Amazon basin is such a huge area with a yet to be determined effect on the world's environment. This book provides a dizzying introduction to the vastness of the subject.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

A extensive, thoughtful tour of the history of the Amazon watershed, often descending into heart-breaking episodes of exploitation and cruelty. Hemming tours the great river's natural history and human habitation, taking us through what we know of its native peoples from accounts of colonists and the peoples themselves.

The wars, pestilence and slavery of the Portuguese occupation are aptly captured, and he also lends energy and enthusiasm to the great missions of scientific discovery conducted by Wallace, Bates and Spruce. Percy Fawcett of "The Lost City of Z" gets some skeptical treatment here as well.

The book's structure meanders a bit, seeming to loop back over old ground at points, but it's impressive and impactful.

[Woody · Rating 4 out of 5]

A detailed history of the exploration and exploitation of Amazonia. The early explorations and rubber tapping years (through 1911) were difficult to read about due to the brutal, gruesome, sub-human treatment of the indigenous people by the Europeans. The Amazon got a respite after rubber-tapping diminished, and eventually some of the indigenous people were protected by refuge areas and more benign policies. The ecology was mostly spared until the logging, ranching and soy farming that has come to the area since. Now the world's longest river and largest tropical rain forest along with the Amazon's massive watershed are being managed by four countries with varying degrees of success.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This very interesting history of the Amazon rain forest, includes everything from geology, anthropology, biology, history of development and exploitation, flora and fauna, tribal histories, exploration history, ecology, etc. A lot of information is stuffed in this one book. Hemming's writing is clear, interesting and keeps the reader's attention. There are a lot of facts and tribal and location names. I read this book on a Kindle - it would be a little easier in paper so the reader can easily refer to the maps that accompany the book. The main impressions I have from this book are the absolute devastation that westerners have wreaked up the native tribes and the natural environment of the Amazon. From 1542 onward, native tribes have been slaughtered, enslaved, died from western diseases, and completely eliminated. This continues to the present day and will continue as there are still uncontacted tribes in remote areas. "Tragically, contacts with isolated tribes throughout most of the twentieth century had a similar outcome . . .almost inevitably, there was soon a terrible epidemic -- measles, influenza or tuberculosis -- for which there was no remedy or for which inadequate medical provision had been made. Also . . .when a feared tribe ceased to fight its forests and rivers were invaded". Which leads to the second horrific sacrilege perpetrated on the Amazon River basin - the destruction, primarily in the 20th and 21st centuries of the trees, soil, flora and fauna that threaten ultimate destruction of the entire ecosystem. Hemming maintains that "planes, chainsaws and bulldozers" have caused the most harm in destruction of the rain forest to support logging, cattle-ranching and soybean farming. Mining is also a threat but doesn't destroy as much land in such a short amount to time. The sad thing is that this book ends ~2006. Since then greater destruction yet has been unleashed by the current president of Brazil.

The Amazon plays a crucial role in the health of the entire planet. One fifth (20%) of all the fresh water flowing to the oceans from all the rivers on earth flows from the Amazon. The Amazon rain forest and Amazon River not only contain the earth's richest biodiversity and number of species, it is critical to the earth's carbon cycle and the health of even ocean species because of it's shear size. If you are interested in ecology or the Amazon basin, this book is not only eye-opening, it is a call to action.

[Peter Corrigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superb overview of the Amazon from a recognized expert, this could really be 5-stars except that there is such a necessity to trim material in order to keep this to a single information-packed volume. Certainly 4.5 stars. I read his book 'Red Gold: The Conquest of the Brazilian Indians' a number of years ago and that was a difficult and painful read that you would not soon forget as it looked at what happened in searing detail. To be honest, the 'conquest' of Brazil made the interaction between early European settlers and North American Indians look something like a tea party. One huge difference was the Portuguese more or less attempted to enslave the Brazilian Indians which did not occur (to my knowledge) in North America. It did not go well for the inumerable tribes. Of course in both continents it was disease that did by far the most damage to the natives. But this book covers far more than the conquest and is necessarily generalized, covering the early discoveries and exploration (which could be an entire book starting with Orellana expedition and continuing with Aguirre), the brutal conquest phase, various uprisings, the meanderings of the early 'naturalists' (another book), the rubber boom (and bust), anthropological findings and more. It ends with several chapters on the despoliation of the Amazon itself in the modern era with highways, mining, deforestation and continued pressure on indigenous populations. Also a pretty distressing read. One thing I learned in several places is why rain forest soils are so poor, something the early settlers (and some up to today) refused to accept. The profusion of rapid non-stop plant growth means nutrients are generally stored within the biomass itself, not in the soil as occurs in the mid-latitudes. Hence, traditional agriculture fares poorly on any kind of large scale. The recent expansion of soy farming in parts of Brazil is cited as another example of the refusal to accept these limitations. The last chapter on just how amazing the Amazon basin is in terms of water resources, carbon balance and biodiversity, puts it all in perspective. Everyone has heard of the need to preserve the Amazon but this reading this will make you want back that up with some action, however small.

[Imogen Ebsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you wanted to read just one book about the Amazon, to understand its biogeography, natural and human histories, this is the book for you.

Beautifully written with eloquent but unlaboured snd clear prose, Hemming’s account of the colonisation of the Amazon by particularly the Portuguese, Spanish and other European empires is compelling and at times a heartbreaking read. However the book never allows you to feel hopeless or overwhelmed by the repeated cycles of devastation dealt to the Indigenous inhabitants by the colonisers, and his depth of understanding and insight into the responses of the local inhabitants to colonisation is heartfelt.

Equally his summary of the evolving archeological and anthropological evidence for precisely what societies and populations and how they were organised prior to the arrival of Europeans is a masterclass in summarising a complex field.

It is perhaps an unusual choice to place the equally elegant exposition of biogeography of the Amazon as the last chapter, but it works as it allows Hemming to end by allowing his deep passion and love for the Amazon to shine.

This book was a joy to read from start to finish.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is exactly what it is purported to be: a broad overview of Amazonia. It is well written, engaging, and full of interesting anecdotes without being sentimental. I read it in anticipation of trip I am taking to the region. I want to be able to attach some meaning to what seems like a vast and exploited wilderness. It admirably fulfilled my purpose.

[Paulo Reimann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

Amazing reading. Well exposed historical view. Both modern times and ancient. Fun to read. Intelligently exposed, clearly the author is well acquainted with the Country and history.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comprehensive but somewhat repetitive history and operational description of the Amazon - its people, politics, economics, flora, fauna, geology, rivers and their interactions - to the present. The author's deep personal knowledge of the Amazon enhances the reading experience

[Emily Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

•••••DID NOT FINISH•••••
I could not finish this book. I tried so hard. I felt like the author rewrote the same scenario five times over the course of four chapters. I genuinely was intrigued by some of the aspects so maybe later on I could read it but as of right now I am just not interested.

[Greg Golz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be great as a reference book, but is a bit sporadic with for of content. The author tries to squeeze tons of info into 350 pages. This is difficult with so much history.

[Ted Alper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic history of the Amazon. Very grateful this book was written.

[Emilio Lezama · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ver thorough and well written history of the Amazon

[Mariana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the only merit is that the author has gone to the Amazon but it sometimes felt like it talked around the topic or the book.

[Ian McHugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this whilst traveling between Manaus and Belém. It's great way to discover the history of the vast river Amazon. The text is quite weighty in places and it reads more like a reference book than non-factual description but John Hemming does a great job of marshaling 500 years of history into such short a time.
The chapter headings allow for vast sweeps of history and for thematic study of certain issues related to the Amazon's place in Brazil, Latin America, and the world.
Anyone thinking of traveling the Amazon region of Brazil (or Peru) should read this as they float down (or up) stream.

[Tarynroch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't finish this books b/c it came due at the library and I knew that I would not finish it with the three renewals that I am granted. However it is good, just too reference-y for me right now -- it's the type of book that you can't read all at one time. If you are interested in the Amazon and its native people, this is probably a must read.

[Emma Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book that suited me well when I was travelling in South America. Nevertheless it’s something that I think should be more widely understood. Some of the horrors that happened in the Amazon around this time I don’t believe are common knowledge. Fantastic book and highly recommended.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hemming has to be my favorite non-fiction writer about the Amazon and Peru. This is a mixture of natural science, history and geography in a highly readable volume.

[Lucia · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite writer, as brilliant as always! =-)

[Teresa Bunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book for this trip along the Amazon.