Had this book highly recommended by a friend: "Goodbye To A River", about the Brazos after the first major flood-control reservoirs were built. Anyone else read it?

Ordered a paperback copy off of Ebay.

John Graves

Read it many years ago. I enjoyed it. Great book.

Hard Scrabble is a good read as well.

It should be a must read for all kids during Texas History

Just ordered last week and currently reading because I saw it mentioned so often here. Definitely enjoying it as i like to kayak as often as I can although primarily on the Colorado.

Awesome book.

I think about it every time I cross the Brazos.

One of the best books to understand Texas history.

We read it in Texas history in 8th grade.

I give that book out to a lot of people.

Beautiful and profound. My favorite book.

Next read Cormac McCarthy's "All the Pretty Horses"

Great book!

Finishing up reading Sand County Almanac and it keeps reminding me of Goodbye to a River. Both worthwhile, both similar but I keep thinking how much more I enjoyed Goodbye, despite how much more praise and attention Almanac gets.

I take it off the shelf and read it every couple of years. I need to give a copy to my dad, he's been asking about doing some overnight paddling trips.

"Goodbye to a River" is a Texas classic.

I have always thought "The Deer Pasture" should get more acclaim as a good read covering Texas things that are disappearing too fast.

https://www.tamupress.com/book/9780890962282/the-deer-pasture/

Haha, reading this now and loving it. About 2/3rds of the way through and not excited about it ending. I've been spending a ton of time on Texas rivers fishing the last two years and this book has mad me wish I had more time on my hands for doing something like he did in the book.

Since I live on the river formerly known as Lake Dunlap, should I write a book titled "Hello to a River"

Years ago, a great friend now departed urged me to read Goodbye to a River. He taught at Southwest Texas State and I think ran in some circles that put him in contact with John Graves. That encouragement was quite a gift he gave me. Some years later, I met Graves at a book event in Fort Worth and had him sign my copy of Goodbye and From a Limestone Ledge.

I've got a reading copy of Goodbye and a first edition keeper copy. Every few years, I'll get out that reading copy and have at it. It is probably about that time again ...

Great book. It makes me sad to know how hard it is to really get away from people today. We used to float down the Neches and Angelina and as isolated as it seemed, there was still a boat around every bend it seemed.

JoeCephas1974 said:

---

Great book. It makes me sad to know how hard it is to really get away from people today. We used to float down the Neches and Angelina and as isolated as it seemed, there was still a boat around every bend it seemed.

---

That's one of the great things about the Brazos near BCS. It's a pain to get in to but once there, you're 500 miles from town. It takes me back to my childhood in rural LA.

If you are going to hit the pantheon of great Texas naturalists and writers you have to read Roy Bedichek "Adventures with a Texas Naturalist". I put that up there with Graves because you can tell he loves Texas just as much.

There the Brazos still runs muddy like she's run all along

CS78 said:

---

JoeCephas1974 said:

---

Great book. It makes me sad to know how hard it is to really get away from people today. We used to float down the Neches and Angelina and as isolated as it seemed, there was still a boat around every bend it seemed.

---

That's one of the great things about the Brazos near BCS. It's a pain to get in to but once there, you're 500 miles from town. It takes me back to my childhood in rural LA.

---

A LOT of great memories of time on the Brazos, running lines, bank fishing, drifting hellgramites through a rocky/shallow area, dove hunting on a gravel bar, canoe trips, etc...

but one very memorable evening, we were fishing in and around a set of rocks, and we heard what sounded like a plane. We were used to seeing crop dusters cross over the river, but this time a pilot must have been bored, as he was what seemed to be 20 ft off of the water, going upstream. We were ducking, sort of a reflex

GSS said:

---

Had this book highly recommended by a friend: "Goodbye To A River", about the Brazos after the first major flood-control reservoirs were built. Anyone else read it?

Ordered a paperback copy off of Ebay.

John Graves

---

I got about half way through, but couldn't quite get into it. I think it depends on the mood you're in. Might be a generational thing.

The audiobook on Audible is an enjoyable listen.

A great read for sure. Have read and reread it and do not get tired of it.

It's on my list and up next after I finish the current book I'm reading.

Ordered.

Stasco said:

---

I got about half way through, but couldn't quite get into it. I think it depends on the mood you're in. Might be a generational thing.

---

No idea how old you are, but I can understand that. I wouldn't have been interested in it in being single in my early 20's. I loved it as a father in my 30's.

agenjake said:

---

Stasco said:

---

I got about half way through, but couldn't quite get into it. I think it depends on the mood you're in. Might be a generational thing.

---

No idea how old you are, but I can understand that. I wouldn't have been interested in it in being single in my early 20's. I loved it as a father in my 30's.

---

I'm 31 and a father of two. And I certainly didn't hate the book. Really wanted to like it. It just wasn't a page turner for me. Mostly I just wanted to give GSS a little crap for being an old man.

"I'm 31 and a father of two. And I certainly didn't hate the book. Really wanted to like it. It just wasn't a page turner for me. Mostly I just wanted to give GSS a little crap for being an old man. "

You could write your own best seller book, based on the immense amount of knowledge picked up from this old man (and "your" old man). And the statute of limitations has passed, for some of the info...

I breezed through Goodbye right off the bat but struggled to get through Sand County Almanac and actually had to put it down after trying go get into it. I really wanted to get into it because so many outdoor guys wax poetic about it.

I happened to pick Almanac up again this weekend because I had some flights and for some reason I breezed through it this time. You just never know how a book is gonna strike you.