I finished this book with a profound sense of satisfaction. It is not only a gripping travel adventure, but it also gives a clear picture of the all-pervasive misogyny during the era in which the story takes place. It’s hard to believe, when we consider what women have accomplished in modern times, that less than one hundred years ago the ubiquitous notion was that “a woman’s place was in the home” and that they were too delicate for anything but housewifely activities. When in 1938 botanists Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter proposed to undertake an expedition down the Colorado River to study its plant life, though, they faced intense opposition due to such pervasive attitudes. The six hundred-plus mile route through the Grand Canyon to Lake Mead was beset with perilous rapids, and only a few expeditions, composed solely of men, had successfully made it all the way through. Undaunted, the women undertook the forty-three-day journey with four male teammates in three boats, enduring numerous hardships as they collected plant specimens and took copious notes along the way. The trip became a media sensation; at each stopover point they were met by national news crews that would interview them, film them, and often ask them rude and demeaning questions.

Nowadays dams have subdued the worst of the white water, but back then the Colorado was largely untamed and considered by many the most dangerous river in the world. Besides the treacherous rapids, there were risks of heat stroke, hypothermia, exhaustion, storms, landslides, flash floods, rattlesnakes, and a multitude of other perils. If the travelers became stranded, they might starve to death, as in many places it was impossible to climb out of the canyon back to civilization. They all had to rely on each other, as well as on their courage, tenacity, skills, and sometimes sheer luck.

Clover and Jotter were true pioneers in establishing the place of women in scientific endeavors. However, as the author points out: “The same challenges that Clover and Jotter confronted decades ago remain barriers for women in the sciences today.” They receive, on average, significantly smaller salaries than men and are able to publish fewer papers than their male counterparts. It is an ongoing struggle. As for the Colorado, Sevigny states that “many questions remain for the river’s management.” The overriding considerations have to do with the balance between human usage and protection of its ecosystems.

While reading this exciting book, I couldn’t help but remember a river journey I almost made during my travels on the Indian Subcontinent. During my first trip east, after traversing the Khyber Pass between Afghanistan and Pakistan, on a train ride from Peshawar to Rawalpindi I met another traveler, a Norwegian, and we concocted a scheme to get hold of some sort of boat in Multan in central Pakistan and travel down the Indus River to Karachi. It was a ridiculous and foolhardy idea, which we realized as soon as we reached Multan. (We eventually continued onward by train.) But for a brief time we envisioned ourselves as river tramps.

Clover and Jotter, though, fulfilled their vision, became national heroes, and furthered the cause of science, and this exciting book tells their true story. Recommended.

I’m a professional writer; I make my living by my words.  I’m happy to share these essays with you, but at the same time, financial support makes the words possible.  If you’d like to become a patron of the arts and support my work, buy a few of my available books or available stories. To send a one-time or recurring donation, click here. You can also donate via my Patreon account. Thanks!