Tell us how you wrote this book. You interviewed lots of people, you spent lots of time on the river, you read deeply into the historical literature. How did you put it all together?
I got lots of help, and Luther College, where I work, gave me lots of time. Still, it took me twelve years from the time I started the book until it went to press. I wanted to, as Victorian writer William Morris once said, “See things bigly.” Researching involved lots of adventures: canoeing, spelunking, walking streams, talking to an amazing variety of people.
In the end, though, that meant I had far, far more material than I could use, which meant lots of cutting and reworking. One smart move in my young life was marrying someone who is a fantastic editor. My wife, Rachel, asked me the hard questions and gave me the advice you can only take from someone whose instincts you trust and respect.
What advice would you give to writers who want to combine history,
environmental science, contemporary events, and memoir as you have done so
successfully in Oneota Flow?
I would say it is worth the effort, because it reflects a truth that is often hard to see. The field of environmental studies shows us that the world is vastly interconnected and complicated. There is difficulty in that, but there is also amazing beauty and wonder. Putting the pieces together is rewarding for both its truth and its aesthetic value.
David Faldet,
Oneota Flow: The Upper Iowa River and Its People
