Bland Simpson

I plucked this book off the shelf as one that should be right in my wheelhouse: a memoir covering the natural and social history of a unique, mysterious location on the American landscape. Writing that combines nature and history, like the best of the Lewis & Clark books, can provide a rich, rewarding reading experience. I had high expectations for "The Great Dismal" but I found neither the natural history nor the social history, as presented by Mr. Simpson, to be compelling enough to hold my interest throughout, and the non-linear narrative a further distraction. Navigating "The Great Dismal" was like trying to row through the swamp, with my oars constantly caught in the submerged tangle of roots and undergrowth.… (mais)