Book cover image from the oil painting The Burlington Waterfront in 1903 by Ralph Law, courtesy of and copyright David Beckman, all rights reserved.
If you go for rivers and riverboats, you'll enjoy Dean Gabbert's latest book, a collection of river stories entitled Brown-Water Boating.
Many of the stories have appeared in the Waterways Journal and other publications.
Dean, who lives on the Mississippi near Nauvoo, IL, has been writing about rivers for nearly 50 years. He's also the author of two river novels.
The new book contains 31 photographs and a handy index listing boats, people and places.
A wonderful collection of stories that reflect the author’s fabulous knowledge of life on and along the Mississippi River. Nobody in the present generation knows the heritage of boating on the great river like Dean Gabbert. And few people with historical knowledge can write as well.
John E. Hallwas
Author of Keokuk and The Great Dam and other books
For decades Dean Gabbert has swapped stories with river workers and buffs. He has investigated and pieced together stories about historical figures and boats. He has logged many miles on the rivers of mid-America with the people who navigate the topography and temperaments of those rivers to earn a living.
Gabbert has distilled the wisdom and experience of those pilots, pursers and artists into his stories of the river. He has further distilled those stories by selecting the best of the bunch for Brown-Water Boating producing a potent dose of river lore. So settle in, make yourself comfortable, and join Dean for a trip on the river.
Reggie McLeod
Editor and publisher of Big River Magazine
Dean Gabbert has assembled 39 entertaining river stories in his new book, Brown-Water Boating. We at The Waterways Journal are flattered that he chose to include 16 that first appeared in our publication.
H. Nelson Spencer
Publisher, The Waterways Journal Inc.
