Down the Susquehanna to the Chesapeake

“Captures the charm—and violence—of the Chesapeake Bay’s only indispensable tributary. . . . Doubly welcome, for its own considerable virtues and for filling in so many of the blanks in our knowledge of a river that plays a far larger role in this part of the country than most of us realize. . . . Brubaker’s meticulous and loving description of the river should do much to heighten our appreciation of this secret treasure. . . . [U]niversity-press publishing at its absolute best.” —Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post Book World

“Down the Susquehanna to the Chesapeake is a first rate history and environmental saga. Brubaker not only captures the sweep of eons of time; he also zeroes in on tiny details which must have taken endless time to find and put together.” —Gerald S. Lestz, Strasburg Weekly News

“Enhanced with more than 70 maps and illustrations, Down The Susquehanna To The Chesapeake is a fascinating, well written, highly recommended treatise and would serve as an admirable model to writing about and exploring the histories of other major American rivers.” —Midwest Book Review

“If you have time this summer for only one nonfiction book, this is to beat a drum for Down the Susquehanna to the Chesapeake. . . . Jack Brubaker is superbly informed.” —James H. Bready, Baltimore Sun

“Jack Brubaker, editorial page editor and a columnist for the Lancaster New Era, may have written the ultimate book about the Susquehanna River. Down the Susquehanna to the Chesapeake, published by Penn State University Press, is a paean to the largest river on the East Coast.” —Caroline Terenzini, Centre Daily Times (CDT)

“There have been dozens of books written about the Susquehanna River, the largest river on the East Coast of the United States, and the river that delivers half of the freshwater needed by the Chesapeake Bay to maintain its ecological balance. But perhaps none is more engaging than Jack Brubaker’s Down the Susquehanna to the Chesapeake (Penn State Press, 2002), mainly because it tells us so much more about the river’s history—both natural and human—than we’ve ever known before.” —Erica L. Shames, Susquehanna Life Magazine

“Brubaker’s carefully researched and skillfully written volume [is] a fascinating read for anyone needing a reminder of how much a river can affect human lives.” —Rick Marsi, Binghampton Press and Sunday Bulletin

“This beautifully written and designed volume is the best book I’ve ever read about the Susquehanna River, a subject dear to my heart.

Geology, archaeology, sociology, ecology, biology and many other areas of academia come to life in Down the Susquehanna to the Chesapeake, which seems to me a real life saga that reads more colorfully and memorably than many an acclaimed novel.” —Eileen Graham, Harrisburg Patriot News

“[Jack Brubaker] offers an intimate view of life along the East Coast's largest river by layering geology on history on ecology on travelogue.” —Jo-Ann Greene, Lancaster Sunday News