Niagara: A History of the Falls

by Pierre Berton

Book Overview

"The noble cataract reflects the concerns, failings, and fancies of the times. If we gaze deeply into its shimmering image we can perhaps discern our own." - page 22" Pierre Berton] makes a serious... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0771012128
• ISBN13: 9780771012129
• Release Date: January 1992
• Publisher: McClelland & Stewart
• Length: 480 Pages
• Weight: 2.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 6.7" x 9.9"

Customer Reviews

Niagara: From the awe-inspiring to Love Canal

Here's a wonderful history of Niagara Falls in all its splendor and loopiness, from the early explorers and the first tourists, to the artists who've tried to capture its stupendous glory on canvas and the daredevils and just plain crazies who've tempted fate by going over it in a barrel or walking across it on a tightrope. Although it ends on a sour note with the Love Canal environmental disaster of the 1980s, which took place in the city of Niagara Falls, Berton's history is comprehensive and marvelous to read. Whether it's John Roebling building the first great suspension bridge near the falls, Robert Moses trying to swindle the Tuscarora out of their lands for a power plant reservoir, or those who viewed the falls with almost spiritual awe (as Harriet Beecher Stowe did) or saw them with dollar signs flashing before their eyes (too many to mention), Berton's book captures them all. It's extremely well written, with many illustrations to boot.

The Rise and Falls of Niagara

"Niagara" is a nice little book, stringing together a series of anecdotes about Niagara Falls and its immediate region, especially from the mid 19th century to the mid 20th century. As histories go, it is fairly light (the author does not cite his facts, although he does include an extensive bibliography), but Pierre Berton is adept at telling stories, especially human stories. The stories mostly develop along one of two themes - daredevil encounters with the Falls, and human manipulation, either for the purpose of exploitation or protection of the Falls. Berton is best with the small stories of explorers, tightrope walkers, barrel riders, a family of "rivermen" (the Hills), and their ilk. The small becomes large with what is perhaps the best-crafted story, that of Lois Gibbs and the toxic tragedy of Love Canal, with which Berton ends the book.Although the story of the Falls did not end in 1980, Love Canal is a fitting final story. Despite the occasional preservationist triumphs, the story of the Falls really culminates in Love Canal. The natural wonder of the Falls became framed by hucksters, factories, power stations, tacky museums, homes, roads, manicured parks and everything else unnatural. Engineers even managed to stop the falls in an attempt to clear out fallen rocks (they wisely chose not to once they realized that the rocks propped up the rock face behind the falls). A visit to the Falls today is a jarring reminder of what a mess we humans have made of the natural world. It is an obscene juxtaposition of nature's best and humanity's chintziest. Berton is less skilled at relaying scientific stories about the formation of the falls, and the energy and chemical industries. He also seems less than passionate when writing about big business deals - his treatment of power-mavens Adam Beck and Robert Moses palls beside his treatment of activist Lois Gibbs or "riverman" Red Hill. As a result, the book is somewhat inconsistent and (ironically, considering the subject matter) does not always flow.Conspicuously missing from "Niagara" is ancient Native American history and the eventful history of the last 20 years. The former may not be possible to write for lack of information, but the latter (which includes the establishment of a gambling casino overlooking the Falls) warrants an update. Also lacking is some of the political history surrounding the Falls. For all these reasons, this is more a three-and-a-half star book than a full four star book. But I'm givivng it four because it was fun to read and provided me, as a native of Western New York, with some history of my home region. I'm not sure how interesting all this will be for those with no personal experience of the Falls, but for those of us who do, its worth reading.

Excellent anecdotal history of Niagara Falls

If you're curious about Niagara Falls, and want to know more about its geological and social history told in an highly engaging narrative style, this book is highly recommended. All aspects of the area and the natural phenomenon known as Niagara Falls is covered, with detailed stories about both the New York and Canadian sides. Interesting illustrations complement the text. Included are a wide range of topics, including the stories of the daredevils who tried to conquer the Falls to the more serious subject of Love Canal.

Fun, lively history of the Falls

This is an easy to read, quick paced history of Niagara Falls. The book's pictures are not great, and the paperback print quality of the pictures is second rate, but the text is fun and easy to read, very enjoyable.

A must-read for anyone enraptured by the Falls.

Some people go to Niagara Falls and get upset when they get wet from the mist and spray. Others go to the Falls expressly to stand in the mist and spray. If you're the latter type, you must read this book. It includes all kinds of fascinating details about the Falls not easily found anywhere else. The book goes beyond the usual daredevil stunts to explore the geological, physical, and psychological presence of Niagara Falls. Reading it, we become acutely embarrassed by our attempts to harness it, whether for power or posterity. In the history of the Falls, we can see the history of the United States: its grand achievements and its humble shortcomings. This book is fascinating to read and hard to put down.