Down the Wild Cape Fear

“Equal parts historical survey, river adventure and nature walk, it’s a fascinating trip down North Carolina’s most storied river.” — Raleigh News and Observer

“Like a river itself, winding its way through history and biology, politics, and preservation, this book will appeal to both nature lovers and those living in and near the Cape Fear watershed.” — Library Journal

“An adventure story paired with a view of the ecology, history, development, and industry along a vital river that runs from the core of North Carolina to the coast. Gerard uses glittering, evocative prose to recount his travels by canoe and powerboat down the Wild Cape Fear River with a guide, biologist, photographer, and others. . . . This is a compelling story that offers a striking and thoughtful look at the many environmental, political, and commercial issues affecting this region and the waterway that feeds it.” — ForeWord Reviews

“Gerard takes readers with him on a 200-mile trip down the Cape Fear River. . . [and] it’s obvious that his book was labor of love.” — Southern Pines Pilot

“A reading journey that no one who loves North Carolina should pass by.” — D.G. Martin One on One

“This is simply the best piece of writing about [the Cape Fear] river that I've read.” — Fayetteville Observer

“By the book’s end we get a sense of the innumerable interconnections that make the region a special, singular place.” — North Carolina Literary Review

“If you've ever fallen in love with a lake, river, or stretch of shore, you'll enjoy this trip down the Cape Fear with Philip Gerard. Between the characters he meets, the historical tales, the beautifully described natural encounters, and the river-running adventures, it’s as varied and engaging as a long day spent drifting downstream.” — Jan DeBlieu, author of Year of the Comets: A Journey from Sadness to the Stars

“Gerard’s descriptions of river life are wonderfully written and his narration of historical events — from the early Spanish explorers to English settlers and from Revolutionary War and Civil War events to twentieth-century racial strife and environmental problems — are grippingly told.” — Lawrence Earley, author of Looking for Longleaf: The Fall and Rise of an American Forest

“Philip Gerard is an explorer, a philosopher, a historian — and a dazzling angel of a writer. In Down the Wild Cape Fear, he takes us on a beguiling journey teeming with alligators and eagles, with mystery and murder and disaster, and with the ghosts of pirates, slaves, and doomed soldiers. By the time he reaches the ocean, Gerard has ridden the current across four centuries of our bloody, confounding past. This is a true adventure story, haunting and unforgettable, perfect for reading by firelight on a stormy night when lightning dances in the distance.” — Thomas French, author of Zoo Story: Life in the Garden of Captives