“Brave the Wild River” takes us down the Colorado River of 1938
Melissa Sevigny’s new book, published Tuesday, will make readers yearn for the adventure and natural beauty of a Colorado River rafting trip at the same time that it fires them up over sexism in science and media. Drawing on the detailed diaries of two botanists who became the first white women to “Brave the Wild River,” as the book is titled, the Flagstaff-based author guides us through the rough waters and peaceful moments of a story about facing fears and bucking norms to pursue scientific passions for the benefit of future generations. At a time when the Colorado River is making headlines like never before, due to drought conditions and tense negotiations between states over dividing up the fluctuating water supply, Sevigny takes us back.