Brave the Wild River: the Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand Canyon by Melissa Sevigny

 aired the week of September 23, 2024

Brave the Wild River by Melissa Sevigny is the story of Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter both botanists at the University of Michigan who undertake to catalogue the plants of the Grand Canyon during a 43 day boat journey down the Colorado River in 1938.  This work of narrative non fiction utilizes primary source materials including letters and diaries to bring the two women's story to life.  Recommended for fans of Empress of the Nile by Lynne Olson or Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery