Water-powered writing & surviving.

Becca Lawton, Stanislaus River. Photo by Gary Genest, 1973.

Reading Water is both mirror and map, a reminder that a life can take the shape of the river itself.” — Ellen Meloy, author, Eating Stone and Raven’s Exile

“The spiritual autobiography of a true whitewater gypsy, giving us a seasoned depiction of the nomadic culture, empty canyons, and wild western rivers that define and haunt her.” — David James Duncan, author, My Story as Told by Water and The River Why

“Reading water” in river parlance means studying rough & quiet waters for deep understanding.