Imagining Niagara

Library Journal

McGreevy (geography, Clarion State Univ.) analyzes Niagara Falls as a symbol and a creation of humankind. He focuses on four concepts--Niagara from afar, Niagara and death, nature and Niagara, and Niagara's future--showing how the falls have been viewed as a symbol for the power and mystery of nature. McGreevy believes this symbolism determined the development of the Niagara Falls area, creating in its wake such things as a religious shrine, a horror museum, and power plants. The author points out that some have fought to preserve the beauty of the area, while others have sought to use the power of the falls for commerical development. A thoughtful study that relies on numerous 19th-century writings, this work will appeal to informed lay readers and scholars.-- Linda McEwan, Elgin Community Coll . Lib., Ill.

Booknews

Using his skills as a cultural geographer, McGeevy (geography, Clarion U.) interprets Niagara Falls, exploring the links between the Niagara people have imagined and the one they made, between its natural grandeur and its industrial exploitation, and between the fascination Niagara holds for people and the fascination people have with death. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)