The 6 Best Books About Rivers (Including Bizarre Historical Biographies!)

Rivers are live waters that flow to another water source, like an ocean or lake. Some are incredibly long, like the Nile River, while others travel shorter distances. Some are so massive, they create gorges, and some flow beautifully through mountains. You can travel by canoe down rivers, enjoy their sounds as you camp nearby, and learn of all the many historical accounts shaped by unforgettable rivers.

In the list below, you can explore the best books about rivers ranging from historical fiction to photography books. There is something in this list for any river lover, whether you want to learn more about a specific river or you want to sit back with a captivating novel on your favorite chair. There are books you can dive into on your own and books you can share with others, to spark conversations about the wonders of rivers.

A-Z-Animals’ Top Picks for the Best Books About Rivers

#1 Best Overall: River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile

The best overall book about rivers is River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile. It’s available in Kindle, audio, and hardcover formats. It’s also a New York Times bestseller. The author, Candace Millard, explores the Nile River’s mysteries. For millennia, the source of the Nile River puzzled researchers. This is a complex work that Millard explains beautifully. She touches on ancient Egypt and how European powers searched the globe to understand the unknown while also extending their empires. She introduces both Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke, both of whom were sent by the Royal Geographical Society to make sure England was ahead of the discovery.

These two men clashed from the very beginning. Together, they endured a lot. They met with constant setbacks, enormous hardships, and illness. After only two years, when they were in the African interior, Barton couldn’t go on any longer. Speke continued forward and discovered a great lake that he named Lake Victoria. When he brought back this discovery, he and Barton got into it again. Millard tells the tale of how these two men’s quest to find something miraculous ended in tragedy. Then, she shares the truth about a third man who was on the expeditions with the other men and who held a special role, despite how his name was hidden by imperial annals.

Customers rate this book 4.4 out of five stars. One customer says he was always intrigued by explorers who were sent out in search of the source of the Nile. He actually has several different books on this topic. Once he saw that Millard was the author of this title, he pre-ordered it. He appreciates that Millard focuses on the two men who were sent out on expeditions and appreciate that she elevates the role played by their African guide, Sidi Mubarak Bombay. Additionally, he says if you’re new to the subject, this is a great starting point. He also suggests that you may be interested in the movie The Mountains of the Moon.

A few reviewers said that they didn’t enjoy this book as much as Candace Millard’s prior works. One said, “As someone who has read and immensely enjoyed all of Candace Millard’s prior works, River of the Gods comes as a massive letdown. It consists of far too many direct quotes from reference materials and far too little actual writing. I do not know why she has followed this approach, but it makes reading what should be a thrilling story a very tedious experience.”

Pros and Cons of River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile by Candace Millard

Best

River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile

• 368 pages.
• A narrative nonfiction book that tells the story of the great feat of exploration to discover the source of the Nile.
• A relatively new publication, having been released in May 2022.

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2. Best Historical Fiction: Blood on the River: James Town, 1607 by Elisa Carbone 

Blood on the River: James Town, 1607 follows a 12-year-old whose name is Samuel Collier, a commoner who lives in London. He comes across good fortune when he becomes the page of Captain John Smith and manages to board the Susan Constant, which is headed for the New World. He’s heard stories about the New World including that with every tide, gold washes up. However, once aboard, he realizes that this journey is not exactly what he had envisioned. This is especially true when he experiences his first contact with the native people.

The author, Elisa Carbone, plays out the story as they establish the colony of Jamestown on the Virginia coast. It’s intriguing because it’s both a gorgeous place and it’s also forbidding. In Samuel’s reality, it’s hard to tell who your friends or enemies are. Samuel studies how Captain Smith uses diplomatic tactics, and he also learns how to speak the language of the Algonquin Indians. As the story progresses, Samuel learns an important lesson and that’s that he has the power to become whomever he wishes to become in this new land.

Customers rate this book, which is available in Kindle, audiobook, library binding, and paperback formats, 4.8 out of five stars. One customer says that she and her daughter love this book. Her daughter is in fourth grade and learning about the settlements in colonial America. She calls it “amazing historical fiction,” and appreciates that she can enjoy it along with her daughter. Another customer says that if there’s any student studying Jamestown, this is a must-read. She appreciates how the author writes and found it suspenseful, which kept her engaged. She acknowledges the reading level is for kids between nine and 11 years of age, but she can’t deny that she loves it as an adult.

A couple of reviewers reported that the beginning of the book was very slow.

Pros and Cons of Blood on the River: James Town, 1607 by Elisa Carbone 

Best Historical Fiction

Blood on the River: James Town, 1607

• 272 pages.
• Customers recommend this book for readers ages 9 through 10.
• A story about a boy who joins the journey to the New World to help establish James Town.

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3. Best Photography: Wild Beauty: Photography of the Columbia River Gorge, 1867-1957 by Terry Toedtemeier

Wild Beauty: Photography of the Columbia River Gorge, 1867-1957 by Terry Toedtemeier covers a 90-year period that was critical for the Columbia River Gorge. This natural landform has powerfully influenced the lives of the people who have inhabited the Pacific Northwest both in the past and today. Photographers have gravitated to the Columbia River Gorge, fascinated and shaped by it. The first photographers arrived in the 1860s when the river still had a similar appearance to when Lewis and Clark explored it.

Yet in the mid-20th century, changes came about when hydroelectric dams were constructed. At that point, the character of the river changed. In the book, you can enjoy more than 130 photographs that chronicle the history of the Columbia River Gorge. It has five sections, each with a short introduction and also a map that shows where all those photographs were taken. All of the photos are restored versions and went through a four-color process so that you can enjoy the subtle coloration of the prints.

Customers rate this book, which is only available in hardcover format, 4.7 out of five stars. They feel it’s absolutely gorgeous. One customer says she purchased it for her husband as a Christmas gift. He’s not exactly easy to shop for but he is enamored with books and has a special interest in photographer artistry. She highly recommends it. Another customer says that this book gives you a peek into the gorgeous history. He says the photographs are absolutely stunning and give you a rare opportunity to look through Lewis and Clark’s eyes at the Columbia River as it once was.

Pros and Cons of Wild Beauty: Photography of the Columbia River Gorge, 1867-1957 by Terry Toedtemeier

Best Photography

Wild Beauty: Photography of the Columbia River Gorge, 1867-1957 (Northwest Photography)

• 360 pages.
• A collection of photographs from 1867 until 1957 of the Columbia River Gorge, a breathtaking canyon of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest United States.
• Includes maps to show where the photographs were taken.

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4. Best Biographical: Wicked River: The Mississippi When It Last Ran Wild by Lee Sandlin 

Lee Sandlin, an award-winning journalist, wrote Wicked River: The Mississippi When It Last Ran Wild, which focuses on the Mississippi River of the 19th century. Sandlin takes you on a historical journey that starts in the early 1800s. This is before the Mississippi transformed into a shipping channel and also before Mark Twain made it romantic. Sandlin goes beyond surface knowledge of the Mississippi and explores several bizarre and mysterious firsthand accounts. He expands on how this river was a place where future presidents met with river pirates and where thieves and religious visionaries shared passage. He fills this book with incredible stories that keep you captivated throughout.

Customers rate this book, which is available in Kindle, audio, and hardcover formats, 4.5 out of five stars. One customer says he has always had a fascination with the Mississippi River, starting with his first read of Mark Twain‘s works. He is highly interested in history and, in particular, Civil War history. Also, he appreciates that Sandlin gave him unique perspectives that he would have otherwise been ignorant of. He says the entire book reads “as smoothly as the river itself.” The pages flew by for him. He does comment, however, that there are a few factual errors he had uncovered in the book. He says they are so minor that they don’t really amount to much but for somebody who is very oriented with Civil War history, it may feel a bit irksome.

One reader commented that the book was “very dry.”

Pros and Cons of Wicked River: The Mississippi When It Last Ran Wild by Lee Sandlin 

Best Biographical

Wicked River: The Mississippi When It Last Ran Wild

• 304 pages.
• Tells the story of the Mississippi River, from the early 1800s until 1863, before it was made into a shipping channel.
• The book debut of an author, Lee Sandlin, who wrote several impactful nonfiction works in his lifetime.

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5. Best Romance Novel: The River Between Us by Liz Fenwick

The River Between Us by Liz Fenwick is a historical fiction romance book that follows a woman whose name is Theo. Immediately after her marriage ends, she moves to a rickety cottage on the banks of the river Tamar, nestled between Devon and Cornwall. She feels this is the perfect location as she embarks on her healing journey. She appreciates being so close to the water. Soon after she arrives, Theo finds some hidden letters. As she starts exploring them, she realizes that they tell of a hidden romance between a young servant and the love he has for a woman he could never keep.

As Theo starts gardening and making the cottage her own, she keeps reading these letters, following this star-crossed lovers’ experience from World War I. Customers rate this book, which is available in Kindle, audiobook, and paperback formats, 4.4 out of five stars. One reviewer says she binge-read the book because it was too good to put down. She appreciates how the author incorporates historical events and social issues into the story. She did feel that the plot got a little bit tangled along the way, but she can’t say exactly how without spoiling it. Another customer calls it a lovely story that beautifully combines her love for history, romance, genealogy, and Cornwall.

Several readers said that the story kept going offtrack and derailing the main storyline.

Pros and Cons of The River Between Us by Liz Fenwick

Best Romance Novel

The River Between Us

• 512 pages.
• An escapist, historical, romance novel.
• It explores the secrets of a long-forgotten love affair.

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6. Best Novel: The River by Peter Heller

The River by Peter Heller is a national bestseller that follows Wynn and Jack, who are best friends. They have a shared love of books, fishing, and the mountains. Wynn is from Vermont and is considered a gentle giant. He loves being close to the water. Jack is a little different, from a ranch in Colorado, and has a much more rugged aesthetic. For him, sleeping under the stars is the most natural way to relax. The two of them decide to go on a trip to canoe the Maskwa river up north in Canada.

They’re both excited to explore nature in the best ways they know how but soon encounter a wildfire that adds a sense of urgency to their journey. One night, they hear a couple fighting. The very next day, they see a man but he’s alone paddling on the river. They start wondering about him. If it’s the man they heard arguing the previous night, where did he leave the woman? This is a heart-pounding read that keeps you captivated as these two men engage on a desperate wilderness survival journey.

Customers rate this book, which is available in Kindle, audiobook, hardcover, and paperback formats, 4.3 out of five stars. They refer to it as a slow-burn thriller, and love the plot. They do say that it starts off a little slow, so hang in there. Once the author introduces the wildfire to the story, that is when things get really interesting. Another customer says he appreciates the two characters and the friendship they share. They seem to fit very well together. Overall, they view it as a beautifully written story with some descriptions that feel almost poetic.

Pros and Cons of The River by Peter Heller

Best Novel

The River: A novel (Vintage Contemporaries)

• 272 pages.
• An engaging thriller of a story about wilderness survival.
• A national bestseller.

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The Four Different Types of Books About Rivers

In the list above, we highlight a couple of different types of books about rivers for you to explore. We expand on each of those categories a bit more below:

Historical Fiction

There are books about rivers that fall into the historical fiction genre. These types of books take place at a certain point in history and the author uses their creative freedom to imaginatively reconstruct places, events, and people. With these books, you can explore true aspects of history as they are beautifully intertwined with a fictional narrative. If you’re more interested in actual history, these types of books may not be for you. However, if you enjoy the creativity of authors and appreciate how they weave storylines into the past, then these books should make for a fun time.

Historical Biographies

Historical biographies are like taking a case study and examining it thoroughly. Whereas some historical accounts have more of a broad perspective that encompasses several events and several people, a historical biography takes a more focused approach to a specific person and what they experienced. Some books follow one or two people whereas other books compile several different biographical accounts to make one whole book that tells tales from different perspectives.

Fiction

Fiction works incorporate events, places, and characters that are not based on factual evidence. With these books, the author has complete creative control and can put together narratives that both captivate and thrill you. Imagination is not constricted in fiction novels, which allows the stories to get as creative as the author wishes. They’re great forms of entertainment and sometimes it’s wonderful to escape into a wonderful novel that the author fills with characters that resonate with you.

Photography

Photography books are a bit different. Some of them include sparse text while others are only photo focused. These are meant to give you a look at a specific topic, in this case, rivers. Many people love photography books because they give them a peek into a world that existed before them or one that’s a completely different or new place to them. These make great coffee table books because anyone can pick them up and peruse the pages without getting too sucked into a story. Rather, these books can serve more as conversation pieces.