On Wednesday, Sept. 11 Friends of the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library will continue a month-long Table Talk examination of rivers and their influence and meaning on our lives with a discussion on John M. Barry’s famous book “Rising Tide,” which is a history of the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. The presentation will be held in the meeting room at the Columbus Library located at 314 Seventh St. N.
Barry’s dramatic depiction of the river, the engineers who tried to tame it and the people who shared its flood plain was named one of the 50 greatest books of the past 50 years.
William McAnally will review “Rising Tide” and offer a Mississippi engineer’s perspective on floods, public policy and our attempts to control the great river. Dr. McAnally retired from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers after 32 years of service and now is fully occupied with three part-time jobs — professor at Mississippi State University, consulting engineer in water resources issues, and grandfather of six. He and his wife Carol moved from Vicksburg to Columbus in 2001 to be nearer their four children and grandchildren.
“I am so looking forward to this presentation,” said Friends of the Library Board member Deborah Johnson. “I’ve heard Bill McAnally speak on this book before — it’s one of his favorites — and he makes the whole history of that time and what happened with the river come wonderfully alive.”
Bring your own lunch starting at 11:30 a.m.; Dr. McAnally will begin speaking promptly at noon. Iced tea will be served.
“All are welcome!” said Johnson.
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