Born and raised in the parched desert country of the lower Colorado River, Murl Emery came to know the currents of the muddy river as no other man. He worked as a beaver trapper, cattle rustler, bootlegger, house mover, storekeeper, ferryman, prospector, cowboy, truck driver, inventor, miner, river freighter, aviator, astute mechanic, fishing fleet operator--and became the lead boatman during the construction of Hoover Dam.

But Murl Emery was never one to sit still, never one to take anyone--himself included--seriously. In later life, he meandered from beachcomber, to desert philosopher, storyteller, advisor to scientists and congressmen, desert detective, dude wrangler, devilish troublemaker, showman, powder monkey, consummate kidder, defeated politician, museum curator, joker, incorrigible vagabond, homesteader, and self-styled "Old Goat."

In Desert Riverman, Robert S. Wood interweaves two depictions of Murl Emery: Emery's rich and unparallelled history in the desert Southwest, told in Murl's own words; and the Emery the author knew and accompanied on madcap adventures in the 1960s--in Baja California, western Grand Canyon, and a last trip through Glen Canyon before it was inundated. Throughout, the tale is salted with Emery's hilarious outbursts and actions, painting a vivid picture of the early days on the Colorado and the eccentric character reared by this desert river environment.

A great read, rich in character, deep in history, and just plain fun. Heavily illustrated with a map and more than sixty historic images, most published here for the first time.