From pristine mountain trickle to sludgy brown industrial pool, the Willamette River is a major part of Oregon's circulatory system. Its aorta, perhaps.
Most of the state's population lives within a few miles of the river, and often takes it for granted. Not the essayists featured in Wild in the Willamette: Exploring the Mid-Valley’s Parks, Trails, and Natural Areas.
As the "Mid-Valley" of the subtitle indicates, the literary survey of the rivers focuses on the area round Corvallis. Abby Phillips Metzger co-edited the book with Lorraine Anderson, Abby visited in 2015 for this interview.
