2009 marks the 400th Anniversary of the exploration of the Hudson River and it's valley, which was first discovered by Henry Hudson in 1609 while about the ship Half Moon. This literary anthology covers the history and literary heritage of the valley through its many lives.

 

The book begins with a natural history of the valley, from it's creation, carved out my mighty glaciers between the Catskill and Berkshire mountain ranges all the way to its existing geography.

 

The second part is a literary homage to the river and the valley including works by John Burroughs, Washington Irving, James Fennimore Cooper and many others.