7 Islands of the Ocmulgee - Paperback

7 Islands of the Ocmulgee: River Stories from Georgia's Historic Watershed

This collection features seven interconnected stories written after author Gordon Johnston canoed the Ocmulgee River and its tributaries. Each narrative draws on European American, Native, and African American traditions and their relationships with the upper river between the confluence of the Yellow, Alcovy, and South Rivers under Jackson Lake and Macon, Georgia.

Stories Spanning Two Centuries

Set from the 1810s to the present day, these stories follow characters whose inherited or adopted perspectives on the river are transformed through direct experience of the watershed's danger, power, and life. The narratives engage specific locations including Pittman's Ferry, the Seven Islands, Smith Shoals, the levee in Macon, and the Ocmulgee Mounds of the Mississippian people.

Grounded in Direct Experience

Johnston's approach to these stories came from canoe-camping on the Ocmulgee River, experiencing firsthand its weather patterns and flow. Witnessing how the river's force shaped the landscape allowed the author to recover a sense of time grounded in geology. As Johnston notes, "Humanity is small and new in the long life of the watershed."

Exploring Multiple Cultural Perspectives

The collection examines how different cultural traditions have interacted with and understood the Ocmulgee watershed. Through characters from diverse backgrounds, the stories reveal how ignorance of the river's nature gives way to understanding through personal encounter with its realities.

About the Ocmulgee River Setting

The Ocmulgee River flows through central Georgia, carrying geological and cultural history spanning thousands of years. The watershed includes tributaries like the Yellow, Alcovy, and South Rivers, creating a complex ecosystem that has shaped human settlement and experience from the Mississippian period through modern times.

Publication Details

Published by Mercer University Press in paperback format, this single-author short story collection offers readers an immersive journey through Georgia's river country, blending historical fiction with contemporary narratives and environmental awareness.