Despite being one of the most unique lakes in America - a natural body of water formed during the New Madrid earthquakes in the early nineteenth century - Reelfoot Lake is relatively understudied. Johnson's book is part personal remembrance, part guidebook, and part cautionary tale on river and wetland ecology, conservation, and land management.

"This book explores the cultural and environmental history of Tennessee's only natural lake, Reelfoot Lake. Jim W. Johnson, a longtime west Tennessean and environmentalist, guides readers through the ancient and recent history of the lake, provides a section for visitors, campers, and tourists interested in visiting Reelfoot Lake, and discusses the past, present, and future conservation issues facing this important body of water"--