Peace of Blue: Water Journeys

Event: Peace of Blue: book group discussion
where: St. Johns Riverkeeper offices, Jacksonville University
when: November 18, 6pm
info: www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/events/river-reads-bookgroup-peace-of-blue-water-journeys-by-bill-belleville

When it comes to celebrating Florida’s wild places, author Bill Belleville has become an authority. From documentaries of deep underground cave explorations to articles and books about journeys through Florida’s remaining natural havens, Belleville uniquely speaks to Florida waters. Belleville’s latest book, The Peace of Blue: Water Journeys, allows readers to follow along on journeys that most will never be able to take themselves.

Peace is a collection of narrative essays in which the author describes his experiences hiking, paddling, snorkeling, and diving throughout Florida and the Antilles. Through his remarkable ability to describe the natural history, anthropogenic influences, and the ecological connections of Florida’s wild places, Belleville is able to transport every reader into the peace that surrounds us in our water. Belleville also helps us understand the threats to these natural systems from Florida’s unbridled sprawl. “Away from the strip malls and the sprawl, the theme parks and the resorts, the waters of Florida are a secret blue world of wonders. Belleville’s beautiful new book takes you with him on (and sometimes under) the rivers and springs, lakes and marshes and seas of this most liquid of states,” writes Diane Roberts, author ofPost to Post Links II error: No link found for term slug "Dream State: Eight Generations of Swamp Lawyers, Conquistadors, Confederate Daughters, Banana Republicans, and Other Florida Wildlife".

Outside of his most recent book, Belleville provides compelling programs as part of the Florida Humanities Council’s Speaker Bureau on identifying our natural landscapes in Florida and understanding how other writers and artists have been inspired by them over time. His presentations include vivid photographic images from above and below our magical springs, scrub and sandhill, and other habitats that have historically helped us to understand and acknowledge a sense of place. Belleville is also a producer with Equinox Documentaries, whose latest project is Hidden Secrets of Florida Springs. Rare footage reveals labyrinthic limestone chambers, rare and endemic animals, and prehistoric fossils of mastodons and other Ice Age animals. The documentary brings to light more treacherous secrets, showing how the flows of major springs have been steadily declining over the last 50 years and nitrates have degraded the once pure, gin-clear waters that attracted visitors from all over the world.

Bill Belleville has authored over 1,000 articles and essays for publications including Outside, Islands Magazine, Oxford American, the Washington Post, and many others. He’s written six non-fiction books, including the award winning River of Lakes, Losing it All to Sprawl, and Salvaging the Real Florida. He’s traveled widely overseas for the Discovery Channel to Cuba, the Galapagos, the White Sea of Russia, and the Great Barrier Reef. He’s written radio documentaries for NPR and video docs for PBS, and he’s lectured widely throughout Florida on behalf of the Florida Humanities Council.
Check out Belleville’s latest book to better understand and experience the Peace of Blue we all admire, and visit www.equinoxdocumentaries.org for more on the stories being told about our land and water visually.

Peace of Blue: Water Journeys On Sale through Amazon beginning on September 30, 2014: www.amazon.com/The-Peace-Blue-Water-Journeys/dp/0813060095#