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The River's Daughter

Not yet published
Expected 3 Jun 25
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Recalling memoirs like Wild and Educated, an internationally renowned female whitewater rafting guide offers a powerful, gripping, and inspiring memoir about overcoming hardship and coming into her own through her relationship with the rivers she has known.

After Bridget Crocker’s parents split up in a vicious divorce, she moved with her mother from California to Wyoming, to live in a trailer park near the Snake River. Her childhood was idyllic, with a stepfather she loved and a new baby brother, and with the river as her companion. When her mother suddenly left her stepfather for a hippie eco-warrior, and things went spectacularly wrong, Bridget returned to California to live with her explosive father—until his violence sent her back to Wyoming. The one constant in her life was the Snake River, to whom she confided her deepest feelings.

Being on the water healed Bridget—from abuse, sexual assault, and betrayals by those close to her. She became a world-class whitewater rafting guide—admired and respected by her mostly male counterparts for her grit and her courage. The Snake, the Kern, and the Zambezi River in Zambia allowed her to find herself—to trust her intuition and grow into her powers as a woman, overcoming multi-generational cycles of abuse and educational neglect.

In this propulsive story of finding meaning in a life outdoors, Bridget Crocker not only takes us along with her on exciting and sometimes treacherous adventures on the water but opens up a new way of experiencing the world—through its rivers, which can guide us, just as we can navigate them—and introduces a bold and vibrant new voice in adventure writing.

304 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication June 3, 2025

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About the author

Bridget Crocker

1 book23 followers

Explorer. Storyteller. Guide.
A leading whitewater explorer and river guide, Bridget Crocker writes adventure memoir for life travelers forging new directions in their relationships and lives. Crocker's writing transports readers to far-flung locations filled with flawed characters overcoming incredible adversity. A trauma survivor, Crocker explores themes of recovery and overcoming multi-generational cycles as well as sexism and racism in the outdoor industry. In her work as an author, speaker and leader of women's empowerment river workshops, Crocker helps others strengthen their connection with the natural world and find the courage to navigate harrowing obstacles both on and off the river.


Writing Background
Crocker’s adventure travel background combined with formal studies in Anthropology and Native American Studies have shaped her ability to integrate the natural and cultural spirit of varying landscapes into her writing. She attended the University of Montana in Missoula and holds a degree in English Literature from Montana State University, Bozeman. She's an alum of Book Passage Travel Writing and Photography Conference and the Livingston Writer's Workshop. Her work has been featured in magazines including Westways, Men’s Journal, National Geographic Adventure, Outside, Trail Runner, Paddler and Vela among others, and she worked as a writer for the outdoor clothing company, Patagonia, for nineteen years. She is a contributing author to Lonely Planet guidebooks and Travel Anthology and The Best Women’s Travel Writing series from Travelers’ Tales.


River Explorer
As a young girl growing up on the banks of the Snake River in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Crocker developed a relationship with water and nature that is at the heart of her writing. Crocker began guiding on the Snake and has guided remote river expeditions down many of the world’s greatest river canyons in far-flung regions of Zambia, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Peru, Chile, Costa Rica, India and the Western United States.

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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Profile Image for Kenzie Evermore.
1 review1 follower
November 29, 2024
4.5 stars, rounding up to 5! I adored this memoir of strength, change and growth. I felt like I wanted to be friends with Bridgette and I enjoyed getting to know her and her connection with rivers. I was hoping for pictures somewhere along the way, but found some on her Instagram. There a lot of extremely heavy and emotional moments, but there were appropriate trigger warnings at the beginning of the book. I had to read the book in small chunks to process and then watch a silly video after some sections to release the energy, but I deeply appreciate the vulnerability, honestly and reflection of Brigette’s remarkable life thus far.

I received an advanced digital copy of this book through NetGallery.
Profile Image for Nicole.
3 reviews
October 28, 2024
Fantastic read with heartbreak, adventure, love, and unbelievable strength! Bridget dives into her perception of her family dynamic, how it shaped her, how she overcame barriers in her family relationships to grow closer and heal old wounds, how she learned to see the world from another’s perspective, and how the beauty of nature can be a source of strength, compassion, and, at times, demand respect. I’m grateful she chose to share her story and happy to know I read and learned from it. Thank you, Bridget, for writing your story.
Profile Image for Beth.
184 reviews5 followers
November 16, 2024
Beautifully written book of Bridget’s journey through this crazy world. This book hits all the notes - love, growth, survival and joy. So informative about the rafting world. Enjoyed reading about Africa’s rivers as well. Almost haunting her soul. Highly recommend!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews

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