This anthology celebrates the extensive historical and literary heritage of New York"s Hudson River Valley, discovered and explored over 400 years ago by its namesake, the English navigator Henry Hudson while aboard the Dutch ship Half Moon. The first section of the book covers the region"s geographical history, beginning with its dramatic sculpting by mighty glaciers moving between the Catskill and Berkshire mountain ranges to its current geographical landscape and landmarks. The second part pays literary homage to this great, historically significant river valley and includes works by John Burroughs, Washington Irving, and James Fenimore Cooper among many other well-known writers. The Hudson River Valley Reader is a richly textured literary tapestry that explores the unique threads that comprise the natural, social, and cultural qualities and achievements inspired by this regal river and the majestic valley that is its home.