Originally published in 1958, Nancy Cato's epic novel of adventure and romance tells the tale of Philadelphia Gordon, who is orphaned as a young teenager and sent to live with relatives near the River Murray. Paddle-steamers, their captains and crew are vividly described in this saga about Delie's family life and experiences as an artist and riverboat skipper. All the rivers run became the first of a trilogy that included Time, flow softly (1959) and But still the stream (1962), and was later made into a TV mini-series. It is believed that the novel's leading character was partly based on Pearl Wallace's experiences living and working on paddle-steamers - Wallace was Australia's first woman to become a riverboat Captain - and Nancy Cato's own life.

Author Nancy Cato was born in Adelaide, South Australia, in 1917 and died in Noosa, Queensland in 2000. A journalist, art critic, and later freelance writer, she wrote historical novels, biographies, short stories, poetry and literary magazine articles. She was a strong campaigner for conservation of the environment, received awards for her writing and conservation activism, and was made a Member of the Order of Australia.

Cato, Nancy: Australian women biographical entry

ABC TV online: Dimensions in time: 29/7/2002: Pearl: Riverboat Queen