'Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water' by Marc Reisner is a comprehensive history of the struggle to control water in the American West. It delves into the political corruption, intrigue, and billion-dollar battles over water rights that have led to economic and ecological disaster. The author weaves a tale of rivers diverted and damned, exposing the greed, manifest destiny, and wishful thinking that have shaped the region's water management history.
Reisner's writing style in 'Cadillac Desert' is described as well-researched, highly readable, and engaging. covers the history of irrigation, aqueducts, and water projects in the West, focusing on key events and figures such as the Owens Valley, Mulholland, and Los Angeles. While some readers found the book to be depressing due to the dark themes it explores, others praised it as a classic study of the politics behind water in the western US, blending journalism, history, and commentary to shed light on the challenges faced in managing water resources in the region.
Genres:
Topics:
Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include discussions of political corruption, environmental degradation, and historical injustices faced by Indigenous populations.
From The Publisher:
"The definitive work on the West's water crisis." -Newsweek
The story of the American West is the story of a relentless quest for a precious resource: water. It is a tale of rivers diverted and dammed, of political corruption and intrigue, of billion-dollar battles over water rights, of ecological and economic disaster. In his landmark book, Cadillac Desert, Marc Reisner writes of the earliest settlers, lured by the promise of paradise, and of the ruthless tactics employed by Los Angeles politicians and business interests to ensure the city's growth. He documents the bitter rivalry between two government giants, the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in the competition to transform the West. Based on more than a decade of research, Cadillac Desert is a stunning expose and a dramatic, intriguing history of the creation of an Eden-an Eden that may only be a mirage.
Ratings (2)
Incredible (1) | |
Loved It (1) |
Reader Stats (6):
Read It (2) | |
Want To Read (3) | |
Not Interested (1) |
What can you read after
Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water?
About the Author:
Marc Reisner worked for many years at the Natural Resources Defense Council. In 1979, he received an Alicia J. Patterson Journalism Fellowship and began the research for Cadillac Desert, which was a National Book Critics Circle Award nominee, the subject…
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.
