Fountaindale Public Library

The dreamt land, chasing water and dust across California, Mark Arax

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

illustrationsmaps

index present

non fiction

The dreamt land

bibliography

1049822859

Mark Arax

chasing water and dust across California

"A vivid, searching journey into California's complicated relationship to its water, from the Gold Rush to today : an epic story of the struggle to overcome the constraints of nature. Mark Arax is from a family of Central Valley farmers, a writer with deep ties to the land, who has watched as the battles over water have intensified even as the state lurches from drought to flood and back again. In The Dreamt Land he travels the state to explore the century-old water distribution system that is straining to keep up with California's relentless growth. This is a heartfelt, beautifully written book about land and the people who work on it, from the gold miners to the ranchers to the small farmers and today's big ag. Since the beginning, Californians have redirected rivers, drilled ever-deeper wells, and pushed the water supplies past their limits. The Dreamt Land brings to life the enterprising figures who have made a fortune off the land, and used that wealth to increase their leverage, as well as the people who have been left behind. It's a story of politics and hubris, but above all it's about the unceasing human ability to make things happen, and to endure in a hostile environment."--Publisher information

Apricot's lesson -- Agrarian revolt -- Singed -- Sinking -- Upon dry land -- Staking Eden -- Eureka -- Tailings -- Mining soil -- Poor Henry -- Fruiting the plain -- Steal us a river -- Moving the rain -- Kingdom of wonderful -- The candy man -- Citrus hills -- Raisinland -- The whale -- Poisoned pond -- 960-Acre babies -- Holy water

adult