Reisner, Marc

Describes the colonization of California, exploring the reasons why so many people have historically chosen to settle in the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas, and discusses the geological instability that undergirds the booming development and why the author believes the stage is set for disaster.

Chronicles the history of the quest for water in the American West, discussing the battles that have been waged in the political, economic, and environmental arenas over water rights; and contends that attempts to turn the desert into a green paradise will, in the long run, prove to be futile.