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Beschreibung

Discover the fascinating history behind the construction of Hoover Dam-and its lasting political and environmental effects on the Colorado River and the American west-in this propulsive nonfiction exploration of one of the country's most recognizable and far-reaching landmarks.

At the time of its completion in 1936, Hoover Dam was the biggest dam in the world and the largest feat of architecture and engineering in the country-a statement of national ambition and technical achievement. It turned the wild Colorado River into a tame and securely managed water source, transforming millions of acres of desert into farmland while also providing water and power to the fast-growing population of the Southwest. The concrete monolith quickly became a symbol of American ingenuity; however, its history is laden with contradiction. It provided work for thousands, but it was a dangerous project that exploited desperate workers during the Depression. It helped secure the settlement and economies of the Southwest, but at the expense of Indigenous peoples and the environment; and it created a dependency on the Colorado River's water, which is under threat from overuse and climate change. Weaving together elements of engineering, geography, and political and socioeconomic history, and drawing heavily from unpublished oral histories taken from dam workers and their families, Simon Boughton's thoughtful and propulsive debut-featuring historical photographs throughout-follows the construction and impact of Hoover Dam, and how its promise of abundance ultimately created a river in crisis today.

Discover the fascinating history behind the construction of Hoover Dam-and its lasting political and environmental effects on the Colorado River and the American west-in this propulsive nonfiction exploration of one of the country's most recognizable and far-reaching landmarks.

At the time of its completion in 1936, Hoover Dam was the biggest dam in the world and the largest feat of architecture and engineering in the country-a statement of national ambition and technical achievement. It turned the wild Colorado River into a tame and securely managed water source, transforming millions of acres of desert into farmland while also providing water and power to the fast-growing population of the Southwest. The concrete monolith quickly became a symbol of American ingenuity; however, its history is laden with contradiction. It provided work for thousands, but it was a dangerous project that exploited desperate workers during the Depression. It helped secure the settlement and economies of the Southwest, but at the expense of Indigenous peoples and the environment; and it created a dependency on the Colorado River's water, which is under threat from overuse and climate change. Weaving together elements of engineering, geography, and political and socioeconomic history, and drawing heavily from unpublished oral histories taken from dam workers and their families, Simon Boughton's thoughtful and propulsive debut-featuring historical photographs throughout-follows the construction and impact of Hoover Dam, and how its promise of abundance ultimately created a river in crisis today.

Über den Autor
Simon Boughton
Details
Empfohlen (bis): 14
Empfohlen (von): 9
Erscheinungsjahr: 2024
Genre: Importe
Produktart: Sachliteratur
Rubrik: Kinder & Jugend
Thema: Geschichte & Politik
Medium: Buch
ISBN-13: 9780316380744
ISBN-10: 0316380741
Sprache: Englisch
Einband: Gebunden
Autor: Boughton, Simon
Hersteller: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Verantwortliche Person für die EU: Libri GmbH, Europaallee 1, D-36244 Bad Hersfeld, gpsr@libri.de
Maße: 233 x 180 x 23 mm
Von/Mit: Simon Boughton
Erscheinungsdatum: 12.03.2024
Gewicht: 0,56 kg
Artikel-ID: 131554523

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