Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water
Score Classic
What it's about
Marc Reisner tells how the American West was built on water it didn't have: a century of dams, aqueducts and reclamation projects, the politics and money behind them, and the rivers drained to make cities and farms bloom in the desert. It's a story of visionaries, bureaucrats and land barons, from Los Angeles' theft of the Owens Valley to the giant federal dams.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Modern Library's list of the best nonfiction ever written and was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. Decades on, as the West faces drought, it reads as prophecy.
You'll love it if you liked
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York, The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History or The Worst Hard Time
Good to know
It's long and detailed, but full of colorful characters and anger. The updated edition carries the story forward.
Quick answers
Is Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Modern Library's list of the best nonfiction ever written and was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. It ranks #169 of the 2,819 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 84.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water about?
Marc Reisner tells how the American West was built on water it didn't have: a century of dams, aqueducts and reclamation projects, the politics and money behind them, and the rivers drained to make cities and farms bloom in the desert. It's a story of visionaries, bureaucrats and land barons, from Los Angeles' theft of the Owens Valley to the giant federal dams.
How long does it take to read Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water?
About 15 hours (582 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water?
If you liked it, try The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert Caro, The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert or The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan.
By the numbers
- Readers98 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics69 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller8 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
NBCC Award (Nonfiction) finalist (1986). On the Modern Library 100 Best Nonfiction list.
Where it ranks
- #28 of the 198 history books we rank
- #48 of the 763 classics we rank
- #169 of the 2,819 books we rank
Shortlisted
- NBCC Award (Nonfiction) finalist (1986)
On the lists
- Modern Library 100 Best Nonfiction
Reads as
True story
If you like this, read next
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York
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A Brief History of Time
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Cosmos