The Wild River and the Great Dam : The Construction of Hoover Dam and the Vanishing Colorado River

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Weaving together elements of engineering, geography, and political and socioeconomic history, and drawing heavily from unpublished oral histories taken from dam workers and their families, Simon Boughton’s thoughtful and compelling debut-featuring historical photographs throughout-follows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. ? “In this detailed and informative work, Boughton chronicles the construction of the Hoover Dam via compellingly comprehensive text.” -Publishers Weekly, starred review ? “This well-written narrative is bound to become the authority on this modern American marvel.” -Booklist, starred review