Dripping Dry: Literature, Politics and Water in the Desert Southwest (Studies in Literature and Science)

Cassuto, David Nathan

ISBN 10: 0472067567 / ISBN 13: 9780472067565

Edité par University of Michigan Press, 2001

A propos de cet article

Explores the convergences of U.S. water policy and the literature of the American West Series: Studies in Literature & Science. Num Pages: 224 pages, Illustrations. BIC Classification: 1KBBW; 2ABM; 3JJ; DSB; RN. Category: (P) Professional & Vocational. Dimension: 229 x 152 x 18. Weight in Grams: 367. . 2001. Paperback. . . . .

N° de réf. du vendeur V9780472067565

Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: Dripping Dry: Literature, Politics and Water in the Desert Southwest (Studies in Literature and Science)
• Éditeur: University of Michigan Press
• Date de parution: 2001
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN à 10 chiffres: 0472067567
• ISBN à 13 chiffres: 9780472067565
• Reliure: Couverture souple
• État de l'article: New

A propos de ce titre

Synopsis

More than any other single characteristic, aridity defines the American West. Water scarcity and its biologically critical function have also molded the regional literature of the region. Using novels by Barbara Kingsolver, Edward Abbey, John Steinbeck and Mary Austin, Dripping Dry combines literary analysis with environmental criticism to demonstrate how the myths that have pervaded the regional literature of the West have interacted with the myths that have shaped water policy throughout the twentieth century.
The four works selected (Animal Dreams, The Monkey Wrench Gang, The Grapes of Wrath, and The Ford) present a composite portrait of reclamation, which the author argues is one of the most important cultural and ecological phenomena in the nation's history. The tensions and contradictions presented by the novels underscore the compelling need for an ecocritique of the relationship between literature and politics. David N. Cassuto deciphers the myths of reclamation and restoration and presents a third alternative--sustainability--in their stead. The challenge is a large one, because of the size and complexity of the region and because nature continues to evolve and create itself, a process involving language, ideology, and the land.
The book is designed to be an interdisciplinary contribution both to the emerging field of literature and the environment, as well as to environmental studies. It will be welcomed by scholars as well as general readers interested in new approaches to literature and environmental issues, and by those interested in the geography and literature of the western United States.
David N. Cassuto, formerly of the English Department of the University of Missouri-Rolla, is a practicing attorney in San Francisco, specializing in environmental issues.