I recently revisited PBS’s 1997 series Cadillac Desert, based on Marc Reisner’s 1986 book of the same name. It’s egregiously enviro-vapid, of course, but there’s plenty of useful facts and data and quotes, too, making it worth binging for history buffs as well as denizens of the American Southwest. (Many of the latter would be surprised to discover that the only reason they live where they live is the massive water infrastructure the federal government built in the region between the 1930s and 1990s.)
Watching the program reminded me that 13 years ago, I reviewed Michael Hiltzik’s book on the building of Hoover Dam. Enjoy!
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It’s 1931 and the federal government has an opportunity for you. It involves backbreaking labor. You’ll work in an indescribably hot and dry place. The lodging, if you’re lucky enough to secure a roof over your head, will be lousy. There will be snakes and scorpions to dodge. Be prepared for foul air and lots of explosions. And if you get sidelined by an injury or illness, hundreds will be thrilled to take your job.
The feds want you to help build Hoover Dam. Michael Hiltzik, business columnist for the Los Angeles Times, tells the story of the men who answered the call in Colossus: Hoover Dam and the Making of the American Century.
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