The Secret Knowledge of Water : Discovering the Essence of the American… (vuoden 2001 painos)

I just finished a harrowing tale that involved desperate illegal immigrants trying to brave the scorching harsh desert to make it to the promised land of the United States. Images of Mexican refugees left to die of thirst, roasting in the arid desert played through my mind as I read Craig Childs's Secret Knowledge of Water. Childs willingly and eagerly traverses this seemingly barren landscape; bringing his readers through ravines and canyons; vast wastelands that look like the epitome of nothingness. But, pay attention to Childs's lyrical language and a new desert starts to form before our eyes. Dripping caverns create pools of water rich with organisms.
There is an egotistical slant to my interest in a subject or rather, my attention to reading about it. Secret Knowledge of Water was interesting enough but it became more fascinating when Child talked of specific areas I plan to visit in May. ( )

Some fascinating stuff on water where you least expect it, but the last part about floods seemed repetitive, there being only so many ways to describe torrents of water destroying everything in their path. His passion for desert places inhabits every sentence and I'm not sure anyone writes about them with a better balance of science and adventure. ( )

Damn, this is such a good book. I am so sorry that I didn't review it at the time that I first read it, waaay back in 2008. I mean, it's amazing how often I think about this book. Certainly whenever I read about the desert or watch or show which features people searching for water.

Water in the desert is not what you think. You don't seek at the bottom of the canyons. Worth a read. In fact, it's worth a re-read. ( )

The author looks at the issue of water in the desert. Most of the book is a personal story, detailing his own relationships with water and the arid American southwest. An easy, pleasurable read. ( )

A book chosen by our book club proved to provide much information and a lively discussion. Craig Childs takes you on his adventures to find water in the southwest deserts. Under rocks and sand, the Grand Canyon, tanks in the rocks and even water that surfaces at night.

This book is very readable and contains plants, animals, and insects all of whom must find the water to live. It also raises your awareness of how valuable water is.

Recommended for high school biology students as well as anyone wanting more knowledge of water. ( )