Steven Solomon

I wanted to like this book more than I did. Useful information, but presented somewhat dryly (and with the author far too in love with the word "precocious"). Still, if you still have any doubts that the rest of this century will be defined almost entirely by water, this book will dispel them.

As a citizen of a water " have" country (Canada), this is a book which everyone who cares about one of our most under rated natural resources should read. It is a very compelling story of the history of water and civilization. Those societies which were able to tame water for irrigation, or for trade or for agriculture were and are still the most successful. The book chronicles these civilizations through history to the present time and outlines those technologies which made fundamental show more changes to labour or Economics, such as the water wheel, the steam engine, the canal and the river dam. The ugly side of development is also discussed such as the depletion of massive aquifers in California and Asia, the Middle East as well as the mess leftover from poorly engineered massive dam projects. The geopolitics of water is a fascinating aspect of the book and gives one pause to consider where those who have squandered their water resources will end up in 2035. All of us should take better care of this most important natural resource and encourage our municipal governments to truly,manage and value water. I know I won't take my access to water for granted. show less

Water: The Epic Struggle for Wealth, Power and Civilization by Steven Solomon is a rolling account of humanity and our supreme dependence on water. Both ancient and modern society’s success is inextricably linked to water - for sustaining life, industrial advancement and as a medium for promoting trade and commerce.

This is a book that cannot be read in quick time but should be digested in portions to truly absorb the detailed narrative. Considering the vast scope available to the author he show more has done a good job in selecting those key moments in history that exemplify our relationship with water. At times I felt there were some fairly unconvincing assumptions made by this author – particularly in relation to the downfall of certain civilisations and societies where water mismanagement may have only been part of the cause.

Whilst Steven Solomon presents some rather sobering facts on current water use and makes a few predictions of catastrophe, this is balanced by the many positive ideas and concepts now emerging. The growing ‘soft path’ approach which comprises a greater environmental and ecosystem awareness will hopefully steer our ever increasing populations from the path to ruin. show less

I learned a lot from this book, and it has been an important source of inspiration, as I am in the process of making a career in the field of water engineering.

I loved the historical analysis, and particularly the theory of 'hydrological determinism' or how differing hydrological environments can foster different sorts of societies.

The latter parts of the book felt rushed and a touch confused. Nonetheless, much of value was brought to light (for me) regarding present-day water-related struggles.