The Control of Nature
Info
Author
John McPhee
Published
July 18, 2009
Purchase on Amazon.com
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The book is divided into three parts. The first is
about the attempt on the part of the Army Corp of Engineers to control
the meandering of the Mississippi River. The second part is about how
an Icelandic engineer managed to save a harbor by spraying water (a LOT
of water!) on the lava that was spewing from a volcano. Finally, we
have the story of Los Angeles and the people who insist on building
their homes in the path of mudslides. And this is not mud in the usual
sense. This is mud that is made of boulders, automobiles, houses, and
just about anything else that can slide off of a very unstable range of
mountains. This one taught me so much, while keeping me fascinated by
some of the goofy things we try to do. It's WELL worth the time.
