► Description: |
From a MacArthur "Genius," a bold new
perspective on the history of Asia,
highlighting the long quest to tame its
waters
Asia's history has been shaped by her
waters. InUnruly Waters, historian Sunil
Amrith reimagines Asia's history through
the stories of its rains, rivers, coasts,
and seas--and of the weather-watchers and
engineers, mapmakers and farmers who have
sought to control them. Looking out from
India, he shows how dreams and fears of
water shaped visions of political
independence and economic development,
provoked efforts to reshape nature through
dams and pumps, and unleashed powerful
tensions within and between nations.
Today, Asian nations are racing to
construct hundreds of dams in the
Himalayas, with dire environmental
impacts; hundreds of millions crowd into
coastal cities threatened by cyclones and
storm surges. In an age of climate
change,Unruly Watersis essential reading
for anyone seeking to understand Asia's
past and its future.
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