The Control of Nature by John McPhee

John McPhee is one of the most original and masterful writers of our time. His works have earned him international recognition for their insightfulness, humor and great storytelling. One of his most acclaimed works, The Control of Nature, is a collection of three books that examine how man attempts to control nature in three very different and unique settings.

The first book in the trilogy, Los Angeles Against the Mountains, looks at how man has changed the landscape of Los Angeles over the decades. McPhee visits the city in several different eras, examines the processes used to reshape the area, and offers insight into the decades of fighting between those who want to control nature and those who wish to preserve it. He also includes anecdotes that make the human element of this drama come alive.

The second book, Assembling California, takes the reader along the rocky Pacific Coastline, as McPhee looks at how the construction of the great highways have changed the face of California. The range of topics he covers is vast, from landslides to power plants- from earthquakes to agricultural runoff. McPhee offers a dazzling array of facts, figures, and stories as he discusses the mix of progress and disaster that construction brings.

The final book, The Control ofNature, focuses on two rather extreme cases of human attempts to control nature, both involving the Mississippi River. McPhee first looks at the climate engineering of the Corps of Engineers, showing how it has changed the land over decades and centuries. He then turns to the North American Water and Power Alliance, a massive project to divert waters from the Great Lakes to the modern day Southwest. McPhee takes a balanced approach as he examines the abilities and limits of mankind in this struggle against nature.

The Control of Nature is a unique and eye-opening work that has won multiple awards. McPhee’s knack for detail and lucid writing make it an excellent choice for anyone interested in ecology, human engineering, or finely wrought nonfiction. All three books, Los Angeles Against the Mountains, Assembling California, and The Control of Nature, stand on their own, but together they create an engrossing and essential portrait of our constant attempts to control nature.