This illustrated book is a celebration of water and its many roles in the human and natural world. It is also an exploration of one of the most temperamental and powerful substances on earth, and of the extraordinary pressures today's freshwater resources are under. The images range from natural wonders - oceans, mighty rivers and snow-capped mountains - to everyday scenes of people interacting with water - filling buckets, boiling noodles, and jumping streams.
Maggie Black's text is both lyrical and informative, drawing on literary, historical, and folkloric sources, as well as up-to-the-moment material on the impact of big dams and privatization battles, plus droplets of facts. With around 100 full-color photographs, this book is a window on the world of water.