As many of you know, I am a firm believer in serendipity. It struck again last night.
Last night, after returning from my third consecutive Baltimore Orioles - Minnesota Twins game I checked my email to find a long, newsy missive from Steven Solomon, author of Water: The Epic Struggle for Wealth, Power and Civilization. Steve lives in DC and asked me when I would next be in town so we could sit down and 'talk water' for a while. Little did he realize that I was just 40 miles up I-95 from him and would be returning to the DC area early today. We spoke this morning and arranged to meet at the National Press Club at 1:30 PM.
Steve shared the exciting news that his book was one of the nominees for the LosBook Prize Angeles Times' in the history category. The winners will be announced on 29 April 2011 [here is my review].
He has also been quite busy speaking, and will address the upcoming UCOWR/NIWR Annual Conference in Boulder, CO. I hope to catch him there.
He had recently visited mutual friend and journalist extraordinaire Emily Green at her new place in Altadena, CA, and waxed enthusiastic about her home-grown tangerines.
So what did we chat about? As my mother used to say, "Of shoes, and ships, and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings. And why the sea is boiling hot. And whether pigs have wings." In short, all things water:
Water books, water writers, water wonks, our mutual admiration for Erik Webb (one of the best thinkers on USA water issues), the water-energy-food nexus, Pat Mulroy (we both think she's a remarkable talent), DZ's impending book (we are both awaiting it), economics, growing corn for ethanol, water pricing, cheap ag water and how it keeps our food prices down, international aspects of water, the High Plains (Ogallala) aquifer, Katrina, New Orleans, Memphis' musical heritage, national water vision, AWRA, and so on....Quite a stimulating 2.5 hours.
Even the DC rush hour cooperated!
Two water authors in two days - a rare treat for me. Not only are Jamie Workman and Steve Solomon bright, enjoyable people, but they also provide fresh perspectives on water that I value. I sometimes worry that I keep talking to the same 'water wonky' people and don't get exposed to enough different views. I find it too easy to miss the forest for the trees, or as I said to Steve, not seeing the new growth in the forest.
Wonder what tomorrow holds? Cabbages and kings?
"We [USA] are four percent of the world's population but use 45 percent of its oil." -- T. Boone Pickens, National Press Club, 19 April 2011
Ok Michael -- we need to fix this problem. I've met Jamie and Steve and you have too. What about US!?!
(I may not be able to make it to ABQ in Nov :(
The End of Abundance is coming! End-May :)
Posted by: David Zetland | Tuesday, 26 April 2011 at 04:02 AM
S. Solomon's news is wonderful, both for water and his book. But don't overlook another remarkable finalist for the LA Times Book Prize - Geologist Rick Bass in the Fiction category.
Posted by: Rainbow Water Coalition | Thursday, 21 April 2011 at 09:44 PM