Inventing Niagara Beauty, Power, and Lies |
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Author:
| Strand, Ginger |
ISBN: | 978-1-4379-7196-5 |
Publication Date: | Jun 2010 |
Publisher: | DIANE Publishing Company
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Book Format: | Hardback |
List Price: | USD $25.00 |
Book Description:
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Americans call Niagara Falls a natural wonder, but the Falls aren¿t very natural anymore. In fact, they are a study in artifice. Water diverted, riverbed reshaped, brink stabilized and landscape redesigned, the Falls are more a monument to man¿s meddling than to nature¿s strength. Combining history, reportage and personal narrative, this book traces Niagara¿s journey from sublime icon to engineering marvel to camp spectacle. Along the way, Strand uncovers the hidden history of...
More DescriptionAmericans call Niagara Falls a natural wonder, but the Falls aren¿t very natural anymore. In fact, they are a study in artifice. Water diverted, riverbed reshaped, brink stabilized and landscape redesigned, the Falls are more a monument to man¿s meddling than to nature¿s strength. Combining history, reportage and personal narrative, this book traces Niagara¿s journey from sublime icon to engineering marvel to camp spectacle. Along the way, Strand uncovers the hidden history of America¿s waterfall. She introduces us to underwater dams, freaks of nature, mythical maidens, and 280,000 radioactive mice buried at Niagara. ¿This book shows us how understanding the cultural history of nature might help us rethink our place in it today.¿ Illustrations.