Empires in the Sun: The Rise of the New American West

by Peter Booth Wiley, Robert Gottlieb

"From the Colorado River projects that feed Los Angeles's mighty municipal arteries to the massive coal fields that scar Utah's desert plains, Gottlieb and Wiley reveal a stunning, sobering story of nature manipulated for the few, by the few. Over and over, they find dams we don't need and power plants we don't want, built with tax dollars we can't get back." - L.A. Reader An interesting read concerning the growth of Western America. Minor wear to back cover, slight dog-earing on bottom corner, but otherwise the book was never used.

Genres: Politics, History, Environment

332 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Peter Booth Wiley has served as Chairman of the Board of John Wiley & Sons since 2002 and has been a member of the board since 1984. He represents the sixth generation of Wileys to play a leadership role at the company.

Wiley is Chairman of the California Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo’s Library and Technology Advisory Council and serves on the Board of Directors of the University of California Press. He is also the author of many books including Empires in the Sun: The Rise of the New American West, America’s Saints: The Rise of Mormon Power, and Yankees in the Land of the Gods: Commodore Perry and the Opening of Japan. Wiley has lectured extensively on the history and future of publishing, San Francisco history and architecture, and the writing experience.

Wiley received a B.A. in English literature from Williams College and an M.A. in United States history from the University of Wisconsin (Madison).

Reviews

[Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two investigative reporters look at the unique problems in the desert west of Utah, Colorado, California and Arizona. Specific cities (SLC, Denver, Vegas, SF and LA, Phoenix) have their own chapters. The most telling thing about the book is that since it was written things have only gotten worse.