The Dreamt Land

Chasing Water and Dust Across California

By: Mark Arax

Narrated by: Mark Arax

A vivid, searching journey into California's capture of water and soil—the epic story of a people's defiance of nature and the wonders, and ruin, it has wrought

Mark Arax is from a family of Central Valley farmers, a writer with deep ties to the land who has watched the battles over water intensify even as California lurches from drought to flood and back again. In The Dreamt Land, he travels the state to explore the one-of-a-kind distribution system, built in the 1940s, '50s and '60s, that is straining to keep up with California's relentless growth.

The Dreamt Land weaves reportage, history and memoir to confront the "Golden State" myth in riveting fashion. No other chronicler of the West has so deeply delved into the empires of agriculture that drink so much of the water. The nation's biggest farmers—the nut king, grape king and citrus queen—tell their story here for the first time.

Arax, the native son, is persistent and tough as he treks from desert to delta, mountain to valley. What he finds is hard earned, awe-inspiring, tragic and revelatory. In the end, his compassion for the land becomes an elegy to the dream that created California and now threatens to undo it.

Great story and narration by one of our own

I loved it. I am a fifth generation farmer in the Valley, and while I don't agree with all of his conclusions, Mark understands who we are and he loves the Valley. This is a must read for anyone in California.

Should be mandatory reading for every citizen.

I loved this book. My story is this story. This is our history. This is my country and how it works. If more people want to understand how we got here, this book gives context and historical context. I will recommend it to everyone I know.

Amazing research

loved it. amazing history of California. completely changes my view of the state. bravo. great research.

History of California…

I think this book should be required reading for every high school student in the state.

worth the long read...

This is an enormously ambitious book, insignificant part because the Central Valley is so geographically and culturally complex, and while the themes may be common, the actual stories in each area are so varied. In a lot of ways this book could be seven or eight different smaller books. but having them all put together like this is still worthwhile and rewarding.