Presidio Book Club - "Cadillac Desert: The American West and its Disappearing Water"

The traditional book club has been reimagined as an inclusive public program that anyone can take part in, whether or not they’ve read the book. Enjoy contextualizing remarks by Presidio Trust historian, Dr. Barbara Berglund Sokolov, and then participate in or just listen to the facilitated discussion of both the book and the general topic that follows. Think of this as part book club, part graduate seminar, part Parisian salon.

All titles are available for purchase at the Presidio Visitor Center.


Saturday, November 17, 1 to 3 pmMarc Reisner, with a postscript by Lawrie Mott, Cadillac Desert: The American West and its Disappearing Water (Viking Penguin, revised and updated edition, 1986, 1993 & 2017)


Access to water, the precious resource essential to life, has shaped the American West. Past and present, this story encompasses rivers diverted and dammed, political corruption and intrigue, battles over water rights, competing federal agencies, ecological and economic disasters, and changing environmental values. Learn how the Presidio’s water stories connect with this larger history here and through our water-related walks and programs this fall.




This event is free but due to space constraints registration is required. Please complete the registration process below. Please note that registering does not guarantee admission. Registered guests will be offered priority admission that will be honored until 15 minutes before the start of the event.
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