Westlands : A Water Story by Randi Lynn Beach with introduction by Thomas Holyoke and essay by Yiyun Li. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, 2017. Large format, lavishly illustrated 113 page stated first edition hardcover with no interior markings or other glaring flaws.
Showcasing California's Central Valley, Westlands uses documentary photography to examine the danger drought and water policies represent to farming. The valley has been a productive food-growing region for decades, but water shortages and complicated laws have placed the region's farms--and subsequently its communities and culture--in precarious conditions. Moving beyond simplified narratives of environmentalist versus farmer or government versus worker, Westlands reveals the complex story of fragile ecosystems, a growing population, and the need for social responsibility and sustainable solutions. The lessons suggested in these breathtaking photographs apply not just to California but to worldwide conversations about water usage and rights.
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