Book DescriptionA celebration of water and its many roles in the human and natural world. Water, one of the most temperamental and powerful substances on earth, is under extraordinary pressure today. The lyrical and informative writing draws upon literary, historical, and folkloric sources about all aspects of water, from the natural and biologic to the sociological and political implications of water usage and shortage, including current information about dams and privatization battles. Lavishly-illustrated, with 100 full-color photographs, this book is a window on the world of water: oceans, mighty rivers and snow-capped mountains; and everyday scenes of people interacting with water filling buckets, boiling noodles, and jumping streams.