The Control of Nature

In The Control of Nature published in 1989 (paperback) by John McPhee combines three essays from the New Yorker. Each of the three topics deals with the relationship of man to earth processes. Geologically speaking the processes include in the First Topic fluvial geomorphology and delta mechanics of the Mississippi River. In the Second Topic volcanism and the formation of igneous rocks on an island, Heimaey - off the south coast of Iceland, dominate the discussion. There is also a small section on Hawaii. In the Third Topic the focus is on the slope processes (mass wasting - debris flows) on the rising and eroding San Gabriel Mountains, bounding Los Angeles on the north. Also, in varying degrees, the essays deal with a spectrum of difficulty or success which man has had in confronting Nature. McPhee is an honest reporter, he finds facts, often reporting directly the words of people he has interviewed. He focuses on important crucial information. This work is valuable to both layman and expert. It is not just that he one of the best expository writers to confront geoscience, but that he had the intellect to recognize what is both important and interesting. In each circumstance he exposes the human history context. Along the Mississippi this history goes back at least as far as the War of 1812, and the transition from natural levees to the man-created levees which now dominate and shape the problems with living beside the third largest river system in the world. McPhee also develops the history of the Corp of Engineers with its influential and costly history to present day. Heimaey history, pronounced "hay may" is short, recent history. Beginning in February, 1973, a volcanic eruption in the northern Atlantic begins and threatens the lively hood of a prosperous fishing community. What does man do? This is, perhaps, an economic success case of Man's control of nature. In California the canyons and "foot-of-the-mountain" area of the southern San Gabriel Mountains are subject to a spectacular phenomena called debris flows. Clay, mud, sand, and enormous boulders are carried down slope through canyons in an ugly slurry-like form called debris flows destroying homes and buildings. Today at great expense to the taxpayer (state and national) man runs a complicated, high-cost, high-maintenance program to protect man from this natural geologic process. McPhee's delineation of the history of how we go to this present state of affairs reminds me of the story of the frog in the pot which is brought very slowly to a boil. Would we do it the same way if we had understood the result or geomorphic process. In my paperback version of The Control of Nature there is only one figure on page 226, and a very schematic figure at that. McPhee flouts the dictum that a "picture is worth a thousand words." He is able to write in paragraphs that are truly graphic, taking three-dimensions and making the visual, verbal. The rest of us require diagrams and maps. As I was reading about the conurbation of the Atchafalaya, the Red River, the Mississippi River, the Old River, the old River Control Structure, and the Old River Control Auxiliary, I eventually had to break down, go out on the INTERNET and find some maps. It isn't just that these all have unique locations, but also that the locations evolve and have a history. For some things words alone will not suffice. That is this reviewers opinion. Reviewer Opinion: This is a very important book from a technical geoscience point of view because it successfully integrates human history and geologic process. From a layman point of view it underlines the importance of geologic process to man. In my opinion the Core of Engineers is often given a bad rap for merely doing what we have asked them to do. Our representatives (Congress) not the Corps set the objectives. I recommend this book. The Control of Nature deserves to be read and re-read and will not go out of date.

Great book, love the writers style. Best section (opinion) is on the mountains around LA, which turn into rock slides during the rain. Harrowing stories of the people and houses buried in these events, also how the flood control dams work, the local geology and the effort required to keep it all working. Well researched, a quick read that is hard to put down.

This is a collection of three essays about man’s attempts to control nature. the first chapter is about the lower Mississippi River. The second is about an Icelandic volcano. And the book ends with the San Gabriel mountains around Los Angeles. McPhee writes with intelligence and grace, and has a gift for finding colorful witnesses. However the chapters are not of equal quality. The first in particular suffers from the book’s lack of photos or diagrams, and the written descriptions of flood control measures and their modes of failure sometimes fall short. On balance a fine book that many will enjoy, especially if they have spent time in the places McPhee discusses.

This is among my favorite McPhee books. Not only does he bring his superb skills at description, characterization and narrative flow to these three linked stories; he manages to set out a subtle subtext without ever being explicit. In a lot of ways, humanity's history on this planet is a struggle against nature. McPhee focuses here on three instances of modern struggles against geologic forces. River flooding, and in particular the channel of the lower Mississippi River; volcanism, and in particular lava flows in Iceland and Hawaii; and erosion, and in particular mass-wasting in the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles. The message in each case is that mankind can triumph - or at least cope - in the short term, but in the long term, the natural forces will prevail. The Mississippi River will change its channel, despite the sometimes arrogant, sometimes defensive efforts of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Lava flows will eventually overwhelm Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland. The naive and credulous Angelenos who build their homes in the steep valleys of the San Gabriels, despite the mudflow management efforts of the County, are eventually doomed. Nature bats last. The rabbit runs for his life; the coyote runs for his supper. The Corps has to succeed each time; the Mississippi only has to succeed once. McPhee is far too good a writer to ever come out and say this. Instead, he reports what he has seen and what he has been told and lets his narrative convey his points. That reporting is simply brilliant. As I have argued in other reviews, McPhee is America's greatest living expository writer. This is one of his best books. Highly recommended.

Truly one of the most amazing books I have ever read. I spent two years in northern Saudi Arabia as an engineer for the US Army Corps of Engineers, working on an eight-billion-dollar military construction project. I had met several Corps employees on that project who had worked in the legendary Vicksburg District. However, I did not comprehend the project's incredible audacity or scale at the time. It's an organization that is even more incredible than I remembered and one that is challenged to contain the mighty Mississippi in its present riverbed. The third story, about the phenomenal and periodic disintegration and simultaneous uprising of the mountains around Los Angeles, was equally fascinating. Chaparral areas drive multi-decadal fires every few decades, which explains the phenomenon. The fires induce germination and also result in massive runoff from storms that cause runaway debris flows that pulverize houses in the area. Newcomers learn of the problem when their cars and homes slide down mountains. Had these stories been nonfiction, they'd have been dismissed as too fantastic to believe. Reality is genuinely more incredible than most of us can imagine. A tribute to courage and a must read!

I learned a lot. 1. In his first story the Atchafalaya river wants to me the new Mississippi and that will cut off New Orleans from the river. The Army Corp of Engineers has been doing all it can for more than half a century but the problem is just getting bigger. 2. His second story is about Iceland fighting lava flows, also very interesting. 3. His final story is about the fight to control mud and rockslides around LA. All were good subjects for examination however, his writing style jumps around a bit and in some cases it's obvious he didn't have enough material to fill all the pages so he often sidetracked. Overall these are interesting subjects and I learned a lot but his style and lack of depth in investigating some of them made is less than a satisfying read.

One of McPhee’s greatest books; and that’s saying something! An informative and delightful read. Bought this copy for one of my grandchildren. No library should be without it.

John McPhee tells the story of three massive efforts to control nature's power. From the volcanic ash and lava flows in Iceland to the mighty Mississippi to the huge flows of mud, rock and ash into the Los Angeles Basin from the surrounding mountains, man's heroic efforts to live where nature did not intend us to live make a fascinating tale. McPhee's narrative has enough detail to provide the reader with a full appreciation of the forces at play and the perseverance of the men and organizations charged with "controlling" their impact. A great read.