The authors treat us to an almost seamless marriage of history and archaeology, supported by a 'bottom up' approach and a public history sensibility. The result is a very readable account of the daily life of the transient wage workers who built the temporary construction towns and the enduring water management systems.
—Journal of Arizona History
It is a thoughtful analysis of people of divergent backgrounds who came together for the purpose of making a living, an analysis of the towns they built and the lives they led. This most readable book is handsomely packaged . . . chock-full of fascinating historical photographs.
—Tombstone Epitaph
An excellent overview.
—Journal of the West
Social history of the working class is a difficult task. The combination of archaeological evidence with the historical record has given us this superb example of 'bottom-up history.'
—The Public Historian
It offers a convincing, well-written demonstration that transitory communities of wage-earning laborers have long played a significant role in Western history. As such,
Raising Arizona's Dams deserves both popular and scholarly attention.
—Technology and Culture
