Seeing Things Whole: The Essential John Wesley Powell

John Wesley Powell was a voice of reason in the settlement of the West. He is listed as a conservationist, although he was more of an administrator and planner than a conservationist. He advocated for the conservation of water supplies in the West because it would result in more equitable and balanced allocation of resources. Seeing Things Whole is an anthology of Powell's writings. Many of these writings are still very relevant today with the demands on the West's natural resources. However, as with most non-fictional anthologies, there tends to be a lot of duplication. As long as the reader is aware of this, it is not a problem. Editor William deBuys does a wonderful job of introducing the different sections and placing them in context. His footnotes are useful and enlightening throughout the book. Powell was very much a product of his times. His optimism was typical of the social reform movements of the nineteenth century. Much of this sounds a bit dated today, especially his philosophical essays that wrap up the book. I have a feeling that Mr. deBuys purged parts of the essays through judicious editing, so that this datedness does not become too burdensome. But it is still very much present in the writing. I recommend this book as a landmark in the settlement of the West. It is not without problems, but it is still very interesting within its historical context.