Left in the Dust: How Race and Politics Created a Human and Environmental Tragedy in L.A.

by Karen Piper

An intensely personal story crossed with a political potboiler, Left in the Dust is a unique and passionate account of the city of Los Angeles's creation, cover-up and inadequate attempts to repair a major environmental catastrophe. Owens River, which once fed Owens Lake, was diverted away from the lake to supply the faucets and sprinklers of Los Angeles. The dry lakebed now contains a dust saturated with toxic heavy metals, which are blown from the lake and inhaled by unsuspecting citizens throughout the Midwest, causing major health issues. Karen Piper, one of the victims who grew up breathing that dust, reveals the shocking truth behind this tragedy and examines how waste and pollution are often neglected to encourage urban growth, while poor, non-white, and rural areas are forgotten or sacrificed.

Genres: Environment

240 pages, Hardcover

First published July 25, 2006

Reviews

[Bryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tells the story of the taking of water from the Owens Valley by Los Angeles from the perspectives of everyone from the Native Paiutes and Shoshone to the farmers and other people living in the Owens Valley when the Los Angeles Aqueduct was constructed. Although arguably legal, many of the tactics used to obtain the water rights to the majority of Owens Valley were extremely unethical, and it is hard not to see that Los Angeles Water and Power didn't swindle the people of the Owens Valley.

Although the title focuses on the extreme dust problem caused by the drying up of Owens Lake, the story covers a lot more than that. In so many ways it shows how the hubris associated with the development of modern cities like Los Angeles can so often lead to environmental disaster and the development of racial inequities.

[Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

Purely subjective, socialist silliness that has no bearing in reality.

[Camille · Rating 3 out of 5]

My husband grew up in Owens Valley and was strongly influenced by the environmental disaster caused by human greed, misuse and mismanagement that was and still is occurring there. So, when I visited Owens Valley last year, I bought this book to better understand what is happening there.

I was especially motivated after a personal experience while there; my husband and I looked for a spot to fish and didn't realize we were in a fish hatchery. To our surprise and alarm, a full-fledged military vehicle with several military personnel drove up to us and told us in no uncertain terms to get off the premises. There was no doubt in my mind they were armed and serious about enforcing what they were saying. I grew up in Minnesota and have stumbled on to fish hatchery land before and was met by one unassuming official, but this experience was so extreme I suddenly felt like I was in a war zone. Ultimately, I realize now, that is what Owens Valley IS.

This book is well-researched and informative. It explains the history of the land, the people and clearly identifies the DWP's legacy of abuse of power that until only recently has continued. Kudos to DWP for abandoning that legacy and attempting to resolve some of the serious environmental issues there. Kudos to the Owens Valley residents who pursued their rights for almost a century.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a great book that covers the owens valley water saga from a localized perspective and is pleasantly simple in it's content. typically, these books discuss agencies, etc from a distance, while this book tends to talk more about local organizing groups. the epilogue is also a nice note to end the book. it makes some salient statements for future pondering. it can also be appreciated that this book covers a more recent history than others that i have read that discuss the issues surrounding the los angeles aqueduct.