Croutier, Alev Lytle. Taking the Waters. Abbeville
Pr. Oct. 1992 c.132p. ISBN 1-55859-219-9. $35.00
[SOCIAL SCIENCE]
D.H. Lawrence said it well: "Water is H20,
Hydrogen two parts, Oxygen one. But there is also a third thing
that makes it water. And nobody knows what that is."
Croutier attempts to determine just what that is as she takes the
reader on a fascinating journey of the "noble
element," "the source of life, the seminal fluid, the
juice of the earth's womb." The mystery and power of rain,
rivers and floods, the baptismal fount, sacred wells, and springs
are well documented here. Included are some of the world's most
famous spas and baths, including Salsomaggiore in Italy, Bath in
Britain, Evian in France, Fukata in Japan, and Boyes Hot Springs
in California. Often beautiful, always powerful, and at other
times malevolent, water has a place in human history that cannot
be overstated--as Croutier's exquisite illustrations and
thought-provoking text makes clear. Living in rural Hawai'i,
where many inhabitants live off county water and depend on the
island's abundant rainfall to fill water catchment tanks, this
reviewer acknowledges and applauds the author's intent and
vision. Highly recommended.
Kevin M. Roddy, University of Hawai'i at Hilo