The southwestern portion of the United States has always been attractive and seductive: beautiful, even in its parched nature, and yet seemingly full of opportunity and promise with its natural resources. And the southwest can provide a lot of lessons in terms of the future with climate change.

Thus Kyle Paoletta, born in Albuquerque but now living in the northeast, wrote a history and love letter to the area of his origins and researched how it could provide a way forward for the country in American Oasis: Finding the Future in the Cities of the Southwest.

The author began by considering the origins of the cities of the Southwest: the Indigenous and Spanish origins of Albuquerque, Tucson, and El Paso, and the very much more Anglo origins of Phoenix and Las Vegas. He considered the unique stories of each: their relations to the land, to Mexico, the reasons for their creation, and how they prospered. He related stories of the people with whom he spoke as representative of what it meant to grow up and/or live in these cities. But he also considers well the challenges with expansion and growth and how they are being managed: what Phoenix and Las Vegas are doing about water use, the role of architecture and style, and of course what seems like the never-ending sprawl of many of these cities.

The author writes in very compelling and engaging ways. These stories will help you come to a better appreciation and understanding for how the cities of the southwest came to be, and how they might presage the challenges many other cities will encounter in the coming years.

I didn't really understand this book. It was very confusing and long-winded. I really wanted to like this because I love reading nonfiction. Unfortunately, this book was not me.

I very enjoyable and informative read! As a New Englander, it served as a great mini-class-in-a-book on the opposite end of the US - and in particular, I loved everything I was able to learn about the various Native nations who first settled this corner of the country.