ASD Book Club: Properties of Thirst
Lately Harriet and I have been enjoying historical fiction; one of our current favorites is Properties of Thirst by Marianne Wiggins. Being completely transparent, we were both a bit worried about this read. First off it is 515 pages long. And the beginning pages are difficult to navigate. But once we got started, this was a book we both enjoyed. Also being completely honest, half of our book club couldn’t really get into it. But if you like historical fiction and are interested to learn about two important events that impacted both California and the US government, I would encourage you to give this book a try.
As mentioned, Properties of Thirst is historical fiction that focuses on the time period of World War II. The story centers around “Rocky” Rhodes, a California rancher, and his immediate family. Rhodes’ primary goal is to protect his ranch in Owens Valley California from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Herein lies one of the two historical topics covered in the story. I live in California but frankly was unaware of the history of the Los Angeles aqueduct (one of the main supplies of water to Los Angeles) In 1905, work began on the aqueduct to divert water from the Owens Valley to the city of Los Angeles. This water diversion devastated the Owens Valley farming community and ultimately created dry and nearly uninhabitable land. Properties of Thirst explores this event through the eyes of “Rocky” Rhodes thus giving the reader an in depth perspective of this event.
Photo of the Los Angeles aqueduct diverting water from the Owens Valley
The second historical topic covered in the story deals with the Manzanar War Relocation Center which was located in the Owens Valley. Wiggins introduces several characters in the story who live at Manzanar in order to shed light on the life in the internment camp. Opened in 1942 to house Japanese immigrants, it housed 10,000 people for a period of 3 1/2 years. Considered by some to be one of the darkest events in American history, the author exposes the living conditions and personal hardships suffered in the camp.
Photo of Manzanar Internment Camp
Although I have focused on the historical aspect of Properties of Thirst, the story of the Rhodes family and the characters with whom they interact is worth the read. As noted in the goodreads review “National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize finalist Marianne Wiggins returns with a novel destined to be an American classic: a sweeping masterwork set during World War II about the meaning of family and the limitations of the American Dream.”
Photo of author Marianne Wiggins
I believe you will become invested in the life of the Rhodes family. It is a powerful story of the tragedy and triumphs of the family carefully woven into the historical backdrop of the times in which they lived. Properties of Thirst is a New Yorker Best Book of 2022 and a National Bestseller.
I hope you will enjoy this book as much as Harriet and I did. Let us know what you think!
XO
Wendy