Overview

Between extremes of climate farther north and south, the 38th North parallel line marks a temperate, middle latitude where human societies have thrived since the beginning of civilization. It divides North and South Korea, passes through Athens and San Francisco, and bisects Mono Lake in the eastern Sierra Nevada, where authors David and Janet Carle make their home. Former park rangers, the authors set out on an around-the-world journey in search of water-related environmental and cultural intersections along the 38th parallel. This book is a chronicle of their adventures as they meet people confronting challenges in water supply, pollution, wetlands loss, and habitat protection. At the heart of the narrative are the riveting stories of the passionate individuals-scientists, educators, and local activists-who are struggling to preserve some of the world's most amazing, yet threatened, landscapes.Traveling largely outside of cities, away from well-beaten tourist tracks, the authors cross Japan, Korea, China, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Greece, Sicily, Spain, Portugal, the Azores Islands, and the United States-from Chesapeake Bay to San Francisco Bay. The stories they gather provide stark contrasts as well as reaffirming similarities across diverse cultures. Illustrated with photos from the authors' travels, Traveling the 38th Parallel documents devastating environmental losses but also inspiring gains made through the efforts of dedicated individuals working against the odds to protect these fragile places. This paperback edition includes 64 color images, nearly doubling the number that appeared in the hardcover edition. WINNER in Travel category of 2020 International Book Awards.

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9781087874807

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Reviews of hard-cover edition: David and janet Carle's journey alaong the 38th parallel turned into something quite different--an exploration of diverse global environments, of exploitation, and of heroic efforts at renewal with long-term planning for recovery. This is a treasure of a book that provides both hope and food for thought. Everyone who cares about the future of our environment should read this remarkable volume. Brian Fagan, author of Elixer: A History of Humans and Water A lucid, well-written book that moves the reader from the salty shores of Mono Lake to the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea with equal ease. It reads more like an adventure novel than a non-fiction travel book. Wendilyn Grasseschi, Mammoth Times Explores the faultlines of water shortage, pollution and environment and the human stories that emerge out of them. An ode to fragile places and the people trying to rescue them. Rafat Ali, Skift The [authors'] stories are inspiring, sometimes heartbreaking, and should whet the appetite for more information about the history and environment of the areas. . . . Recommended. R. C. Hedreen, CHOICE

Author Information

DAVID CARLE grew up in Orange County, California, received his bachelors degree at UC Davis in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology and a masters degree from CSU Sacramento in Recreation and Parks Administration. He was a ranger in California State Parks for 27 years; including the Mendocino Coast, Hearst Castle, the Auburn State Recreation Area (in the gold country of the Sierra foothills), and the State Indian Museum in Sacramento. From 1982 through 2000, at the Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve, he shared the unit ranger position with his wife, participating in the long effort to protect that Eastern Sierra inland sea from the effects of stream diversions to Los Angeles. He taught biology and natural history courses for several years in the 1990s at Cerro Coso Community College in Mammoth Lakes. JANET CARLE grew up in Alameda, California. She holds a bachelors degree in Environmental Planning & Management from UC Davis, and a masters degree in Recreation and Parks Administration from CSU Sacramento.

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