Update: September 12, 2008:

As mentioned previously I try to do some work on this blog each week.

Last week, that didn't really happen due to obligations related to the new job., Apologies.

However, this week, should it not happen, my excuse is that China Water Blog blog time has been spent instead in reading Elizabeth C. Economy's book "The River Runs Black --The Environmental Challenge to China's Future," 2004, Cornell University Press. It's a well-footnoted, well-researched book and I'm finding it both rewarding and interesting, although I am only about a third of the way through. I look forward to reading the rest.

A couple months ago, when I started this I read Mark Elvin's "Retreat of the Elephants --an Environmental History of China." Although I found that book both informative and interesting, as well, I also found it a bit too wide-reaching in scope to contain the sort of details that hold my interest throughout. This may simply be personal preference though and besides Elvin's work provides a reader with context to understand more detailed studies that come later. Both are well worth reading although Economy's book is of more immediate relevance and interest, in my opinion.