The Last Drop: Solving the World’s Water Crises by Tim Smedley
Genre: Nonfiction
Freelance journalist Tim Smedley takes readers on an engaging journey in his latest book The Last Drop: Solving the World’s Water Crises. The book is wide ranging and traverses both big picture concerns and small-scale solutions. He explores the water challenges we face, through looking at examples from England, South Africa, Singapore, Jordan, Israel, America, and India. The book opens with Smedley’s visit to the Karameh Dam in Jordan which leads to discussions on water insecurity in the Middle East, and it finishes with a conversation with Chloe Whipple, an English thespian who performed a one-woman show on living off 15 litres of water a day.
This book took me by surprise. While the title is upbeat, I was braced to feel gloomy from dire predictions of drought and conflict over water (which - spoiler alert – are explored in detail). But Smedley pivots on these and provides numerous solutions at a number of scales. It was this balance that endeared me to Smedley, in addition to his affable voice. While visiting Nevada he writes: The rust-red Las Vegas hills also reveal themselves with the morning sun, standing testament to the bizarre metropolis that has sprung up beneath them in the blink of a geological eye. I raise my very British morning cup of tea in tribute. To what exactly, I’m not sure, but the scene needed acknowledging somehow. This type of writing gives us an insight into someone who doesn’t claim to have all the answers - but is willing to ask difficult questions and offer some solutions.
We’re discussing The Last Drop at the next nonfiction bookclub meeting on Thursday 2nd November, 5.30pm at The Next Chapter bookstore. All are welcome to join the discussion, regardless of whether you’ve read the book or not. A big thanks to bookclub member Robyn for selecting this title.
Review by Esther.