Wagner (anthropology, U. British Columbia, Okanagan, Canada) offers this ethnography of the role of water in societal structuring, cultural imagination, and international politics. After its introduction the book dives immediately into the issue of commodification, discussing mining controversies in South America and dam projects causing shortages in Australia and India. The relationship of water to technology, to gender, cultural identity, and urbanization are discussed, with the last several chapters covering water governance and implementation of theories of water rights. Overall the book draws on issues and experiences from regions across the globe to give a multifaceted view of the importance and influence of water on social and economic life. Annotation ©2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)