Episode May 25, 2026 2 hr 20 min

The American Southwest

From Myth of the 20th Century Myth of the 20th Century - "Only the truth is banned."

From the towering red cliffs to the scorching deserts of the American Southwest, people have always lived by the natural beauty of the landscape - and died by the scarcity of resources and the violence incumbent on the populations that have passed through. After the Pleistocene glaciation carved much of the dramatic rock faces and left verdant streams, agricultural civilizations rose and gave way to more nomadic and violent ones as the waters receded and the deserts we know today took hold. Only until recently, however, has the Sunbelt as its economic promoters like to call it seen significant population growth, enabled by vast public waterworks and electrification have allowed desert oases like Phoenix to arise with their year round golf courses and clubhouse air conditioning. Historically, very few people were able to call the desert home, which became infamous for attracting those looking to start over, or just simply disappear. Today we are joined by Thomas Wayne Riley, resident and host of ‘The American Southwest’ podcast to talk about the region’s history and what the future may bring.

-- Brought to you by --

Very special guest Thomas Wayne Riley

@ThomasWayneRil1

https://www.theamericansouthwest.com/

with Adam Smith

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-- References --

- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Leone (1966)

- The Mission, Joffe (1986)

- Cadillac Desert, Reisner (1986)

- Casino, Scorsese (1995)

- Man Corn - Cannibalism and Violence in the Prehistoric American Southwest, Turner (1999)

- Apocalypto, Gibson (2006)

- Breaking Bad, Gilligan (2008)

- Cadillac Desert - The American West and Its Disappearing Water, Myth of the 20th Century (2022) - https://myth20c.wordpress.com/2022/08/30/cadillac-desert-the-american-west-and-its-disappearing-water/

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