River of Steel: A History of Western Australian Goldfields and Agricultural Water Supply 1903 - 2003 by Richard G. Hartley. This 560 page definitive publication uncovers the politics, engineering, humanity and controversy surrounding what was dubbed a scheme of madness. The work provides a view into the lives of workers and their families and details how the scheme was designed with illustrations, photographs and diagrams. In this award winning book, the author argues that a shameful political commission of enquiry resulted in Engineer-in-Chief, CY O’Connor’s death.