Imperial (Vollmann book)
 First edition cover | |
| Author | William T. Vollmann |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Literary non-fiction |
| Publisher | Viking Books |
| Publication date | July 2009 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardcover & paperback) |
| Pages | 1344 (first edition) |
| ISBN | 978-0-670-02061-4 |
Imperial is a 2009 study of California's Imperial Valley and Imperial County by American author William T. Vollmann. The 1,344-page work is the product of over a decade's research about the area. The book is divided into thirteen sections and explores the history, economics and geography of the region from 13,000 B.C. to the present day, with a particular focus on the border with Mexico.
Vollmann has called Imperial "my Moby-Dick".[1] The book was a finalist for the 2009 National Book Critics Circle Award for general nonfiction.