Earth Sciences, Geography & Environment Books

Book SynopsisAn accessible synthesis of the prescient best seller exploring seventeenth-century catastrophe and the impact of climate change

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Book SynopsisThe importance of the oceans to life on Earth cannot be overstated. Liquid water covers more than 70% of our planet''s surface and, in past geological time, has spread over 85%. Life on Earth began in the oceans over 3.5 billion years ago and remained there for the great majority of that time. Today the seas still provide 99% of habitable living space, the largest repository of biomass, and holds the greatest number of undiscovered species on the planet. Our oceans are vital for the regulation of climate, and with global warming and decreasing land area, they have become increasingly important as the source of food, energy in the form of oil and gas, and for their mineral wealth. Oceans also form a key part of the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and other elements critical to life. Nutrients in upwelling areas are spread by ocean currents, and the plankton of the seas supports a wealth of wildlife. In this Very Short Introduction Dorrik Stow analyses these most important components of our blue planet and considers their relationship with, and exploitation by, humans. He shows how the oceans are an essential resource to our overpopulated world, and discusses why exploration and greater scientific understanding of the oceans, their chemistry, and their mineral wealth are now a high priority. Stow also explores what we know of how oceans originate, and evolve and change; the shape of the seafloor and nature of its cover; the physical processes that stir the waters and mix such a rich chemical broth; and the inseparable link between oceans and climate. As polar ice melts and sea-levels rise, countless millions who have made their homes on low-lying lands close to the sea are threatened. As scientific exploration of the seas gathers pace, the new knowledge gained of the ocean-Earth systems and their interaction with the human environment is vital to our understanding of how we can preserve these ultimately fragile environments.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewThe text is clean and clear. Most of the precise, technical words that decorate geological literature have been replaced by simpler words or phrases. Importantly, this makes the book available to a far wider audience ... This book needs promoting and updating annually. * David Edwards, Geoscientist *Dorrik Stow's book is a keenly observed narrative about the beauty and complexity of Earth's oceans. This slim volume with its elegant prose is a must read for anyone who wishes to understand why oceans are central to the flourishing of humans as well as the planet itself. * Professor Paul Pinet, Colgate University a *Table of ContentsREFERENCES; FURTHER READING; INDEX

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Book SynopsisBuilding resilience,the ability to bounce back more quickly and effectively,is an urgent social and economic issue. Our interconnected world is susceptible to sudden and dramatic shocks and stresses: a cyber-attack, a new strain of virus, a structural failure, a violent storm, a civil disturbance, an economic blow. Through an astonishing range of stories, Judith Rodin shows how people, organizations, businesses, communities, and cities have developed resilience in the face of otherwise catastrophic challenges: Medellin, Colombia, was once the drug and murder capital of South America. Now it's host to international conferences and an emerging vacation destination. Tulsa, Oklahoma, cracked the code of rapid urban development in a floodplain. Airbnb, Toyota, Ikea, Coca-Cola, and other companies have realized the value of reducing vulnerabilities and potential threats to customers, employees, and their bottom line. In the Mau Forest of Kenya, bottom-up solutions are critical for dealing with climate change, environmental degradation, and displacement of locals. Following Superstorm Sandy, the Rockaway Surf Club in New York played a vital role in distributing emergency supplies. As we grow more adept at managing disruption and more skilled at resilience-building, Rodin reveals how we are able to create and take advantage of new economic and social opportunities that offer us the capacity to recover after catastrophes and grow strong in times of relative calm.Trade Review"You have to read only one book: The Resilience Dividend by Judith Rodin...The book provides a tour de force of why and how resilience matters in different countries, industries and settings...Rodin's book will prove to be essential reading to leaders across sectors that are addressing the complexity of challenges facing humanity...The Resilience Dividend should be compulsory reading in the social investment community." --Alliance Magazine "An inspiring book about preparing for major disruptions...Using an astonishing array of real-life situations, Rodin illustrates how individuals, organizations, businesses and communities can develop resilience after suffering catastrophic challenges."--The Missourian "An inspiring and optimistic look at what humankind can do to respond to what appear insurmountable challenges"--Library Journal "Rockefeller Foundation president Rodin writes in an expert and straightforward manner about the character trait of resilience, addressed here in socioeconomic terms and on nothing less than a global scale... While every author may hope to end a book with an indelible sentence, Rodin proves herself one of the select few who can pull this off." --Publishers Weekly "Humanity has long celebrated those able to avoid, overcome or bounce back from adversity. And, in an increasingly interdependent and volatile world, resilience has never been more valuable--or seemed in shorter supply. Indeed, as we strive to make progress in our communities, organizations and families, we must seek to understand and build resilience. With her new book, The Resilience Dividend, Judith Rodin provides valuable insights into the growing importance and transformative potential of resilience. Highly recommended for all those seeking to create lasting positive change in the world."-- Muhtar Kent, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company "The Resilience Dividend delivers powerful proof that building resilience helps individuals, communities and cities better recover from disasters and disruptions. Judith Rodin details connections between human, environmental and economic systems, and offers a strategy to proactively address the threats they face. This very important book will help tackle complex challenges today and well into the future."--Mark R. Tercek, President and CEO, The Nature Conservancy and author of Nature's Fortune: How Business and Nature Thrive by Investing in Nature "This book makes a compelling case, drawing on stories from countries and communities across the world, that resilience is not just a defense mechanism but a positive gain or dividend, with added value in economic and social terms. The message is timely, given the increasingly disruptive force of climate change and the need to encourage communities to respond positively. It is also a highly readable account because it relies on actual human experience."--Mary Robinson, President Mary Robinson Foundation-Climate Justice, UN Special Envoy on Climate Change "From climate change, to economic adjustment, to the breakdown in political governance,the scale and complexity of threats and challenges in today's interconnected world are immense. This timely and insightful book by Judith Rodin, president of The Rockefeller Foundation, reminds us that we urgently need to build greater resilience to enable individuals, businesses, and communities to prepare for both systemic disruptions and new opportunities in the world order."--Kofi A. Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations (1997--2006) and chairman of the Kofi Annan Foundation "In a world where disruption is a fact of life and uncertainty is guaranteed, Judith Rodin draws on years of experience to offer an inspiring look at how we can prepare for the unexpected-and by doing so makes our communities stronger, more prosperous and more connected in the process."-- President Bill Clinton "Judith Rodin's groundbreaking work at the Rockefeller Foundation is helping cities adapt to a changing climate--and a changing world. In her new book, The Resilience Dividend, she lays out a powerful case for why governments and companies should prepare for-and not just react to--disruptions to business as usual."--Michael R. Bloomberg, Founder of Bloomberg LP & Bloomberg Philanthropies, and 108th Mayor of New York City "She is a good story teller, and her stories from the United States and around the world form the heart of the book... Crisis planners will find useful material in 'The Resilience Dividend,' not just a "template for thinking" about crisis management but also, as Ms. Rodin puts it, the 'methods for putting that thinking into practice.' The rest of us will take heart that, in a world of disruption, there are ways to cope with crisis and even, perhaps, grow stronger as a result."--Wall Street Journal "A revealing examination of the anatomy of resilience...[Rodin] clearly shows what went right and what went wrong and what can be learned from past experiences. A convincing argument that becoming resilient is not only possible, but essential; food for thought for all and especially recommended for community leaders." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Rodin...takes an insightful look at what is known as the resilience dividend, opportunities that come out of disasters and make for progress whether or not another occurs." --Booklist "Her book's central argument offers resilience as a reason to adopt policies that allow for mass-scale preparation in the face of certain but unknowable future disasters. And though the book discusses resilience primarily in context of disasters such as devastating storms, Rodin's concept also sees dividends when applied to crises that stem from social stratification and unrest." --The Atlantic's CityLab "Judith Rodin is a world-class entrepreneurial philanthropist. In The Resilience Dividend, she brings her life's work to bear on the subject, drawing on her deep and personal experiences from around the world. She uses every tool available (including the world's most advanced technologies) to understand the urban terrain and to deploy real-world solutions. All with the goal of saving and improving human lives." --Dr. Alex Karp, cofounder and CEO, Palantir "Dr. Rodin's extraordinary leadership has helped introduce the world to the concept of resilience--the critical strategy for breaking the endless cycle of emergency response and relief for millions of people. From supporting our nation's recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy to helping megacities in Asia protect their most vulnerable citizens, Dr. Rodin has made resilience a global priority at home and abroad. Rigorously analytical and powerfully argued, Dr. Rodin's book challenges us to work smarter and more collaboratively to predict disasters before they strike and enable citizens to build stronger communities and thriving economies."--Dr. Rajiv Shah, administrator of USAID "Ms. Rodin, currently president of the Rockefeller Foundation in New York, is especially suited to analyze these disruptive threats and to propose recommendations to upgrade resiliency to redress them... 'The Resilience Dividend' is a must-read for all those concerned about proactively building a tough and rebounding capacity, 'without waiting for disaster to push us into it." --Washington Times "A fresh take on the many ways that organizations can recover and grow from unexpected setbacks... It's intriguing that the author of The Resilience Dividend is the head of a leading philanthropy. In the early 1990s, Peter Drucker made a strong argument that neither government nor the private sector could build the sense of community needed to meet the challenges of what he labeled the Knowledge Society. He thought the 'social sector' was our last, best hope for that. Judith Rodin's thoughtful, organic approach to enhancing the resilience of social groups suggests that Drucker's faith in NGOs might not have been misplaced."--Strategy + Business "Rodin writes in an easy style. Drawing on a number of inspiring stories...she shows how resilience can be achieved through 'readiness, responsiveness and revitalization.' Upbeat and optimistic, this is not a book for cynics. Rodin marshals a strong case that the resilience dividend is 'real and achievable,' and if followed it can make a difference in the lives of millions of people the next time disaster strikes." --Maclean's "Positive, pragmatic, and powerful, Judith Rodin's The Resilience Dividend is precisely the innovative thinking we need. By focusing on the ways individuals, businesses, and communities can build a foundation for resilience, Rodin gives us a blueprint for a future where we are stronger, more adaptable, and better equipped to meet the world's greatest challenges."-- Arianna Huffington, president and editor-in-chief, The Huffington Post Media Group "Embracing and driving change is key to adapting to our customers' needs and is a big part of what enables us to deliver great service. Every company must adapt and change in order to grow and succeed. The Resilience Dividend makes a powerful case for doing business differently in a dynamic and disruptive world." --Tony Hsieh, NY Times best-selling author of Delivering Happiness and CEO of Zappos.com, Inc.

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Book SynopsisWhat if, even in the heart of a densely developed city, people could have meaningful encounters with nature? While parks, street trees, and green roofs are increasingly appreciated for their technical services like storm water reduction, from a biophilic viewpoint, they also facilitate experiences that contribute to better physical and mental health: natural elements in play areas can lessen children's symptoms of ADHD and adults who exercise in natural spaces can experience greater reductions in anxiety and blood pressure. The Handbook of Biophilic City Planning & Design offers practical advice and inspiration for ensuring nature in the city is more than infrastructure, that it also creates an emotional connection to the earth and promotes well-being among urban residents. Divided into six parts, the Handbook begins by introducing key ideas, literature, and theory about biophilic urbanism; followed by chapters that highlight urban biophilic innovations in more than a dozen global cities; the final part concludes with lessons on how to advance an agenda for urban biophilia and an extensive list of resources.As the most comprehensive reference on the emerging field of biophilic urbanism, the Handbook is essential reading for students and practitioners looking to place nature at the core of their planning and design ideas and encourage what pre-eminent biologist E. O. Wilson described as "the innate emotional connection of humans to all living things."

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Book SynopsisEach year, 1.2 million people die from traffic fatalities, highlighting the need to design streets that offer safe and enticing travel choices for all people. Cities around the world are facing the same challenges as cities in the US, and many of these problems are rooted in outdated codes and standards. The Global Street Design Guide is a timely resource that sets a global baseline for designing streets and public spaces and redefines the role of streets in a rapidly urbanizing world. The guide will broaden how to measure the success of urban streets to include: access, safety, mobility for all users, environmental quality, economic benefit, public health, and overall quality of life. The first-ever worldwide standards for designing city streets and prioritising safety, pedestrians, public transport, and sustainable mobility are presented in the guide. Participating experts from global cities have helped to develop the principles that organise the guide. The Global Street Design Guide builds off the successful tools and tactics defined in NACTO's Urban Street Design Guide and Urban Bikeway Design Guide while addressing a variety of street typologies and design elements found in various contexts around the world. This innovative guide will inspire leaders, inform practitioners, and empower communities in realising the potential in their public space networks. It will help cities unlock the potential of streets as safe, accessible, and economically sustainable places.

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Book SynopsisDonald R. Prothero’s Evolution is an entertaining and rigorous history of the transitional forms and series found in the fossil record. In this second edition, Prothero describes new transitional fossils from various periods, and reframes creationism as a case study in denialism and pseudoscience.Trade ReviewIf you're one of these people who likes to read Dawkins, Gould and Darwin, I would highly recommend this book. If you doubted that evolution was true before, and then you looked at this book, I don't see how you could possibly continue to question it. -- Jerry Coyne, author of Faith Versus Fact: Why Science and Religion Are IncompatibleTable of ContentsForeword: Why People Do Not Accept EvolutionTo the Reader: Is Evolution a Threat to Your Religious Beliefs?Prologue: Fossils and EvolutionPreface to the Second EditionAcknowledgmentsPart I: Evolution and the Fossil Record1. The Nature of Science2. Science and Creationism3. The Fossil Record4. The Evolution of Evolution5. Systematics and EvolutionPart II: Evolution? The Fossils say YES!6. Life’s Origins7. Cambrian “Explosion”—or Slow Fuse?8. Spineless Wonders of Evolution9. Fish Tales10. Fish Out of Water11. Onto the Land and Back to the Sea: The Amniotes12. Dinosaurs Evolve—and Fly13. Mammalian Explosion14. Bossies and Blowholes15. The Ape’s Reflection?16. Why Does It Matter?BibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisIn The Human City, internationally recognized urbanist Joel Kotkin challenges the conventional urban-planning wisdom that favors high-density, "pack-and-stack" strategies. By exploring the economic, social, and environmental benefits of decentralized, family-friendly alternatives, Kotkin concludes that while the word "suburbs" may be outdated, the concept is certainly not dead. Aside from those wealthy enough to own spacious urban homes, people forced into high-density development must accept crowded living conditions and limited privacy, thus degrading their quality of life. Dispersion, Kotkin argues, provides a chance to build a more sustainable, "human-scale" urban environment. After pondering the purpose of a city--and the social, political, economic, and aesthetic characteristics that are associated with urban living--Kotkin explores the problematic realities of today's megacities and the importance of families, neighborhoods, and local communities, arguing that these considerations must guide the way we shape our urban landscapes. He then makes the case for dispersion and explores communities (dynamic small cities, redeveloped urban neighborhoods, and more) that are already providing viable, decentralized alternatives to ultra-dense urban cores. The Human City lays out a vision of urbanism that is both family friendly and flexible. It describes a future where people, aided by technology, are freed from the constraints of small spaces and impossibly high real estate prices. While Kotkin does not call for low-density development per se, he does advocate for a greater range of options for people to live the way they want at various stages of their lives. We are building cities without thinking about the people who live in them, argues The Human City. It's time to change our approach to one that is centered on human values.Trade ReviewPraise for Joel Kotkin's The Human City: Urbanism for the Rest of Us "[Kotkin] weaves an impressive array of original observations about cities into his arguments, enriching our understanding of what cities are about and what they can and must become." --Shlomo Angel, Wall Street Journal "Kotkin argues that suburbs are where middle-class families want to live... A city hostile to the middle class is, in Kotkin's view, a sea hostile to fish." --Alexander Nazaryan, Newsweek "[The] kinds of places that are getting it right ... we might call Joel Kotkin cities, after the writer who champions them. These are opportunity cities ... [that] are less regulated, so it's easier to start a business. They are sprawling with easy, hodgepodge housing construction, so the cost of living is low... We should be having a debate between the Kotkin model and the [Richard] Florida model, between two successful ways to create posterity." --David Brooks, New York Times "Kotkin's premise focus[es] on the predictions made by some economists who believe suburbs are going to wither as more Americans return to the cities. He [says] those have been hasty reactions to the 2008 economic recession, and that humans' desire for spacious living remains strong. " --Ronnie Wachter, Chicago Tribune "The Human City ... takes a wider and longer view. Kotkin shows how cities developed as religious, imperial, commercial, and industrial centers... To his subject Kotkin brings a useful worldwide perspective." --Michael Barone, Washington Examiner "[Kotkin] believes it's time to start rethinking what suburbia can be and to become more strategic about how it evolves." --Randy Rieland, Smithsonian.com "Kotkin recommends that we embrace a kind of 'urban pluralism'... That means a sustained effort to make the city livable, yes, but it also entails acceptance of the suburbs... The reality of suburban life isn't as grim as the naysayers suggest, and Kotkin rattles off a long list of statistics to prove it." --Blake Seitz, Washington Free Beacon "[Kotkin] writes that the suburbs are alive and well--and are positioned for strong opportunity." --Michael Stevens, Crain's Chicago Business "Whether you're a downtown dweller or suburbanite, renter or owner, there is plenty of urban food for thought in The Human City." --Deborah Bowers, Winnipeg Free Press "A long and lucid argument against ... the current orthodoxy--that high-density living in the core, rather than suburban sprawl, is the optimal design for the modern urbanopolis." --Pat Kane, New Scientist "[The Human City] is a prolonged argument for development that responds to what people want and need during the course of their lives ... [It] is not meant as an anti-urbanist tract, but rather as a redefinition of urbanism to fit modern realities and the needs of families... It's hard to argue with that point." --David R. Godschalk, Urban Land Magazine "The notion that people are dying to leave the suburbs is just not true... Kotkin [says] most of the job growth and affordable housing are in the suburbs." --Kim Mikus, Daily Herald Advance praise for Joel Kotkin's The Human City: Urbanism for the Rest of Us "The most eloquent expression of urbanism since Jane Jacobs's The Death and Life of Great American Cities. Kotkin writes with a strong sense of place; he recognizes that the geography and traditions of a city create the contours of its urbanity." --Fred Siegel, scholar in residence at St. Francis College, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research "Kotkin is a refreshingly poetic and compelling writer on policy; he weaves data, history, theory, and his own probing analysis into a clear and soulful treatise on the way we ought to live now." --Ted C. Fishman, author of China, Inc. and Shock of Gray "Kotkin is one of the clearest urban writers and thinkers of our time. His first-hand experiences and insights on a broad array of issues such as inequity, infertility, lifestyle, and urban design shake the reader like a jolt of urban caffeine." --Alan M. Berger, codirector of the Center for Advanced Urbanism at MIT, founding director of P-REX Lab "While advocates trumpet megacities and global urbanization, Joel Kotkin makes an informed case for urban dispersal and argues that bigger and denser are not necessarily better." --Witold Rybczynski, author of Mysteries of the Mall "This book asks the crucially important question, 'What is a city for?' It should be read by all urban planners and included on the reading list for any urban planning course in a university." --Chan Heng Chee, chairman, Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, Singapore University of Technology and Design Praise for Joel Kotkin's The Next Hundred Million: America in 2050: "Given the viral finger-pointing and hand-wringing over what's seen as America's decline these days, Mr. Kotkin's book provides a timely and welcome... antidote." --Sam Roberts, New York Times "Kotkin... offers a well-researched--and very sunny--forecast for the American economy... His confidence is well-supported and is a reassuring balm amid the political and economic turmoil of the moment." --Publishers Weekly "A fascinating glimpse into a crystal ball, rich in implications that are alternately disturbing and exhilarating." --Kirkus Reviews "Kotkin provides a well-argued, well-researched and refreshingly calm perspective." -- Joe Friesen, The Globe and Mail "Lamenting its own decline has long been an American weakness... Those given to such declinism may derive a little comfort from Joel Kotkin's latest book." --The Economist "Kotkin has a striking ability to envision how global forces will shape daily family life, and his conclusions can be thought-provoking as well as counterintuitive." --WBUR-FM, Boston's NPR News Station Praise for Joel Kotkin's The New Class Conflict: "Kotkin is to be commended for seeing past the daily bric-a-brac of American politics to perceive the newly emerging class divisions." -- Jay Cost, The Washington Free Beacon "... Paints a dire picture of the undeclared war on the middle class." -- Kyle Smith, New York Post "... In having the courage to junk the old nostrums, [Kotkin] has taken an important step forward." --Financial Times "This original and provocative book should stimulate fresh thinking--and produce vigorous dissent." --Foreign Affairs Praise for Joel Kotkin's The City: A Global History: "... This fast read succeeds most with Kotkin as storyteller, flying through time and around the world to weave so many disparate histories into one urban tapestry." --The Fifth Annual Planetizen Top 10 Books List, 2006 Edition "... Offers fascinating insight into the ideologies that have created different city designs, and into the natural human desire to gather together to live and for commerce." --Steve Greenhut,The Orange County Register "The book is taut, elegant, informative and lots of fun to read. When I got to the end, I wished it had been longer." --Alan Ehrenhalt,Governing Magazine

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Book SynopsisGrowing more mushrooms may be the best thing we can do to save the environment, and mushroom expert Paul Stamets explains how in this groundbreaking manual. The science goes like this: fine filaments of cells called mycelium, the fruit of which are mushrooms, already cover large areas of land around the world. As the mycelium grows, it breaks down plant and animal debris, recycling carbon, nitrogen, and other elements in the creation of rich new soil. What Stamets shows is that the enzymes and acids thatmycelium produces to decompose this debris are superb at breaking apart hydrocarbons--the base of many pollutants. Stamets discusses the various branches of this exciting new technology, including mycorestoration (biotransforming stripped land), mycofiltration (creating habitat buffers), myco-remediation (healing chemically harmed environments), and mycoforestry (creating truly sustainable forests)--From publisher description.

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Book SynopsisJames Lovelock''s bestselling The Revenge of Gaia: Why the Earth is Fighting Back - and How we can Still Save Humanity is a dire warning against the unchecked growth of civilization. ''Despite all our efforts to retreat sustainably, we may be unable to prevent a global decline into a chaotic world ruled by brutal warlords on a devastated Earth...'' For thousands of years, humans have exploited the planet without counting the cost. Now Gaia, the living Earth, is fighting back. As the polar icecaps shrink and the global temperature rises, we approach the point of no return. Sustainable development, Lovelock argues, is no longer possible, and the only open to us may be a ''sustainable retreat''. This is the one book you must read to find out what is happening, how bad it will get - and how we can survive. ''The most important book for decades''  Andrew Marr ''The most important book ever to be published on the environmen

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Book SynopsisThe paperback of the Sunday Times bestseller that reveals how the earth became the shape it is today. This book will change the way you see the world permanently.The face of the earth, criss-crossed by chains of mountains like the scars of old wounds, has changed constantly over billions of years. Its shape records a remote past of earthquakes, volcanos and continental drift, and the ongoing subtle shifts that bring our planet alive.Richard Fortey introduces us to the earth's distinct character, revealing the life that it leads when humans aren't watching. He follows the continual movement of seabeds, valleys, mountain ranges and ice caps and shows how everything our culture, natural history, even the formation of our cities has its roots in geology. In Richard Fortey's hands, geology becomes vital and exhilarating and unmistakably informs our lives in the most intimate way.Trade ReviewPraise for ‘The Earth’: ‘A dazzling achievement. Richard Fortey is without peer among science writers.’ Bill Bryson ‘Books with a title this ambitious generally do not live up to their billing. This one does.’ New Scientist ‘“The Earth” is a true delight: full of awe-inspiring details…it blends travel, history, reportage and science to create an unforgettable picture of our ancient earth.’ Sunday Times ‘Read this book because it is, indeed, the best natural history of the first four billion years of life on earth.’ John Gribbin, Sunday Times Praise for ‘The Hidden Landscape’: ‘Don’t drop dead until you have read “The Hidden Landscape”.’ Jonathan Keates, Observer Praise for ‘Life: An unauthorised Biography’: ‘This is not a book for people who like science books. It is a book for people who love books, and life…[Fortey] has written a wonderful book.’ Tim Radford, Guardian

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Book SynopsisScience tells us that a new and dangerous stage in planetary evolution has begun the Anthropocene, a time of rising temperatures, extreme weather, rising oceans, and mass species extinctions. Humanity faces not just more pollution or warmer weather, but a crisis of the Earth System. If business as usual continues, this century will be marked by rapid deterioration of our physical, social, and economic environment. Large parts of Earth will become uninhabitable, and civilization itself will be threatened. Facing the Anthropocene shows what has caused this planetary emergency, and what we must do to meet the challenge.Bridging the gap between Earth System science and ecological Marxism, Ian Angus examines not only the latest scientific findings about the physical causes and consequences of the Anthropocene transition, but also the social and economic trends that underlie the crisis. Cogent and compellingly written, Facing the Anthropocene offers a unique synthesis of natural and social science that illustrates how capitalism's inexorable drive for growth, powered by the rapid burning of fossil fuels that took millions of years to form, has driven our world to the brink of disaster.Survival in the Anthropocene, Angus argues, requires radical social change, replacing fossil capitalism with a new, ecosocialist civilization. "Trade Review"A crisp, eloquent and deeply informed call to arms by a leading eco-socialist."-author of "Planet of Slums" and "In Praise of Barbarians: Essays against Empire," Mike Davis"

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Book SynopsisThe National Geographic Classic World Map is the perfect addition to any home, business or school. This smaller poster-size map (91 x 61 cm) features the entire world, laid out in bright, easy-to-read colours and fonts, as well as rich detail, thousands of place names and borders drawn with the utmost accuracy. It is ideal for anybody who wants to learn more about geography and political borders, world travellers who want to mark off where they have been and those who simply appreciate the joys of imagining faraway places. Laminated for protection against wear and tear.

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Book SynopsisNational Geographic Wall Maps offer a special glimpse into current and historical events, and they inform about the world and environment. Offered in a variety of styles and formats, these maps are excellent reference tools and a perfect addition to any home, business or school. There are a variety of map options to choose from, including the world, continents, countries and regions, the United States, history, nature and space.

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Book SynopsisTrophic cascades—the top-down regulation of ecosystems by predators—are an essential aspect of ecosystem function and well-being. Trophic cascades are often drastically disrupted by human interventions—for example, when wolves and cougars are removed, allowing deer and beaver to become destructive—yet have only recently begun to be considered in the development of conservation and management strategies. Trophic Cascades is the first comprehensive presentation of the science on this subject. It brings together some of the world’s leading scientists and researchers to explain the importance of large animals in regulating ecosystems, and to relate that scientific knowledge to practical conservation. It is a groundbreaking work for scientists and managers involved with biodiversity conservation and protection.

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Book SynopsisIn 1940 Steinbeck sailed in a sardine boat with his great friend the marine biologist, Ed Ricketts, to collect marine invertebrates from the beaches of the Gulf of California. The expedition was described by the two men in SEA OF CORTEZ, published in 1941. The day-to-day story of the trip is told here in the Log, which combines science, philosophy and high-spirited adventure.

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Book SynopsisThis treatise argues that literary criticism must re-establish connections to a wide range of social activities. It sets out a new type of criticism, called ecological literary criticism, which aims to make humanistic studies more socially responsible.

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Book Synopsis''Astonishing ... beautiful, compelling and terrifying'' Observer''Wadhams'' writing sparkles ... a lyrical sense of wonder at the natural world ... essential reading ... may be the best reader-friendly account of the greenhouse effect available to date'' John Burnside, New StatesmanIce is beautiful and complex. It regulates our planet''s temperature. And it is vanishing - fast. Peter Wadhams, the world''s leading expert on sea ice, draws on his lifetime''s research in the Arctic region to illuminate what is happening, what it means for the future, and what can be done.''This most experienced and rational scientist states what so many other researchers privately fear but cannot publicly say'' John Vidal, Guardian''Wadhams brings huge expertise to his subject - and he is an excellent writer'' Martin Rees''Utterly extraordinary'' Jonathon PorrittTrade ReviewWadhams's particular combination - of scientific passion, a lyrical sense of wonder at the natural world, an ability to pluck clear analogies from the air, and outspoken analysis of consumer-capitalist politics - marks out A Farewell to Ice as essential reading. -- John Burnside * New Statesman *A passionate, authoritative overview of the role of ice in our climate system, past, present and, scarily, the future. -- Carl Wunsch, Professor Emeritus of Physical Oceanography, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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Book SynopsisHow our obsession with 'stuff' is trashing the planetAnnie Leonard, creator of the internet film sensation 'The Story of Stuff', viewed over 6 million times, offers an astonishing, galvanizing book that tells the story of all the 'stuff' we use every day - where our bottled water, mobile phones and jeans come from, how they're made and distributed, and where they really go when we throw them away.Our out-of-control consumption habits are killing the planet and threatening our health, but Annie provides hope that change is within reach. Like An Inconvenient Truth and Silent Spring, The Story of Stuff will be an instant classic.Trade ReviewA potentially important book that brings a great many facts and arguments into a single volume. * Irish Examiner *The book may be recycled, but Leonard's passion is new and refreshing. * Geographical *Taking us into 'the dark heart of American consumerism' in an amusing and trenchant way. * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisBuild your child's reading confidence at home with books at the right levelWe use oil every day whether on the bus to school or writing with a pen. But where does it come from? What impact is our use of it having on the environment? What will happen when we run out completely? Explore the answers to these questions in this detailed information book, with stunning photographs and clear diagrams.Pearl/Band 18 books offer fluent readers a complex, substantial text with challenging themes to facilitate sustained comprehension, bridging the gap between a reading programme and longer chapter books.Text type: A non-chronological report.Curriculum links: Geography: Improving the Environment, Citizenship: Choices.This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

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Book Synopsis100 practical measures combine to create the most comprehensive plan in reducing greenhouse gases ever made

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Book SynopsisThe definitive biography of the world''s most important body of water the Atlantic.One hundred and ninety million years ago, the shifting of two of the world''s tectonic plates led to the creation of an immense chasm. This giant gash in the flanks of the planet slowly opened up and eventually evolved into the most important and most travelled ocean in our world.In this utterly original biography, Simon Winchester explores the life of the Atlantic; it''s birth, its relationship with mankind, and what lies in store for it once man has left the stage. He charts the development of the first settlements by the Oceanside the communities of Celts and Vikings and whose lives depended on the sea and delves into the age of exploration, venturing to forgotten worlds. The building of some of the world''s most beautiful port cities London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Casablanca is also examined, along with the creation of settlements and colonies in and around the sea.Completely unique and highlTrade Review'Winchester unfolds this epic narrative with admirable simplicity: his prose style is conversational, and crackles with strange images. He marries even-handed scholarship with a gift for storytelling, neither dumbing down nor assuming any specific knowledge in his readership. This is from start to finish an enthralling book, and one that does justice to the magnitude of its subject' Edmund Gordon, Sunday Times 'Illuminating…a] wonderful, encyclopaedic book, pinpointing key moments in the narrative of an entire ocean and our relationship to it' Philip Hoare, Sunday Telegraph ‘[A] fabulous book’ Scotsman ‘An engaging account’ Mail on Sunday ‘[Winchester] is maddeningly gifted … a rollicking ride’ Washington Post ‘Enjoyable and richly informative’ Telegraph

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Book Synopsis'A gripping story about the personalities who initiated the mapping of Britain and their extraordinary skill and endurance' Max Hastings, Sunday Times The Ordnance Survey is a much beloved British institution, but in our modern map-obsessed world how much do we know about its curious origins and extraordinary challenges? Here at last is the remarkable story of the creation of the first complete, accurate, affordable map of the British Isles. What it reveals is a colourful and engrossing secret history of the Ordnance Survey and the obsessive and ambitious men who dreamt and delivered it. The Ordnance Survey's story is one of political revolutions, rebellions and regional unions that altered the shape and identity of the United Kingdom over the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It makes for an engaging and page-turning account of one of the great untold British adventure stories, following those intrepid individuals who lugged brass theodolites up mountains to make the country visible to itself for the first time. 'This is a brilliant book, and it's astonishing that no one has thought of writing it before... History at its best' A N Wilson, Reader's Digest 'Endlessly absorbing... In her lively and informative narrative, Hewitt highlights the Ordnance project's legion of draughtsmen, surveyors, dreamers and eccentrics' Ian Thomson, ObserverTrade ReviewThis is a brilliant book, and it's astonishing that no one has thought of writing it before ... History at its best -- A N Wilson * Reader's Digest *Gripping [story] about the remarkable personalities who initiated the scientific mapping of Britain and their extraordinary feats of skill and endurance ... this is the first book of a young historian of whom more will be heard -- Max Hastings * Sunday Times *Hewitt tackles the subject exuberantly ... the book won me over. The sweep of its history has true grandeur, and the incidentals of the tale are like desirables found in a cluttered antique shop -- Jan Morris * The Times *In this endlessly absorbing history, Rachel Hewitt narrates the history of our printed maps from King George II's "Scotophobic" cartographies to the three-dimensional computerised elevations of today ... In her lively and informative narrative, Hewitt highlights the Ordnance project's legion of draughtsmen, surveyors, dreamers and eccentrics -- Ian Thomson * Observer *An extremely handsome and scholarly account of the genesis of the OS map ... The next time I am in the Public House (wherever it is) I shall raise a pint to Rachel Hewitt and her band of map-makers -- Tom Fort * Sunday Telegraph *This is a solid account of how Britain's national mapping agency came into being ... she is good on the military, scientific and ideological impulses behind the OS and on its enormous appeal to the general public * Sunday Times *A diligent and very detailed book ... she has done justice to a neglected subject and to neglected but worthy men -- Peter Lewis * Daily Mail *The enthralling story of the creation of the Ordnance Survey map ... with wonderful tales of the intrepid individuals who lugged brass theodolites over hill and dale in order to make the country visible for the first time -- Caroline Sanderson * Bookseller *An exhaustively detailed study of the life and times of Ordnance Survey maps ... there are frequent nuggets of enjoyably recondite information -- Gillian Tindall * Literary Review *Tells the intriguing story of how the early productions of the theodolite-lugging surveyors who began the project in the 1790s developed into the digitalised OS of our own times -- Giles Foden * Conde Nast Traveller *A remarkable story of human endeavour in the name of Enlightenment values -- Claire Allfree * Metro *A fascinating account of British cartography ... In a compelling overview, Hewitt discusses how developments in scientific thinking, technological advances and an important dose of Anglo-French collaboration eventually led, in 1870, to the creation of the Ordnance Survey's First Series, a landmark as significant as The Oxford English Dictionary in shaping how the country thought about itself and its 'physical and intellectual' landscapes * Lady *An erudite, meticulously researched and fascinating history * Waterstone's Books Quarterly *A fascinating narrative... illuminates the process by which our nation redrew itself over a century -- Celia Brayfield * The Times *Hewitt's tale of cartography is pacy and - like the best historical writing - focused on human endeavour rather than dry facts -- Sarah Warwick * Liverpool Daily Post, the Yorkshire Evening Post, East Anglian Daily Times, Eastern Daily Press, Newsletter *More hugely impressive historical studies from 2010 which celebrate peaceful pursuits rather than blood and bigotry include Rachel Hewitt's great study of the British Ordnance Survey, Map of a Nation -- Stephen Howe * Independent *A lively, well-written and carefully researched evocation of how the landscapes of Britain (and Ireland) came to be revealed with such dramatic precision -- William J Smyth * Irish Times *In this lively overview, Hewitt explains how over the course of a century developments in scientific thinking, technological advances and a critical dose of Anglo-French collaboration eventually led to the creation of the OS's First Series in 1870 -- Emma Hagestadt * Independent *A scholarly account of the genesis of the OS map, and a route into the national psyche * Daily Telegraph *Hewitt tells a gripping story about the personalities who initiated the mapping of Britain and their extraordinary skill and endurance -- Max Hastings * Sunday Times *this description of the origins of mapping in the UK covers lots of ground ... anyone who has used a map and a compass to puzzle their way out after getting lot on Britain's foggy moorland has cause to thank the painstaking work of the original pioneers -- Maggie Hartford * Oxford Times *Within the first few paragraphs the open and engaging nature of Rachel Hewitt's writing had me captured ... How the men of those early years observed that first triangulation and achieved such accurate results will never cease to amaze and this beautifully crafted book is a fitting tribute and long overdue recognition of their achievements ... Such authoritative books are rare things and I would recommend to all who have feelings for maps and our UK landscape to take time to read Map of a Nation -- John Levell * Caught by the River *Anyone whose world has been shaped by the familiar OS maps seriously needs to read this book -- Margaret Elphinstone * Sunday Herald *Erudite and compelling ... One of Map of a Nation's many accomplishments is to show how adventurous and imaginative engineering and mapmaking could - and still can - be. It is readable, informative and its content often unexpected * History Today *

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Book SynopsisGalveston, Texas, 8 September 1900. It’s another fine day in the Gulf according to Isaac Cline, chief observer of the new US Weather Bureau, but one day later, 6-10,000 people were dead, wiped out by the biggest storm the coast of America had ever witnessed.Trade ReviewGripping, informative and imaginative’New Statesman ‘Roof slates became spinning blades… a timely and chillingly detailed reminder of what nature can do.’Mail on Sunday ‘Mixing individual narratives of the townsfolk and a history of the Weather Bureau with terrific descriptions the evolving storm, Larson cooks up an awesome tale.‘Daily Telegraph ‘Dickensian… A scholarly and factual book that reads like fiction.’Independent

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Book SynopsisThis book aims to introduce the reader to the design, development, and evaluation processes of new Green Chemistry methodologies. A comprehensive introductory text, it takes a broad view of the subject and integrates a wide variety of topics. Topics covered include: alternative feedstocks, environmentally benign synthetic methodologies, designing safer chemical products, new reaction conditions, alternative solvents and catalyst development, and the use of biosynthesis and biomimetic principles. The reader is introduced to the new evaluation process that encompasses the health and environmental impact of a synthetic pathway from choice of starting materials through to target molecule. Throughout the text, comparisons and contrasts with classical methodologies are offered as illustrative examples. This accessible text is aimed at all those involved with the design, manufacture, use and disposal of chemicals and their products - especially synthetic chemicals at the graduate and professiTrade ReviewAs the summary of a vision, the book is brilliant. One can feel the enthusiasm of the authors throughout...I see it as a vehicle for initiating a fruitful dialogue between chemical producers and regulatory enforcers without the confrontation, which often characterizes such interactions. * Martyn Poliakoff, Green Chemistry, February *Its is an introductory text taking a broad view and intergrating a wide range of topics including synthetic methodologies, alternative solvents and catalysts, biosynthesis and alternative feedstocks. There are exercises for students and the last chapter deals with future trends' AslibTable of Contents1. Introduction ; 2. What is Green Chemistry? ; 3. Tools of Green Chemistry ; 4. Principles of Green Chemistry ; 5. Evaluating the Impacts of Chemistry ; 6. Evaluating Feedstocks and Starting Materials ; 7. Evaluating Reaction Types ; 8. Evaluation of Methods to Design Safer Chemicals ; 10. Future Trends in Green Chemistry

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Book SynopsisPeregrine falcons have their share of claims to fame. With a diving speed of over two hundred miles per hour, these birds of prey are the fastest animals on earth or in the sky, and they are now well known for adapting from life on rocky cliffs to a different kind of mountain: modern skyscrapers. But adaptability only helps so much. In 1951, there were no peregrines left in Illinois, and it looked as if the species would be wiped out entirely in North America. Today, however, peregrines are flourishing. In The Peregrine Returns, Mary Hennen gives wings to this extraordinary conservation success story. Drawing on the beautiful watercolors of Field Museum artist-in-residence Peggy Macnamara and photos by Field Museum research assistant Stephanie Ware, as well as her own decades of work with peregrines, Hennen focuses her tale on Illinois's Chicago Peregrine Program, a collaboration between researchers and citizen scientists. She follows the journey of Illinois's peregrines from their d

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Book SynopsisUntil recently, seaweed for most Americans was nothing but a nuisance, clinging to us as we swim in the ocean and stinking up the beach as it rots in the sun. This book takes the reader on a tour of seaweed, describing what seaweeds actually are - algae, not plants - and how people of different cultures have utilized them since prehistoric times.Trade Review"Ole G. Mouritsen's Seaweeds is a wonderfully wide-ranging, beautifully illustrated introduction to these strange, underappreciated, delicious forms of life." -Harold McGee, author of On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen "Seaweeds is by far the most comprehensive, informative, and creative offering on macroalgae I have ever seen. And to this wealth of information, Ole G. Mouritsen has added many personal anecdotes, unusual recipes, and beautiful pictures. Anyone with simple curiosity or extensive knowledge about marine algae will enjoy this extraordinary book." -Shep Erhart, author of Sea Vegetable Celebration"

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Book SynopsisThe Age of Mammals, the Cenozoic Era, has never had its Jurassic Park, but it was an amazing time in earth's history, populated by a wonderful assortment of bizarre animals. This book presents their story, which is part of a larger story of a world emerging from the greenhouse conditions of the Mesozoic.Trade ReviewRecommended. General readers; interested upper—level undergraduates through faculty/researchers. * Choice *. . . Prothero's new book has the advantage of something for everyone. . . . A specialist can read it for a fine overview of many aspects of life throughout the age of mammals; a general reader will get the same overview, plus an introduction to a great many new topics to research further. This is about the most readable volume imaginable . . . * Reports of the National Center for Science Education *Table of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgments1. Introduction2. The End of the Dinosaurs?3. Brave New World: The Paleocene4. Dawn of the Recent: The Eocene5. The Icehouse Cometh: The Oligocene6. The Savanna Story: The Miocene7. The World in Transition: The Pliocene8. Ice Time: The Pleistocene9. Our Interglacial: The HoloceneBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThe land that was to become Scotland has travelled across the globe over the last 3,000 million years - from close to the South Pole to its current position. During these travels, there were many continental collisions, creating mountain belts as high as the present-day Himalayas. The Highlands of Scotland were formed in this way. Our climate too has changed dramatically over the last 3 billion years from the deep freeze of the Ice Age to scorching heat of the desert. And within a relatively short time - geologically speaking, we will plunge back into another ice age. In Set in Stone, Alan McKirdy traces Scotland's amazing geological journey, explaining for the non - specialist reader why the landscape looks the way it does todays. He also explores Scots and those working in Scotland have played a seminal role in the development of the science of geology, understanding Earth processes at a local and global scale.

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Book SynopsisExplores the physical and organic phenomena of the Antarctic continent as well as its history. With chapters on the geography and formation of the continent, its exploration, its depiction in the arts and sciences, and its geopolitical treatment, the author places the remote land as central to theTrade Review"The Ice is a compilation of more about ice than you knew you wanted to know, yet sheer compelling significance holds attention page by page..Pyne conveys a view of Antarctica that interweaves physical science with humanistic inquiry and perception. His audacity as well as his presentation warrant admiration, for the implications of The Ice are vast." * New York Times Book Review *"Stephen Pyne has written an imaginative book that combines a geophysical description of Antarctica with a history of attempts to explore and assimilate intellectually this remote and strange continent." * Isis *Table of ContentsForeword by William Cronon Preface to the 1998 Paperback Edition The Berg The Pack No Middle Way: The Exploration of Antarctica The Shelf Heart of Whiteness: the Literature and Art of Antarctica The Glacier Earth and Ice: The Earth Sciences in Antarctica The Sheet The Cold Peace: The Geopolitics of Antarctica The Source Afterword Notes Sources Index

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Book SynopsisMetamorphic rocks are one of the three main types of rock. Originally comprising either igneous or sedimentary rocks, metamorphic rocks are the products of change by heat and pressure, often at great depths in the earth’s crust, into a completely new form. One of the classic examples of the result of a metamorphic process is the transformation of sedimentary mudstone into slate.Introducing Metamorphism provides a succinct introduction to metamorphism. Ian Sanders explains how and why rocks change during metamorphic processes. He discusses the role of water in metamorphism and describes the different types of metamorphic processes including contact, shock and high pressure metamorphism and metamorphism in an orogenic belt.Copiously illustrated and written for those who wish to gain a clear understanding of metamorphic processes, Introducing Metamorphism is designed to make the processes that led to the formation of these rocks intelligible to its readers. Technical terms are kept to a minimum and are explained in a glossary.Trade Review‘In summary, the author has succeeding in producing a text that provides a comprehensive description of metamorphism ranging from the simple fundamental definitions to complex metamorphic processes.It is superbly illustrated with, in particular, excellent photographs and microphotographs illustrating mineral textures, the relationship of minerals to structures and the relative development of minerals. In addition, there are many very clear and useful diagrams covering mineral types, their stability fields and their development under evolving metamorphic conditions, simplified facies maps, the relationship of minerals within triangular chemical diagrams, etc.This is a well-produced book and a comprehensive modern account of metamorphism.Each chapter contains a wealth of detail. It covers items of interest to the novice and those with experience in metamorphic rocks. Because of the depth of information, the relative novice might find a straight read rather overwhelming and might find it better to skim the essence of each section and then go back and study the detail as desired. Either way, all users will enjoy and gain from this book.’ Edinburgh Geologist'Ian Sanders has produced an excellent introductory text into perhaps one of the more abstract and technical areas of the Earth Sciences.Despite the fact that metamorphic rocks make up the bulk of the Earth’s crust, there is a glaring gap in the market for a succinct publication that examines the wide variety of processes that generate metamorphic rocks and minerals. Perhaps the paucity of publications in this field relates to the rather ‘unglamorous’ perception of this key area of geology or the necessity for at least a basic grounding in the chemical and physical sciences to understanding key metamorphic concepts. However, this book clearly shows the importance of understanding metamorphic processes in Earth Systems Science without losing the reader in the detailed kinematics of the subject.The joy of Ian Sander’s textbook is that it makes the processes responsible for the formation of metamorphic rocks intelligible to its readers but does not shy away from key theories and concepts. The lack of unnecessary terminology (which is included as a glossary in the appendix) and incorporation of numerous illustrations makes this textbook an enthralling and informative read. Buy it, sit back, relax, read and enjoy!'Teaching Earth SciencesTable of ContentsPreface. Acknowledgements. 1 Introduction: 1.1 What is metamorphism? 1.2 Metamorphic rocks – made under mountains; 1.3 Metamorphism in local settings. 2 The petrography of metamorphic rocks: 2.1 Quartzite and metapsammite; 2.2 Metapelite; 2.3 Marble; 2.4 Metabasite; 2.5 Metagranite; 2.6 Metaperidotite; 2.7 Summary of metamorphic minerals and protoliths. 3 Interpreting mineral changes and textures; 3.1 Mineral stability, fluids, and partial melting; 3.2 Understanding metamorphic textures. 4 Aureoles, orogenies and impacts: 4.1 Contact metamorphism; 4.2 Metamorphism in orogenic belts and subduction zones; 4.3 Shock metamorphism. 5 Case studies in geothermobarometry: 5.1 Granulite-facies rocks at Slishwood; 5.2 Eclogite-facies rocks at Glenelg. Appendix 1 The Earth’s interior. Appendix 2 The chemical formulae of minerals. Appendix 3 Minerals under the microscope. Appendix 4 Microbeam and X-ray methods. Appendix 5 The principles of isotopic dating (geochronology).

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Book SynopsisJohn Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough (1644-1722), was one of the greatest military commanders and statesman in the history of England. His descendant, Sir Winston Churchill wrote this work as both an act of homage, and as an historical insight into the man behind the statesman.Trade Review"The greatest historical work written in our century, an inexhaustible mine of political wisdom and understanding, which should be required reading for every student of political science." - Leo Strauss, University of Chicago "Rarely in the history of historical writing have author and subject seemed so made for each other." - Henry Steele Commager

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Book SynopsisThis collection includes Jim Corbett's unpublished writings on man-eaters, nature, and his beloved Kumaon, personal letters, articles written for newspapers and gazettes by his contemporaries, and letters exchanged between Corbett and his publisher showcasing the development of his bestselling books-all from the archives of the Oxford University Press.Table of ContentsPUBLISHER'S NOTE ; TIMELINE ; PREFACE: 'HOW I CAME TO WRITE ' ; A LIFE WELL LIVED: AN INTRODUCTION TO JIM CORBETT BY LORD HAILEY ; SECTION ONE: THE UNPUBLISHED CORBETT-THE NIGHT JAR'S EGG ; 'ONE OF US' ; FROM MY JUNGLE CAMP ; THE RUDRAPRAYAG LETTERS ; CORBETT ON THE MAN-EATING LEOPARD OF RUDRAPRAYAG ; THE MAKING OF CORBETT'S MY INDIA: CORRESPONDENCE WITH HIS EDITORS ; 'SHOOTING' TIGERS: CORBETT AND THE CAMERA ; WILDLIFE IN THE VILLAGE: AN ENVIRONMENTAL APPEAL ; AN ENGLISHMAN IN INDIA ; LIFE IN KENYA ; SECTION TWO: CORBETT AND HIS AUDIENCE-'THE ARTLESSNESS OF HIS ART' ; THE MAN REVEALED: CORBETT IN HIS WRITINGS ; THE UNIVERSAL APPEAL OF JIM CORBETT: LETTERS AND REVIEWS ; DELIVERANCE FOR RUDRAPRAYAG: REACTIONS TO THE SLAYING OF THE MAN-EATING LEOPARD BY CORBETT ; CORBETT'S INFLUENCE: MAN-EATERS OF KUMAON AND THE CHHINDWARA COURT CASE ; EPIGRAPH

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Book SynopsisIn recent years, scientific advances in our understanding of animal minds have led to major changes in how we think about, and treat, animals in zoos and aquariums. The general public, it seems, is slowly coming to understand that animals like apes, elephants, and dolphins have not just brains, but complicated inner and social lives, and that we need to act accordingly. Yet that realization hasn't yet made its presence felt to any great degree in our most intimate relationship with animals: at the dinner table. Sure, there are vegetarians and vegans all over, but at the same time, meat consumption is up, and meat remains a central part of the culinary and dining experience for the majority of people in the developed world. With Personalities on the Plate, Barbara King asks us to think hard about our meat eating though this isn't a polemic intended to convert readers to veganism. What she is interested in is why we've not drawn food animals into our concern, and, as part of that, just what we do know about the minds and lives of chickens, cows, octopuses, fish, and more. Rooted in the latest science, and built on a mix of firsthand experience (including entomophagy, which, yes, is what you think it is) and close engagement with the work of scientists, farmers, vets, and chefs, Personalities on the Plate is an unforgettable journey through the world of animals we eat. Knowing what we know and what we may yet learn what is the proper ethical stance toward eating meat? What are the consequences for the planet? How can we life an ethically and ecologically sound life through our food choices? We could have no better guide to these fascinatingly thorny questions than King, whose deep empathy embraces human and animal alike. Readers will be moved, provoked, and changed by this powerful book.

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