Earth Sciences, Geography & Environment Books

Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE TIMES BIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR PRIZE AT THE CROSS BRITISH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2017In the spring of 1901 a teenager stood on top of a hill, gazed out in wonderment at the Australian landscape and decided he wanted to be a mountaineer. Two decades later, the same man stood in a blizzard beneath the summit of Mount Everest, within sight of his goal to be the first to stand on the roof of the world. George Finch was at the highest point ever reached by a human being and only his decision to save the life of his stricken companion stopped him from reaching the summit.George Finch was a rebel of the first order, a man who dared to challenge the British establishment who disliked his independence, background, long hair and lack of an Oxbridge education. Despite this, he not only became one of the world's greatest alpinists, earning the grudging respect of his rival George Mallory, but pioneered the use of the artificial oxygen that enabled Everest to finally be conquered thirty years after his own attempt. A renowned scientist, a World War I hero and a Fellow of the Royal Society, involved in the development of some of the twentieth century's most important inventions, his skills helped save London from burning to the ground during the Blitz. Finch's public accomplishments, however, were shadowed by his complicated private life and his fraught relationship with his son, the actor Peter Finch.Acclaimed biographer Robert Wainwright restores George Finch to his rightful place in history with this remarkable tribute to one of the twentieth century's most eccentric anti-heroes.'One of the two best Alpinists of his time - Mallory was the other.' The TimesTrade Review[A] compelling biography... As a study of a man whose greatness we would do well to remember and applaud, it sparkles. * Independent *Finch emerges from the pages of Robert Wainwright's The Maverick Mountaineer as a keen explorer of geographical, professional and romantic terrain... Wainwright chronicles it all with aplomb... Wainwright has done a fine job of rescuing his protagonist from the footnotes of climbing history. He has restored the reputation of a man whose achievements were frequently overshadowed by the romantic fate of Mallory and the later triumph of Edmund Hillary. We rediscover a climber who, as Finch phrased it, had "the craft at his finger-ends". * Daily Telegraph *Finch was the best technical climber of his time, and he reached farther up Everest than anyone had done before - stopping only to carry a novice companion to safety. Few Western climbers have contributed as much...The best passages... are those that describe the battle of scientific progress against entrenched snobbery - a fight that may have cost Finch the chance to stand on top of the world, but ought to be remembered. * The Economist *Robert Wainwright has conjured up the rasp of crampons on sheet ice, the taste of peaches eaten from the tin, and the bitchiness endemic among the frozen-bearded tribe of climbers and explorers * Spectator *Fascinating * Sydney Morning Herald *Tells the story of a difficult, brilliant man whose remarkable achievements were overshadowed by those of the better-known Mallory and Sir Edmund Hillary. * Daily Mail *A marvellously entertaining story that at times resembles a glossy television period drama. * Daily Express on Sheila *The charm of Wainwright's biography is that he makes us see what an engaging, admirable and sometimes heroic quality it is to be a life-enhancer like Sheila. -- Jane Shilling, Daily Mail on SheilaThis splendid biography evokes the glamour of a vanished age. * Mail on Sunday on Sheila *Wainwright's extremely readable style is largely linear, with tantalising references to future events. * Yorkshire Post *The Maverick Mountaineer is a skilfully written books which contains much assiduous research. The narrative is thoughtfully enhanced by the use of diaries and letters from the Finch family archive. * Climb Magazine *

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Book SynopsisWhat am I doing to address the climate crisis? How far will I go to defend the earth? What price am I willing to pay for climate justice?Since 2014, hundreds of people have been arrested while engaging in non-violent civil disobedience to protest the "TMX" Trans Mountain pipeline project. Standing on High Ground: Civil Disobedience on Burnaby Mountain includes twenty-five stories of people who put themselves on the line for climate justice. While some of those arrested were longtime activists, others felt compelled to act for the first time in their lives. Editors Rosemary Cornell, Adrienne Drobnies, and Tim Bray showcase the profiles of Indigenous leaders, academics, faith leaders, political leaders, engineers, artists and writers, scientists, physicians, and ordinary folk from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Their reflections on the protests and their arrests explore our moral duty to future generations, government''s collusion with corporate power, the violation of Indigenous Law, and unsustainable worldviews. Climate activists in protest movements such as the one against the TMX pipeline are critical in the existential fight for a sustainable future and habitable planet. They show us that we can all take a stand.

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Book SynopsisA harrowing journey through the past, present, and future of mining, this expertly-researched account ends on a vision for how industry can better serve the needs of humanity.A race is on to exploit the last bonanzas of gold, silver, and industrial metals left on Earth. These metals are not only essential for all material comfort and need, but for the transition to clean energy: in the coming decades, billions of tons of copper, nickel, silver, and other metals will be required to build electric vehicles, solar and wind installations, and green infrastructure. We need more metals than ever before, yet the qualities and quantities are diminishing, making the extraction process more polluting to land, air and water. And most of these metals will be mined from the global south, where social conflict will only grow, led by Indigenous peoples demanding a greater say in how their wealth is used.The stakes couldn't be higher: How can we mine the metals we need without replicating the environmental and human rights abuses of the past?Pitfall is the compelling story of the quest to exploit the metals our civilization needs—and at what cost to local people and their environments. Beginning with the first waves of big, foreign-owned mines in the 1960s, investigative journalist Christopher Pollon shows how transnational companies rose to dominate copper, precious metals, and lithium in Latin America, made inroads into war-torn countries in Africa, and exploited nickel, industrial metals, and rare earth metals across Asia and Oceania.If we cannot change our course, Pollon argues, we are condemned to mine deeper and darker places, including the depths of the ocean, sacrifice zones, and near-earth asteroids. This disturbing vision of the future also includes robotic mines without workers and social license—unless we act now.Published in Partnership with the David Suzuki Institute.Trade Review"Pollon...takes us to mining operations around the globe, focusing on the economic, environmental and social devastation surrounding them...[A]n interesting and informative book about a problem with a long history and an uncertain future."—Daily Kos“Mind-boggling descriptions rely on facts, not sensationalism, for effect but are altogether chilling... Pitfall indicates that intensified reuse, recycling and other social changes cannot come too soon.”—Winnipeg Free Press"Pitfall provides an eloquent, clear-eyed warning that, absent a radical U-turn, the well-intentioned road to green energy alternatives could very well be paved with devastating ecological and social impacts."—Quill & Quire STARRED review"Few realize that our current solution to climate change—renewable energy—threatens to create an environmental catastrophe of its own. Christopher Pollon’s deeply researched, powerfully written book is just the primer we need to truly imagine a better future."—J. B. MacKinnon, author of The Day the World Stops Shopping"A harrowing and ruthlessly honest account that serves as a moral reckoning for our industrial age."—Wade Davis, author of The Wayfinders and Magdalena: River of Dreams"Christopher Pollon has scoured the planet to reveal the dark side of our consumer paradise, and the light at the end of the tunnel. Pitfall delivers a planetary investigation of the world's wildest industry—mining—and connects it straight to us."—Arno Kopecky, author of The Environmentalist’s Dilemma"An important account: the world badly needs to replace fossil fuel mining with the production of minerals necessary for energy that won’t destroy the climate. Christopher Pollon argues eloquently for reducing consumption, recycling materials, and trying to make sure mining actually benefits communities—it's a chance to get things right, or at least better, as we enter a new era."—Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature"Christopher Pollon is a rare journalistic voice writing about mining through the perspective of what humanity actually needs versus the financial imperatives of large firms and their investors. A crucial book for understanding the industry at the center of the world's clean energy revolution and how to make it less destructive."—Geoff Dembicki, author of The Petroleum Papers"A deeply reported and devastating critique of a seldom-examined business at the heart of the global economy... [Pollon's] forecast is grim—unless the world's richest nations consume less. His book may help persuade us."—Chris Wood, award-winning journalist and author of Dry Spring"In this timely and compelling account, Christopher Pollon makes it abundantly clear that we should think twice before trusting the mining industry to provide the materials—including cobalt, lithium, nickel, and rare earth metals—needed to build a more sustainable economy."—Stuart Kirsch, author of Mining Capitalism"Chilling, arresting—lifts the lid on just how murky getting the metals and minerals we take for granted can be."—Peter Hain, Former anti-apartheid leader and UK Cabinet Minister

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Book SynopsisWilderness guide Sicelo Mbatha shares lessons learnt from a lifetime's intimate association with Africa's wildest nature.Black Lion begins in rural South Africa where a deeply traumatic childhood experience - a cousin being dragged away by a crocodile - should have turned him against the surrounding wilderness. Instead, he was irresistibly drawn to it. As a volunteer at Imfolozi Nature Reserve, close encounters with animals taught him to 'see' with his heart and thus began a spiritual awakening.Drawing from his Zulu culture and a yearning to better understand human's relationship to nature, Sicelo has forged a new path to nature with an immersive, respectful and transformative way of being in the wilderness. As humanity hurtles into the anthropogenic 21st century, Black Lion is an urgent reminder of how much we need wilderness for our emotional and spiritual survival.'A brave account of a natural disaster, and of achieving reconciliation with the predatoriness of life.' Richard Mabey on Mbatha's essay, Letting Go.Trade ReviewBlack Lion is a powerful, propulsive and unflinchingly honest account of one man's remarkable spiritual journey. It is life-affirming and deepening, and a vital contribution to the discourse around conservation. A must-read. * Jini Reddy, author of Wanderland *

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Book SynopsisLying off the south-western tip of Mull, the island of Iona has huge significance as the first important centre of Christianity in Scotland. But the Abbey itself is built upon rocks that tell of events of much greater antiquity: the Lewisian gneisses of western Iona are some of the oldest rocks in the world. Alan McKirdy explores the fascinating geology of the area - in particular the eruption of two major volcanoes around 60 million years ago whose magma chambers formed the spectacular hills and glens of the Ardnamurchan peninsula and Glen More on Mull; and the Ice Age, when glaciers ripped away much of the upper part of the two volcanoes and sandpapered the landscape to create the rounded contours we see today.Trade Review'Alan McKirdy’s insights are valuable because he is the author of a string of accessible and informative short illustrated books on the geological history of Scotland' * West Highland Free Press *'Not only are they a wealth of information on Scotland's past, they offer valuable insight as Scotland’s future becomes increasingly uncertain due to climate change' * Dundee Courier *

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Book SynopsisThe written history and archaeological records of Central Scotland takes us back to Pictish times some 5,000 years ago. The geology of the area stretches back a further 400 million years. The oldest rocks are found near Lesmahagow and in the Pentland Hills. Known geologically as ‘inliers’– small areas of rocks from an older age, surrounded by younger strata – these strata have yielded some of the oldest fish on earth and are highly prized for what they tell us about early life on the planet. Rocks of the Old Red Sandstone and the succeeding Carboniferous era underlie the rest of Central Scotland in almost equal measure. Explosive volcanic rocks, thick layers of lava, desert sandstones, limestones and productive coal measures make up this bedrock patchwork. Then, sometime later, a covering of ice, some two kilometres thick, blanketed the landscape. It sandpapered and burnished the bedrock into the familiar scenes we see today – our matchless Scottish landscape. The coal and iron ore which lay beneath the ground between Edinburgh and Glasgow provided the raw materials that drove the Industrial Revolution in Scotland, and the early focus on understanding the rocks beneath our feet was unsurprisingly initially concentrated on the most useful minerals resources.Trade Review'Alan McKirdy’s insights are valuable because he is the author of a string of accessible and informative short illustrated books on the geological history of Scotland' * West Highland Free Press *'Not only are they a wealth of information on Scotland's past, they offer valuable insight as Scotland’s future becomes increasingly uncertain due to climate change' * Dundee Courier *

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Book SynopsisPlacenames are a constant source of debate. Who was Edwin, whose name is said to live on in that of Scotland's capital city? Are the 'drum' and 'chapel' still to be found in Drumchapel? And which 'king' had a 'seat' in Kingseat in Perthshire? The answers to these and many similar questions are often not what might be expected at first sight and have their origins in many languages – including Gaelic, Pictish, Brythonic, Norse, Anglo-Saxon, Scots and Modern English – that have been spoken in Scotland. This is the essential companion to the fascinating world of Scottish placenames. It features more than 8,000 placenames, from districts, towns and villages to rivers, lochs and mountains, and also includes a comprehensive introduction and maps.

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Book SynopsisGeologists are among that group of scientists who must factor the passage of time into their investigations and they thus have a perspective on time that sets them apart from many other researchers. The proposition that geological time is vast, encompassing thousands of millions of years, is relatively recent. It is a concept that remains controversial and unacceptable to many people today who still consider the Earth to have been made to a timetable covering no more than ten thousand years.Paul Lyle examines how our fascination with time has developed from our earliest ancestors' recognition of the cycles of the sun and the moon. It considers the passage of time as a series of non-repeatable events, Time's Arrow, in contrast to time as a series of repeated processes, Time's Cycle, both of which can be used to explain geological features on the Earth's surface.The author argues for a greater understanding of geological or ‘deep time’ as society becomes more aware of the vulnerability of the Earth's resources to over-exploitation by an expanding consumer society. This debate and the controversy surrounding global warming emphasises the importance of geological time to the process of economic and political decision-making. It is a book for those interested in the intellectual challenge presented by the extent of geological time. It is written for environmentalists and policy-makers who wish to better place their concerns and decisions in proper context but, above all, it is a book that offers to share a geologist’s appreciation of time with the widest possible audience.Trade Review'In his latest book, Paul Lyle presents a learned, well-designed and readable account of time in a geological context, drawing its title from James Playfair’s famous aphorism when reflecting on the enormous length of time revealed by the Siccar Point unconformity. It might perhaps have been subtitled ‘The intelligent person’s guide to eternity’, as its intended audience is those with a general interest in the natural world, its development and its future.Specifically it is aimed at those making environmental and development policy who should be better informed of the temporal and geological contexts of their decisions. Plentifully illustrated with well-chosen good quality examples, it would also be a valuable source for introductory geology courses and for those working in the peripheral areas of the Earth sciences.Lyle recounts how our thinking about deep time developed historically in the different perspectives of those who have contemplated it, from the ancient and medieval philosophers, through James Hutton and the Scottish Enlightenment, to the famous geologists and theorists of more recent times.He reviews the formative debate about uniformitarianism and catastrophism, introduces the concepts of time’s arrow and time’s cycle and presents an elegant and succinct overview of the processes working on and within our planet, as we now understand them.He describes the Earth’s development since the beginning, using time as a framework to explain the changes wrought on the Earth both by slow earth processes and by isolated events. Finally he examines contemporary phenomena, both natural and anthropogenic, and applies plate tectonic theory to peer further into the future. In the great scheme of things, while some may think of Man as the most significant being on Earth, we are left perhaps to infer that our effect on the planet itself and its ultimate future is likely to be negligible in the very long run.Tangentially, useful and informative accounts are presented of methods of dating, from semi-quantitative approaches of sedimentology and palaeontology, to quantitative radiometric, dendrological and magnetostratigraphic methods.' Geoscientist'For anyone like me who finds the immensity of geological time ('deep time') both fascinating and fundamentally difficult - both emotionally and intellectually - this is a great book. Paul Lyle has written it for environmentalists and policy makers to help them explain their concerns and decisions more clearly in the context of geological time, but these are not the only people who should read it. It covers (among other things) the history of man's efforts to quantify the earth's age (both relatively and absolutely), from the Ancient Greeks and biblical scholars, through the renaissance to nineteenth and twentieth century efforts to reach an absolute figure of about 4.54 billion years. It also covers the grand themes of geology, including the unifying theory of plate tectonics, and shows how an understanding of time is fundamental to geologists. Therefore, anyone with an intellectual interest in geology and why their science is quite different from the others should read the book.As the author explains, fundamental to the concept of geological time are the concepts of the 'Time's Arrow' and 'Time Cycle'. The first refers to non-repeatable aspects of the flow of time (e.g. the extinction of species, and the creation of banded iron and an oxygen rich atmosphere); while the second refers to series of repeated processes (e.g. rock and water cycles, and the cycles of the moon and sun). Both concepts are essential to explain geological processes and both present problems for lay-people to understand.The author clearly hopes that greater understanding of 'deep time' will lead to more awareness of the Earth's vulnerability, as its resources are depleted by consumers and its climates are affected by global warming. We must realise that economic and political decision-making relies on this understanding. For example, the geology involved in creating crude oil (time's cycle) takes so long that, for human beings, once our supplies have gone, they have gone forever (time's arrow).I can recommend this book on a number of levels and thoroughly enjoyed it.' DepositsTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. Preface. 1: In good time; 2: Tempus fugit – time flies; 3: The importance of understanding time; 4: The early chronologers; 5: Time’s arrow and time’s cycle; 6: The determination of relative time – beds in order; 7: Measurement of absolute time – the age of the Earth; 8: Archaeological time; 9: Time future. References and further reading. Index. Illustration credits.

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Book SynopsisThe extraordinary and beautiful scenery of the Northern Scottish Highlands has been created by a geological history lasting over three billion years. The new and thoroughly up-dated edition of this popular book takes its readers through those three billion years, shows the rocks, visits the places, introduces some famous researchers and presents the geological theories that have been inspired by the Highlands. Even though the influence of this magnificent place can be overwhelming, the book is about geology and the modern science involved. It is written for all to understand. It is a book for non-specialists interested in modern science, scientists and all lovers of the Northern Scottish Highlands.The text is sometimes light-hearted, but the science is serious. The subjects covered are as wide as he the splitting open of the North Atlantic Ocean: a time when the Earth resembled modern Mars; early continent formation; billion year old bacteria; the very beginnings of human evolution; Snowball Earth; and, inevitably, climate change. This is modern science wrapped up in good writing and humour: a rare combination.Trade Review'Hutton’s Arse is a rumbustious account of geology, geologists, landscapes and controversies all written with passion and a certain quirkiness. These are personal stories with the authors guiding readers on adventures in the countryside, describing how landscape reveals clues of past geological activity and how this knowledge can illuminate broader scientific questions. Some of the heroes (and villains) of Victorian earth science are introduced along the way. This second edition improves on the first and will surely sell well, certainly to the visitors taking refuge from the weather, midges and the queues of motorhomes on the A 838. Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association Of the first edition:'This book should be read by all: from the thoroughgoing specialists to those who have been touched by the magnificence and awe-inspiring nature of Scotland’s scenery and geology, and anyone who appreciates well-written work on an inspiring subject that is interspersed with wit, wisdom and emotion.’ Ian Inglis, The Geoscientist‘… a wonderful title for Malcolm Rider’s beautifully produced and easily read book. His description of Cape Wrath’s capacity to diminish the human spirit deserves more than one reading. This is more a page-turner than a text-book.’ Frank Woods, Northwards NowTable of ContentsAbout the authors. Introduction. 1. A RED EARTH: The enigma of the ancient Torridonian; 2. DEEP SCAR: THE MOINE THRUST: The story of a bitter scientific controversy; 3. THE FISH GRAVES OF ACHANARRAS: Devonian fish are human ancestors; 4. VOLCANO: The Tertiary volcanic province and the Atlantic opening; 5. THE COMING ICE AGE: Past and future climates in the Highlands; 6. LEFT-OVERS: The Lewisian Gneiss and the creation of continents; 7. HUTTON’S ARSE (1795) Just another planet? 8. THE FUTURE. Index.

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Book SynopsisThis guide is a starting point for exploring the geology of the Pennines between the southern Yorkshire Dales and Nidderdale in the north and the southern part of the Derbyshire Peak District in the south. The book concentrates on the main Pennine range, but also takes in higher ground to the west, including Rossendale, the Forest of Bowland and the Staffordshire Moorlands. While the guide is aimed primarily at undergraduate level, it is written and illustrated to also appeal to visitors to the area. The greater part of the guide deals with sedimentary rocks of Carboniferous age (360-300 Ma). It discusses the changing tectonic regime and its influence on the development of sedimentary basins and their sedimentation. It describes the depositional environments, the subsequent tectonic deformation of the sediments and the controls on present-day outcrop patterns. The older visible geology consists mostly of limestones, deposited in a tropical setting during the Dinantian (360-330 Ma) on shallow-water carbonate platforms, on ramps and in deeper settings. Mound-shaped reef-like structures, that occur in many limestone areas, consist mostly of carbonate mudstone and formed under the influence of micro-organisms. On the Derbyshire Platform, carbonate deposition was disrupted by basaltic magma around several volcanic centres. Limestone deposition was followed by accumulation of a complex series of sandstones and mudstones comprising the Millstone Grit, deposited throughout the Namurian (330-318 Ma), when the Dinantian sea-floor topography was eliminated by the advance of large deltas, creating a vast plain across which Westphalian (318-308 Ma) Coal Measures were deposited. Introductory chapters explain the tectonic, stratigraphic and sedimentological factors that governed deposition, later deformation and mineralisation. The interaction of fluctuating sea-level in response to southern hemisphere glaciation and ongoing tectonic activity are emphasised. The field guide proper is in six chapters, each devoted to a particular area, where individual localities are described and illustrated. While some itineraries are suggested, the format allows users to plan trips to match their interests. An extensive glossary should help non-geologists with technical terms.

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Book SynopsisThis resource has been comprehensively updated to cover the current CCEA AS Geography specification. It has been through a thorough quality assurance process and is endorsed by CCEA. Following the same content as the specification, the text is illustrated throughout with full colour maps, graphs, photographs and diagrams. It also features questions of examination standard and a glossary of key terms. In line with the specification, both local and global case studies are included to give students a well-rounded understanding of the scope of geographical issues. Contents AS 1: Physical Geography 1A Processes that shape fluvial environments 1B Human interaction in fluvial environments 2A Global biomes 2B Small scale ecosystems 3A The processes that shape our weather and climate 3B Weather in the British Isles 3C Global weather issues AS 2: Human Geography 1A Population data 1B Population change 1C Population and resources 2A Settlement change 2B Planning in rural environments 2C Urban challenges 3A Measuring development 3B Reducing the development gap 3C Emerging markets Glossary Table of ContentsContents AS 1: Physical Geography 1A Processes that shape fluvial environments 1B Human interaction in fluvial environments 2A Global biomes 2B Small scale ecosystems 3A The processes that shape our weather and climate 3B Weather in the British Isles 3C Global weather issues AS 2: Human Geography 1A Population data 1B Population change 1C Population and resources 2A Settlement change 2B Planning in rural environments 2C Urban challenges 3A Measuring development 3B Reducing the development gap 3C Emerging markets Glossary

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Book SynopsisK2 is almost 800ft shorter than Everest, yet it’s a far harder climb. Many great mountaineers became obsessed with reaching its summit, not all of them lived to tell of their adventures. Capturing the depth of their obsession, the heart-stopping tension of the climb and delving into the controversy that still surrounds the first ascent, Mick Conefrey delivers the definitive account of the ‘Savage Mountain’. From drug-addicted occultist Aleister Crowley to the brilliant but tortured expedition leader Charlie Houston and, later, the Italian duo who finally made it to the top, Conefrey resurrects the tragic heroes, eccentric dreamers and uncompromising rivalries forever instilled in K2’s legacy. This is the riveting, groundbreaking story of the world’s deadliest mountain.Trade Review‘Only unbridled ambition is going to get you up K2. And the stories of the early attempts and the eventual success illustrate the complexity of the mountain and the climbers who chose to risk it all. Ghosts of K2 brings them back to life.’ -- Peter Edmund Hillary – mountaineer, expedition leader, philanthropist and author‘Mick Conefrey relates the often unedifying, occasionally heroic saga leading to its first ascent with great panache and lucid analysis of little-known material. A significant contribution to mountaineering historical writing.’ -- Jim Perrin – award-winning author of The Villain: The Life of Don Whillans and Snowdon: The Story of a Welsh Mountain‘Mick Conefrey judiciously and lucidly unravels this tangled tale of courage and conflict. And he displays once again... a consummate ability to tell a ripping good climbing yarn.’ -- Maurice Isserman – co-author of Fallen Giants: A History of Himalayan Mountaineering from the Age of Empire to the Age of Extremes

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Book SynopsisIdeas in Profile: Small Introductions to Big Topics Geography gives shape to our innate curiosity; cartography is older than writing. Channelling our twin urges to explore and understand, geographers uncover the hidden connections of human existence, from infant mortality in inner cities to the decision-makers who fly overhead in executive jets, from natural disasters to over-use of fossil fuels. In this incisive introduction to the subject, Danny Dorling and Carl Lee reveal geography as a science which tackles all of the biggest issues that face us today, from globalisation to equality, from sustainability to population growth, from climate change to changing technology - and the complex interactions between them all. Illustrated by a series of award-winning maps created by Benjamin D. Hennig, this is a book for anyone who wants to know more about why our world is the way it is today, and where it might be heading next.

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Book Synopsis'One of the world's most prominent radical scientists.' The Guardian 'A star among environmental, activist, and anti-corporate circles.' Vice The world’s food supply is in the grip of a profound crisis. Humanity’s ability to feed itself is threatened by a wasteful, globalized agricultural industry, whose relentless pursuit of profit is stretching our planet’s ecosystems to breaking point. Rising food prices have fuelled instability across the world, while industrialized agriculture has contributed to a health crisis of massive proportions, with effects ranging from obesity and diabetes to cancers caused by pesticides. In Who Really Feeds the World?, leading environmentalist Vandana Shiva rejects the dominant, greed-driven paradigm of industrial agriculture, arguing instead for a radical rethink of our relationship with food and with the environment. Industrial agriculture can never be truly sustainable, but it is within our power to create a food system that works for the health and well-being of the planet and all humanity, by developing ecologically friendly farming practices, nurturing biodiversity, and recognizing the invaluable role that small farmers can play in feeding a hungry world.Trade ReviewThe South's best-known environmentalist. * New Internationalist *This is a tour de force that will stimulate and inspire readers to be part of the positive changes towards a better way of living, growing and eating. * Organic NZ *A world leading expert on food sustainability. * Refinery 29 *One of the world's most prominent radical scientists. * The Guardian *If humans survive this century, it will be in no small measure due to the work of Vandana Shiva, one of today's most important writers, thinkers, and activists. Her work is relentlessly compassionate, courageous, and bitingly clear. This profound book should be required reading for anyone who grows – or eats – food. * Derrick Jensen, author of The Myth of Human Supremacy *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Agroecology feeds the world, not a violent knowledge paradigm 2. Living soil feeds the world, not chemical fertilizers 3. Bees and butterflies feed the world, not poisons and pesticides 4. Biodiversity feeds the world, not toxic monocultures 5. Small-scale farmers feed the world, not large-scale industrial farms 6. Seed freedom feeds the world, not seed dictatorship 7. Localization feeds the world, not globalization 8. Women feed the world, not corporations 9. The way forward

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Book SynopsisThe risks of global warming are real, and potentially vast. The difficulty of doing without fossil fuels is daunting, and possibly insurmountable. So there is an urgent need for new thinking on climate change. To meet that need, a small but increasingly influential group of scientists is exploring proposals for planned human intervention in the climate system. A stratospheric veil against the sun; the cultivation of photosynthetic plankton; a fleet of unmanned ships seeding clouds: these are the radical technologies of climate geoengineering. It is chilling to think of such power, and such scope for misadventure or malice, in humans hands. And yet we are now at the point where we have no choice but to take them very seriously indeed. The Planet Remade explores the science, history and politics behind these strategies. It looks at who might want to see geoengineering put to use - and why others would be dead set against it. In the last two centuries, changes to the planet - to the clouds and soils, to the winds and the seas, to the great cycles of nitrogen and carbon - have been far more profound than most of us realize. Appreciating the scale of that change compels us to rethink not just our responses to global warming, but our relationship to nature. With sensitivity, insight and expert science, Oliver Morton unpicks the moral implications of climate change, our fear that people have become a force of nature, and what it might mean to try and use that force for good. The Planet Remade is about imagining a world where people take care instead of taking control.

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Book SynopsisThis is a guide to finding tree-roosts. It is the result of the collaborative efforts of professional surveyors and amateur naturalists across Europe as part of the Bat Tree Habitat Key project, and represents a combination of firsts: It is the first time legislation and planning policy have been reviewed and put to practical use to define an analysis framework with clearly identifiable thresholds for action. Yet, despite its efficacy in a professional context, it is also the first time a guide has been produced that is equally effective in achieving its objective for amateurs. It is the first time such a method has been evidence-supported throughout, with summary reviews of each aspect of the roosting ecology of the individual 14 tree-roosting species, with illustrative photographs and data to which the reader has open access. It is the first time a repeatable analysis framework has been defined against which the surveyor may compare their results at every stage, from the desk-study, through ground-truthing, survey and analysis, thereby ensuring nothing is overlooked and that every result can be objectively compared. The survey and analysis framework itself is ground-breaking in that it may readily be adapted for any taxa; from moths, through amphibians, reptiles, birds and all other mammals. Used diligently, these methods will reward disproportionately and imbue the reader with renewed confidence as they quickly progress from beginner to competency. Thus, this book is for everyone who has ever wanted to find a tree-roost, or to safeguard against inadvertently damaging one.Trade ReviewThis work will serve as an invaluable reference for field biologists who might be called upon to conduct relevant survey work and environmental impact assessments. -- Danny A. Brass * National Speleological Society News *... for anyone wanting to learn more about this fascinating subject it will be the landmark work for many years to come. -- Mark Tunmore * Atropos *I would highly recommend this book for tree-care and ecology professionals. It brings into one place a wealth of knowledge and experience. The links to resources held on the BTHK are very useful. I know that it will be on the shelves of many ecologists but I would urge everyone to read it right through at least once and then dip back into it as you need. That way you will get the most from the knowledge being shared. -- Carol Williams, Director of Conservation, Bat Conservation TrustI would strongly recommend this book (and framework) to tree-care and ecology professionals, and it is potentially of broader interest within the scientific community. -- Stuart Newson, Senior Research Ecologist, BTO * BTO About Birds *Table of ContentsCh 1. Rationale -Introduction -Pre-existing published advice -Motivation -Objective -Proportionality Ch 2. Tree-Roosting Bats -Tree-roosting bat species -Wooded habitat and tree species -Sensitivity to isolation -Seasonal tree-roost occupancy and roost size -Roost heights -General tree-roost preferences Ch 3. Potential Roost Features -Introduction -The Disease and Decay PRF -The Damage PRF -The Association PRF Ch 4. Intelligence-Gathering -Introduction -Resources -Collation of the results Ch 5. The Desk-Study -Introduction -The desk-study objective -The test of 'reasonable likelihood' -To survey or not to survey Ch 6. Ground-Truthing -Introduction -Ground-truthing method -Ground-truthing interpretation Ch 7. Choosing Surveillance Methods -Introduction -Close-inspection -Remote-observation -Static-netting -Radio-tracking -Putting it all together -The proportionality text Ch 8. Close-Inspection -Introduction -Equipment -Health and Safety -Close-inspection method -Interpretation Ch 9. Remote-Observation -Introduction -Confounding factors -Equipment -Health and Safety -Remote-observation method -Interpretation Ch 10. Static-Netting -Introduction -Equipment -Health and Safety -Static-netting method -Interpretation Ch 11. Surveillance Effort -Introduction -Detectability variables -Surveillance periods and intensity therein Ch 12. Trouble-Shooting -Introduction -Fundamental principles -Inconclusive and 'null' results -Indirect damage and disturbance -Comparative assessment of environment -Late commissions -Unlicensed assessments -Getting a second-opinion -Fault-finding

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Book SynopsisAn essential introduction to the surprisingly long history of the electric car, from the early pioneers, through to the first commercially viable marques such as Tesla. After a century in the shadow of the internal combustion engine, the electric motor is making a seismic comeback. Battery-propelled vehicles in fact predate petrol and diesel engines; indeed, in the Edwardian era, electric vehicles could well have become the dominant form of transport. While limitations to their range and speed meant that fossil-fuelled cars rapidly left them behind, since the 1970s there have been several efforts to revive electric cars, and with recent carbon emissions commitments, offerings such as the Tesla Model 3 and Nissan Leaf have been well received. This fully illustrated introduction explains these developments, charting the most notable electric cars, from the eccentric Amitron and Zagato Zele to the now-mainstream models that are set to dominate the market, such as the BMW i3 and Renault Zoe.Table of ContentsEarly Days Insufficient Interest Resurgence of Interest Marking Time: 1980–1999 The Hybrid Option Modern Times Further Reading Places to Visit Index

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Book Synopsis'Warmly entertaining...an endearing account of the search for rare bees' GuardianA hunt for the world's most elusive bees leads Dave Goulson from Poland to Patagonia as well as closer to home, amongst the secret places hidden right under our noses: the abandoned industrial estates where great crested newts roam; or the rewilded estate at Knepp Castle, where, with the aid of some hairy, bluebell-eating Tamworth pigs, nightingale song has been heard for the first time in generations. Whether he is tracking great yellow bumblebees in the Hebrides or chasing orchid bees through the Ecuadorian jungle, Dave Goulson's wit, humour and deep love of nature make him the ideal travelling companion.Trade ReviewYou’ll learn all sorts of interesting things without effort because he’s a natural storyteller with a particular gift of understatement that is often laugh-out-loud funny – which you don’t expect from a bee book… It’s warmly personal, and stuffed full of the inescapable poetry and beauty of the natural world… Going on Bee Quest with him puts the natural world within our reach – to enjoy but also to protect… This is a truly positive and empowering read – you closed it better informed, filled with poetry, pies and ready to get out there and make a difference. -- Laline Paull * Observer *This is a quest that takes us from Patagonia to Poland, from Ecuador to Essex, fueled by Dave Goulson’s extraordinary passion for the bumblebee… Goulson’s search for some of the world’s rarest bees has led him on a geographical and intellectual exploration that combines bizarre facts about bumblebees…with passionate ideas about conservation. -- Martha Kearney * The Times *Dave Goulson… has perfected the art of turning the entomologist’s technical expertise into easy-reading everyman’s prose. He also laces his stories with rich helpings of wit and humour. -- Mark Cocker * Spectator *In this delightful book [Goulson] tells us of the discoveries he has made during his ‘bee travels’… a humorous, beautifully written tribute to these insects, and hope-filled examples of nature’s resilience. * Outdoor Photography *Entomologist Dave Goulson journeyed as far as Patagonia to track down populations of the world’s rarest bumblebees. The result is this fun serial travelogue and ode to diverse countryside… In a world skewed towards saving photogenic mammals, Goulson extols the intrinsic importance of insects, rather than their economic value. -- Barbara Kiser * Nature *

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Book SynopsisThe Isle of Wight is a geological gem with its 110km (68 mile) long coastline displaying a range of rocks dating from Lower Cretaceous to Oligocene age. Many of the sands and clays yield fossil bivalves and gastropods, and its famous dinosaur footprints attract much attention from geologists and tourists alike. Yet the scenic beauty of the island is the product of its differing strata, former earth movements and the erosive power of the sea and the rivers. The monoclinal fold that crosses the island forms the chalk downland ridge that ends in the splendid cliffs of Culver in the east and The Needles in the west. By contrast, the softer rocks produce low, slumped cliffs often cut by steep-sided chines or alternatively, on the north coast, branching estuaries and salt marsh creeks. With over 120 colour illustrations this book discusses the geological processes that created the island's distinctive landscape; it provides a field guide to the identification of rocks and fossils and includes details of nineteen itineraries to discover the geological examples and fossils discussed.Trade ReviewBeautifully illustrated - it discusses the geological processes that created the island’s distinctive landscape in a simple (but not patronising) language that will be attractive to a wide range of readers interested in geology. -- John Trevelyan, Editor Deposits Magazine * Deposits magazine *

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Book Synopsis** One of Refinery29's Essential Books For Surviving 2022 **How to spot greenwashing, stop consuming and demand a more sustainable future.Climate change is now a mainstream conversation topic, and yet every week our recycling piles are still overflowing and we're faced with a steady stream of brands trying to persuade us to buy their eco-friendly products in our quest to live sustainably.For too long, corporations have shifted the eco-responsibility onto us, the consumers. It's time to push back and demand change.In Buy Better, Consume Less, #EthicalHour founder Sian Conway-Wood provides practical tips on how to stop consuming, advice on how to see through corporations' greenwashing, and steps to hold them accountable. In doing so we can create demand for sustainability in supply chains, and put pressure on decision makers to implement systemic change that puts people and planet above profit.

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Book SynopsisAn accessible and hard-hitting look at the facts behind air pollution in everyday life.Take a deep breath. You'll do it 20,000 times a day. You assume all this air is clean; it's the very breath of life.But in Delhi, the toxic smog is as bad for you as smoking 50 cigarettes a day. Even a few days in Paris, London or Rome is equivalent to two or three cigarettes. Air pollution is implicated in six of the top ten causes of death worldwide, including lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, and dementia. Breathless gives us clear facts about air pollution in our everyday lives, showing how it affects our bodies, how much of it occurs in unexpected places (indoors, inside your car), and how you can minimise the risks.Rooted in the latest science, including real-time air-quality experiments in city streets and ordinary homes, it will allow you to make up your own mind about the risks and trade-offs of modern living - wherever in the world you are.Trade ReviewFull of scary information ... Bad air lowers life expectancy around the world and the insidious effects start early. "If you're a 12-year-old growing up in London, dirty air (largely from traffic) is making it significantly more likely that you'll suffer from depression by the time you hit 18," Woodford states. * The Independent, Books of the Month *

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Book SynopsisThe official tie-in to the third instalment in the legendary Planet Earth franchiseFew places on Earth remain untouched by humans, creating challenges for the wildlife we share it with. We have entered a new age, and we must look at the splendour of the natural world through a different lens.From the depths of our oceans, to scorching deserts and the most remote jungles, Planet Earth III features spectacular places and surprising animal behaviours from all corners of our world. And for the first time, a human element is introduced to each landscape, highlighting how, in the age of the Anthropocene, today's planet has been forever changed by humanity and that wildlife now faces new challenges in our crowded, modern world.Featuring over 250 beautiful full-colour photographs, Planet Earth III reveals the wonders and trials of life on an increasingly fragile planet, bringing you closer than ever before to our world’s most intriguing species, unseen landscapes and natural phenomena.

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Book SynopsisThere is no greater aspiration than saving the world. Natalie Fee's upbeat and engaging book is a life-altering guide to making those changes that will contribute to helping our planet. Covering all key areas of our lives, from food and leisure to travel and sex, Natalie will galvanise you to think and live differently. You will feel better, live better and ultimately breathe better in the knowledge that every small change contributes towards saving our world.

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Book SynopsisGeorge Monbiot is one of the most vocal, and eloquent, critics of the current consensus. How Did We Get into this Mess?, based on his powerful journalism, assesses the state we are now in: the devastation of the natural world, the crisis of inequality, the corporate takeover of nature, our obsessions with growth and profit and the decline of the political debate over what to do.While his diagnosis of the problems in front of us is clear-sighted and reasonable, he also develops solutions to challenge the politics of fear. How do we stand up to the powerful when they seem to have all the weapons? What can we do to prepare our children for an uncertain future? Controversial, clear but always rigorously argued, How Did We Get into this Mess? makes a persuasive case for change in our everyday lives, our politics and economics, the ways we treat each other and the natural world.Trade ReviewA dazzling command of science and relentless faith in people . I never miss reading him. -- Naomi KleinWhat most impresses in Monbiot's clever, elegant writing is the way he strives to think beyond protest towards realistic, representative solutions to the problems of world politics and trade * The Times *George Monbiot is always original-both in the intelligence of his opinions and the depth and rigour of his research. -- Brian EnoHis passion for social and ecological justice is undimmed by twenty-first-century cynicism. His desire for knowledge across the widest gamut of subjects (scientific, historical, political and cultural) enables him to reach places which are foreign territory to many of us * Herald *A writer of eloquence and passion. * Observer *How Did We Get into this Mess? does an excellent job of articulating the cultural dearth of our times and suggesting ways to counteract its causes and expressions, whilst resisting defeatism...[Monbiot] leaves his reader with a sense of hope, empowered to help build a better future * Marx & Philosophy *

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Book SynopsisWhat does it mean to be an explorer in the twenty-first century? This is the story of what first led Benedict Allen to head for the farthest reaches of our planet - at a time when there were still valleys and ranges known only to the remote communities who inhabited them. It is also the story of why, thirty years later, he is still exploring. Benedict decides to journey back to a clouded mountain in New Guinea to find an old friend called Korsai, and to fulfil a promise they made as young men. Explorer tells the story of what it means to be 'lost' and 'found'.Trade ReviewA nuanced and sensitive long conversation with the people of Papua New Guinea. . . [Allen] is a sensitive observer . . . [he] has an ear for dialogue and the inconsequential, and a gift for bringing alive the characters he meets * * The Times * *A remarkable journey unfolds . . . [Allen] writes clean, honest prose, creating startling images of all he sees . . . an extraordinary story, painfully assembled and beautifully told * * Spectator * *A love song to the Yaifo and all peoples struggling to maintain dignity and culture in a world gone wrong * * Daily Telegraph * *Honest, sensitive and gives a brilliant look at a world most of us just dream about * * Our Man On The Ground Travel * *Brilliant. Reads like a thriller -- MARCUS du SAUTOY

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Book SynopsisUnder the Sea-Wind marks the beginnings of one of the most significant careers in nature writing. In it Rachel Carson celebrates the mystery and beauty of birds and sea creatures in their natural habitat, conjuring the atmosphere of the shore and the open sea and the delicately balanced, fragile struggle for life along the shoreline.Trade ReviewThe timely reissue of a classic maritime trilogy shows that the "poet of the oceans" was far ahead of her time . . . What's striking is that Carson is a keen observer of the interconnectedness of things . . . Her sea series is not only fascinating for those with an interest in the prehistory of Silent Spring. There is much to marvel at in these pages * * Herald * *Rachel Carson was one of the reasons why I became so conscious of the environment and so involved with environmental issues . . . Her picture hangs on my office wall among those of political leaders, presidents and prime ministers. It has been there for years, and it belongs there. Carson has had as much or more an effect on me than any of them, and perhaps all of them together -- AL GOREPraise for the Sea trilogy: This combination of science and scintillating prose provides fascinating insights into the mysteries of the tides . . . a masterpiece of ecological writing * * Guardian * *Rereading her natural histories, what stands out is how beautiful the writing is. Carson combined a scientist's ability to see with a novelist's ability to imagine * * New Yorker * *[Carson] is the poet laureate of the sea, but also of that "web of life", in which everything is connected to everything else * * London Review of Books * *Praise for Silent Spring: Brilliantly written: clear, controlled and authoritative . . . one of the most effective books ever written . . . the impact is, in all senses, stunning * * Guardian * *Much of what Carson wrote to great controversy is now conventional wisdom. To read Silent Spring now is in part to understand how we got to where we are * * Wall Street Journal * *

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Book SynopsisThe Human Age is an intrepid exploration of the new geological epoch in which we now find ourselves: the Anthropocene. Defined as the Age of Man, this is the epoch in which human beings have become the driving forces that mould, transform and destroy Earth. Where natural occurrences once controlled climate, geology and the genesis and demise of species, humankind now holds the reins. Bringing together scientific theory, political argument, philosophical questioning and our deepest fears and hopes for the future, The Human Age explores this new age through informative and compelling text, and astounding photographs of the impact of human life on Earth. Powerful graphics depict the changing nature of the landscape and the very bedrock of our planet, and the destruction of ancient systems and environments that is resulting in global upheaval and climate breakdown. Creating a visual and written timeline of the age of human domination, The Human Age reveals how this era was born, the ways in which it is impacting us and our planet now, and the outlook for the future. Table of ContentsIntroduction: The new epoch • The strange case of freezing lava • Conceptual debates • The birth of deep time • Early insights and missed opportunities • Excessive heat • Melting of glaciers • Weather extremes • Draining of wetlands • Plastic islands • The ocean • Drilling and fracking • Mass extinction • Inequality • The African Anthropocene • Outer space • Denial • The geosocial turn • Extinction rebellion • Geopolitics • Conclusion • Index.

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Book SynopsisIf you had a trillion dollars and a year to spend it for the good of the world and the advancement of science, what would you do? It's an unimaginably large sum, yet it's only around one per cent of world GDP, and about the valuation of Google, Microsoft or Amazon. It's a much smaller sum than the world found to bail out its banks in 2008 or deal with Covid-19. But what could you achieve with $1 trillion? You could solve the problem of the pandemic, for one, and eradicate malaria, and maybe cure all disease. You could end global poverty. You could settle on the Moon and explore the solar system. You could build a massive particle collider to probe the nature of reality like never before. You could build quantum computers, develop artificial intelligence, or increase human lifespan. You could even create a new life form. Or how about transitioning the world to clean energy? Or preserving the rainforests, or saving all endangered species? Maybe you could refreeze the melting Arctic, launch a new sustainable agricultural revolution, and reverse climate change? How to Spend a Trillion Dollars is the ultimate thought experiment but it is also a call to arms: these are all things we could do, if we put our minds to it - and our money.Trade ReviewHow To Spend a Trillion Dollars is both original and ingenious. Rowan Hooper looks at the problems facing the world today - all the big ones - and presents solutions that are realistic and workable, if governments can wring the money out of giant corporations - and billionaires - that don't like paying tax. Hooper writes with great vivacity and persuasiveness and his book is an exhilarating, encouraging, and hopeful reminder that the solutions are there if we have the will to find them. I hope it sells a trillion. -- Philip PullmanWill someone iust give Rowan Hooper a mere trillion dollars and let him, very sensibly, save the world? -- Caitlin Moranln a world of doom-scrolling, trembling on the brink of causing a mass extinction event that will devastate civilisation, it's crucially important to point out that we already have the abilities needed not only to avoid catastrophe, but to thrive. That's what Hooper does in fascinating and exciting detail. -- Kim Stanley RobinsonAt a moment when science is proving it can solve the most urgent of problems - given the right funding - Rowan Hooper asks a very interesting question. How much would it cost to solve all the world's other problems? ... Like any good game, this is deadly serious. What starts off seeming absurd ends up feeling obvious. Why would we not invest in our future? As Hooper says, "The world is full of extraordinary opportunities, and the vast majority are never undertaken" -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *Brimming with exciting possibilities for a future in which the health and safety of the whole population becomes their responsibility -- Delia SmithWhat would you do with a trillion dollars? In this hopeful and very readable book, Rowan Hooper shows us how a thoughtful investment of financial capital could be used to solve the great challenges we face. None is more near and dire than the climate crisis, and Hooper provides reason for optimism here. The solutions-green energy chief among them-already exist. It's simply a matter of us investing in them. And a trillion dollars spent on climate solutions would payback several times over in avoided damage and destruction and new jobs. Read this book and be inspired to change the world. -- Michael MannI've never before read a book which made me aspire to be a tax collector. But if I was, and if I could just get all the money which the greedy mega-Corps dodge paying, what Hooper so elegantly yet pragmatically shows is that we could so easily "save the world" and have so much fun too. I'll get my suit on! -- Chris PackhamIn a world in which everything seems to be going wrong, this is a refreshingly optimistic book about what real solutions to the world's biggest problems could look like - and cost. Beautifully positive, lucid and accessible. -- Angela Saini, author of SuperiorBy assessing what it would take to tackle the world's biggest problems, Hooper finds that even huge investments pay for themselves many times over. In that sense, his book is like a new version of Brewster's Millions: spend now, win later, with more jobs, better health and, crucially, a better functioning biosphere. * New Scientist *Rowan Hooper shows that the world's most intractable problems might not actually be intractable, if we just devoted the resources to solving them. How to Spend a Trillion Dollars is a fascinating, thought-provoking work. -- Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Sixth ExtinctionFull of lucid and transformative ideas -- George Monbiot

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Book SynopsisWe are the only species that uses fire. It has determined how we have made our home on this planet and it has propelled us to the role of the dominant species in the biosphere. But at the heart of contemporary climate change is the process of combustion. Simon Dalby explores what a life without burning things might look like, and how we might get there. Fires make the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that is heating the planet, melting the ice sheets, changing weather patterns and making wildfires worse. Our civilization is burning things, especially fossil fuels, at prodigious rates. So much so that we are now heading towards a future “Hothouse Earth” with a climate that is very different from what humans have known so far. By focusing on fire and our partial control over one key physical force in the earth system, that of combustion, Simon Dalby is able to ask important and interesting questions about us as humans, including different ways of thinking about how we live, and how we might do so differently in the future. Simply put, there is now far too much “firepower” loose in the world and we need to think much harder about how to live together in ways that don’t require burning stuff to do so.Trade ReviewPyromania explores how we have reached the limit of the planet's natural resources and how we could stop burning up the atmosphere and using it as a free dumping ground for pollutants from fossil fuel. Fire, once an important element to human life, is now possibly our most relevant threat. -- Mia Funk, The Creative ProcessSimon Dalby gives us a radically new approach to the global problem of global heating and climate breakdown. Focusing on the human relationship with fire over time, he shows how our tardy response to the disastrously rapid burning of fossil carbon is forcing us to come to terms with the downside of that relationship. Essential reading. -- Paul Rogers, Emeritus Professor of Peace Studies, Bradford UniversityIn this remarkable tour de force, Simon Dalby convincingly shows how humanity's drive to exploit fire, in all its forms, has shaped world history and is transforming the planet – in an increasingly destructive fashion. The intensive combustion of fossil fuels, he argues, has enabled the rise of our modern, high-tech civilization, but now threatens to ravage our world unless we rapidly decrease our reliance on those very fuels. Sweeping in its scope and relevance, indisputable in its conclusions, Pyromania is an urgent plea for human and planetary transformation. -- Michael T. Klare, Professor Emeritus of Peace and World Security Studies, Hampshire College, AmherstIn 1954 the anthropologist and essayist Loren Eiselely wrote, ‘Man's long adventure with knowledge has, to a very marked degree, been a climb up the heat ladder ... and he is himself a flame – a great, roaring, wasteful furnace devouring irreplaceable substances of the earth’. In Pyromania, Simon Dalby builds brilliantly on Eiseley’s sketch, laying out the threats posed by humanity’s unbridled 'firepower' and offering a compelling call for a post-combustion path to progress. -- Andrew Revkin, author of The Burning Season: The Murder of Chico MendesThe world is burning but our international politics are ill-suited to firefighting. In this challenging yet accessible book, Dalby analyses the new geopolitics of the fire age, pinpointing the urgent action needed to cure the modern world of pyromania. -- Jo Sharp, Professor of Geography, University of St Andrews and Geographer Royal of ScotlandTable of ContentsIntroduction: A World on Fire 1. The Problem of Firepower 2. Fire History and the Making of the Modern World 3. Rethinking Firepower and Geopolitics 4. Shaping the Future: A World After Firepower Conclusion: Join the Fire Department!

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Book SynopsisWildlife expert Eanna Ni Lamhna takes us on a tour of all things to do with our wonderful natural world: from a celebration of our fascinating birds and bees, and their powers of migration and pollination, to the thorny challenges of our time, such as climate change, sustainability and our carbon footprint.Her mantra is that learning about our wild world is not just for young children or David Attenborough fans, it is a lifelong necessary knowledge for our survival ? and we need to open our eyes and our minds to the challenges that face us and our world into the future. The key is to find the balance between our needs and wants and the future of our precious planet and all its inhabitants.This brand new book raises, and discusses, questions such as; Why should we care about this natural world? Do we need and value the great outdoors now more than ever? But who wants spiders in their house? And what use are wasps anyway? Should we be worried by genetic engineering and windfarms? Biodiversity ? what did it ever do for us? Does it mean the end of the world if the whales become extinct? Are global warming and climate change the same thing? What happened to the hole in the ozone layer? Is veganism the answer to sustainable food? What is carbon sequestration ? just fancy words for trees? And why are carbon sinks so important? Is the mobile phone taking over our lives for good or for evil? How does a virus become a pandemic, and why?

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Book SynopsisHealthy Planet offers a clear and concise overview of the global ecological crisis that humanity has brought upon itself, and what options we still have to save a benevolent climate, to restore biodiversity, reduce pollution, and heal the ecosphere of this planet, including ourselves. Since well before the Covid-19 crisis the United Nations have been emphasizing that only a healthy planet can support healthy people. The degradation and pollution of nature also poisons our own bodies. Climate breakdown and the global loss of biodiversity also threaten the human species. But what is a "healthy planet"? How does it work, how much do we disrupt the planet’s life support systems, and what changes are overdue? We have all the necessary means at our disposal, though just patching up the worst symptoms won’t do anymore, we have to address the underlying causes, including our habits, values, and paradigms. We are at a crucial crossroads, and time is running short. If we act fast enough, a dignified and truly sustainable healthy future awaits.

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Book SynopsisWe’ve all seen the news of dead and dying whales, and the alarming amounts of plastic pollution washing up on beaches or floating on the tides. The oceans are in very great danger for many reasons, and it is not just plastic waste, which is bad enough. Overfishing, acidification, coral bleaching, nuclear waste, seabed mining, military testing, and climate change, are taking a very heavy toll on marine creatures of all types, from tiny plankton to the massive whales. The eponymous Dead Zones are aptly named. Many marine creatures are in danger of extinction. Life on this planet depends on healthy oceans. We depend on healthy oceans. This book takes a look at the threats to marine life, and what is being done to save the seas. It is a call to action to save Mother Ocean. The author explains how he became personally motivated to do what he could. As a singer and songwriter he wrote songs and came up with the idea for Ocean Aid concerts. Now he has written the book you are holding. He hopes to inspire you to think about what you can do. We all need to help save the seas.

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Book SynopsisThis book explores the sea and its meanings from ancient myths to contemporary geopolitics, from Atlantis to the Mediterranean migrant crisis. Richard Hamblyn traces a cultural and geographical journey from estuary to abyss, beginning with the topographies of the shoreline and ending with the likely futures of our maritime environments. Along the way, the sea becomes a site of work and endurance, of story and song, of language, leisure and longing. By considering the sea as both a physical and a cultural presence, this book shines new light upon it, and its indelible place in the human imagination.Trade Review“A whirlwind tour of the world’s seas and oceans . . . from oceanography and marine biology to the specialist language of seafarers to the sea as it is represented in art, music, film, and literature, to a dire warning of the sea’s vulnerability to anthropogenic global warming, overfishing, and the eternal life of plastics tossed unthinkingly into the sea. . . . What makes The Sea rare is Hamblyn’s intellectual agility, his capacity to write freshly (and with extraordinary economy) about everything he touches on. He holds my interest and admiration throughout this gorgeously illustrated book.” -- Jonathan Raban, author of "Passage to Juneau: A Sea and Its Meanings" and editor of "The Oxford Book of the Sea"

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Book SynopsisUnearthing the Underworld reveals the hidden world of rocks - the secret-keepers of past environments, of changing climates and the pulse of life over billions of years. Even the most seemingly ordinary stone can tell us much about the history of this planet, opening vistas of ancient worlds of ice, raging floods, strange, unbreathable atmospheres and prehistoric worlds teeming with life. Remarkably, many types of rock owe their existence to living organisms, from the remains of dead animals to rotting ancient forests, or even the activity of fungi, bacteria and viruses. Anything but dull and uninteresting, rocks are intriguing portals that illuminate the secret underworld upon which we live.

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Book SynopsisMembers of the Association for the Study of Travel in Egypt and the Near East (ASTENE), founded in 1997, continue to research, hold international conferences, and publish books and essays in order to reveal the lives, journeys and achievements of these less well-known men and women who have made such a contribution to the present day historical and geographical knowledge of this region of the world and who have also given us a better understanding of its different peoples, languages and religions. The men and women from the past who are written about in this volume are a mixture of the incredibly rich or the very poor, and yet they have one thing in common, the bravery to tackle an adventure into the unknown without the certainty they would ever return home to their families. Some took up the challenge as part of their job or to create a new business, one person travelled to learn how to create and manage a harem at his house in London, others had no choice because as captives in a military campaign they were forced to make journeys into Ottoman controlled lands not knowing exactly where they were, yet every day they were looking for an opportunity to escape and return to their homes, while hoping the next person they met would guide them towards the safest route. Apart from being brave, many of these men and women travellers have something else in common: they and others they encountered have left a collective record describing their travels and their observations about all manner of things. It is these forgotten pioneers who first gathered the facts and details that now fill numerous modern guidebooks, inflight magazines and websites.Table of ContentsIntroduction - by Neil Cooke 1: Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela: a 12th-Century Traveller to the Middle East - by Paul Starkey 2: George Husz from Rascinia in Slavonia: a Croatian traveller and his voyage around the Orient between 1532 and 1541 - by Mladen Tomorad 3: Samuel Atkins: His diary or journal for the years 1680-88 - by Hakan Yazar 4: More treasure hunting in Qurna – the ‘Amr Mosque - by Caroline Simpson 5: Soldiering in Egypt - by Sarah Shepherd 6: The French House in Luxor: Living on top of a temple - by Hélène Virenque and Sylvie Weens 7: The notorious Emil Brugsch: ‘It is said that Brugsch Bey would sell the whole museum.’ - by Heicke Schmidt 8: From Rags to Riches: the adventures of Victor Gustave Maunier in Egypt 1848-1868 - by Sylvie Weens 9: “Let’s have a beer at Gorff’s!” - by Isolde Lehnert 10: A suffragist in Palestine: Millicent Fawcett’s journeys in the 1920s - by Lucy Pollard 11: Anton Prokesch von Osten and his contribution to evolving Egyptology - by Ernst Czerny 12: What the ‘Noble Traveller’ got up to in Thebes: Lord Belmore’s ‘Herculean undertaking’ in TT 148 - by Boyo G. Ockinga 13: Americans on the river Nile in the 1874-1875 Season - by Andrew Oliver 14: Sources of inspiration: Jean-Baptiste Vanmour and other artist-travellers in Ottoman Lands - by Janet Starkey 15: In the wake of a rake: Artist Francis Smith and the 6th Baron Baltimore - by Brian J. Taylor 16: Everything I Want People to Know is in my Books: Leo Tregenza’s Journeys in the Eastern Desert - by Ronald E. Zitterkopf 17: The British Association for the Advancement of Science (BAAS) Expedition to Moab in 1872 – Ginsburg and Tristram: an old academic quarrel? - by David Kennedy 18: ‘Nothing great can be achieved except in the Orient’ said Napoleon Bonaparte - by Heba Sheta Index

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Book SynopsisAristotle’s Meteorologica concentrates on the meteorological aspects of Aristotle’s work published as Meteorologica books A-D, and on how they compare now with our understanding of meteorology and climate change. In other words, how well did Aristotle fair when he tried to explain weather 2,300 years ago when there was only logic, eye observation, and past experience, with only primitive instrumentation and a few personalized measurements? While there are scientific issues behind Aristotle’s writings, this book is written for the non-specialist. The book uses simple examples to present its case, which will be easily followed by general readers.Trade Review'[Aristotle's] explanation of climate change and natural variability [is[ remarkable. Through sound logic – based on the resources available to him at the time – and keen observation, Aristotle made more progress in meteorology than was made in the entire millennium that followed his thesis. Overall, this [book] serves as an interesting and pertinent reminder of how atmospheric science has evolved from Aristotle’s time to today.' - Leilani Dulguerov and Jürg Luterbacher, WMO Secretariat (2022), Meteoworld'This most recent English commented translation of Aristotle’s Metereologica focuses on how Aristotle’s treatise compares with our understanding of meteorology and climate change. In their extensive commentaries, the editors explain how Aristotle tried to explain weather 2.300 years ago, having at his disposal only logic, eye observation, past experience, and primitive instrumentation. The book uses telling examples and can be easily followed by general readers.' - Riccardo Pozzo (2022), Proceedings of the European Academy of Sciences & Arts'This bookfulfills a definite need and offers an authoritative scientificbackground for the study of Aristotle’s weather theory.' – Daniel W.Graham (2023): Aestimatio 3.1Table of ContentsProlegomena ; Introduction: about Aristotle ; His life ; His works ; BOOK A FROM ΜΕΤΕΩΡΟΛΟΓΙΚΑ ; Aristotle’s universe with a glimpse on climate change ; Meteorology now, part 1 ; Analogies and contrasts ; Key points of meteorology now, part 1 ; Back to Aristotle’s Meteorologica ; Meteorology now, part 2 ; Key points of meteorology now, part 2 ; Analogies and contrasts ; Back to Aristotle’s Meteorologica ; BOOK B FROM ΜΕΤΕΩΡΟΛΟΓΙΚΑ ; On winds ; Stormy weather ; Meteorology now, part 3 ; Key points of meteorology now, part 3 ; Back to Aristotle’s Meteorologica ; BOOK C FROM ΜΕΤΕΩΡΟΛΟΓΙΚΑ ; Aristotle’s optics Preparatory introduction ; Aristotle’s general theory of colour ; The halo ; Rainbow ; Sun dogs and light pillars ; Aurora Borealis ; BOOK D FROM ΜΕΤΕΩΡΟΛΟΓΙΚΑ ; Aristotle’s notion on thermodynamic equilibrium ; Concluding remarks ; Appendix I: Aristotle’s poem ‘Ode to Virtue’ ; Appendix II: Aristotle on climate change

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Book SynopsisToday the Upper Thames Valley is a region of green pastures and well-managed farmland, interspersed with pretty villages and intersected by a meandering river. The discovery in 1989 of a mammoth tusk in river gravels at Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire, revealed the very different ancient past of this landscape. Here, some 200,000 years ago, mammoths, straight-tusked elephants, lions, and other animals roamed across grasslands with scattered trees, occasionally disturbed by small bands of Neanderthals. The pit where the tusk was discovered, destined to become a waste disposal site, provided a rare opportunity to conduct intensive excavations that extended over a period of 10 years. This work resulted in the recording and recovery of more than 1500 vertebrate fossils and an abundance of other biological material, including insects, molluscs, and plant remains, together with 36 stone artefacts attributable to Neanderthals. The well-preserved plant remains include leaves, nuts, twigs and large oak logs. Vertebrate remains notably include the most comprehensive known assemblage of a distinctive small form of the steppe mammoth, Mammuthus trogontherii, that is characteristic of an interglacial period equated with marine isotope stage 7 (MIS 7). Richly illustrated throughout, Mammoths and Neanderthals in the Thames Valley offers a detailed account of all these finds and will be of interest to Quaternary specialists and students alike.Table of ContentsList of Figures ; List of Tables ; Preface ; Introduction ; The excavations ; Geological context of the Stanton Harcourt Channel ; Evidence for the Contemporaneity of Bones, Wood, Molluscs and Artefacts ; Stratigraphy and sedimentology ; Bones assemblages at their death sites ; The context of wood, fresh-water molluscs and other environmental material at the excavation site ; The presence of hominins ; Dating The Stanton Harcourt Channel Deposits ; Absolute dating ; Biostratigraphy ; The Mammoths ; The compostion of the mammoth assemblage ; The sex of the Stanton Harcourt mammoths ; Interpreting the mammoth remains: death, carcass dispersal and the effect of the river ; Population structure of the Stanton Harcourt mammoth assemblage ; Large Vertebrates other than Mammoths at Stanton Harcourt ; The carnivores ; The herbivores ; Small vertebrates ; The Climatic and Environmental Evidence ; Wood and other vegetation as climatic indicators ; Climatic interpretation of the molluscs ; Large vertebrates as climatic indicators ; The local environment - wood and other vegetation ; Insects and the environment ; Molluscs and the local environment ; Vertebrates and the environment ; The Artefacts ; Descriptions of the artefacts ; Artefacts from the wider context near Stanton Harcourt ; The Stanton Harcourt artefacts and other British assemblages ; Neanderthals in the Thames Valley ; References

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Book SynopsisOne Korea or two?The persistence of North and South Korea since 1948 has been a source of one war and fears of new wars. Although they share centuries of common culture, society and politics, the two nations differ on fundamentals today: capitalist democracy in the south and totalitarian communism in the north. Dynamics of the Korean State provides a unique overview of how humans treasure their individual lives and how these dynamics intertwine with Korean history and state evolution.The book examines the development of the Korean state from ancient times and sees its roots in the Stone Age struggle for survival. The persistent theme has been to Prolong Life — Postpone Death. Hence, the origins of every state can be found in man's Will-to-Live, and this is demonstrated in the Will/action framework offered by the author. Human Will, not material determinism or divine plan, creates the state. This primary Will generates five other Wills, which motivate actions to culminate in the state and give it a fluidity over time. The six Wills/actions are as follows: Will-to-Live/production; Will-to-Freedom/innovation; Will-to-Power/organization; Will-to-Comply/enforcement; Will-to-Transcend/political vision & religion; and Will-to-Redirect/reform, usurpation, rebellion, revolution. These in combination influence and partially determine state configuration and fluidity, creating order, disorder, war, prosperity, and poverty along the way. This book reveals the undercurrents of Korean society, politics and history from a fresh perspective. Neither pure history nor descriptive politics, it is a significant contribution to a philosophical anthropology paradigm.

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Book SynopsisPolitical economy is a vibrant field of study in which one can draw worrying and profitable conclusions. After the Great Recession: The New Normal is the hybrid of a passionate left-leaning pamphlet and an academic essay in political economy. It brings together in a legible synthesis wide ranging readings to clarify and answer key questions, generating new ones. Why does neoliberalist economy blow bubbles, only to burst them by blowing new ones? How was cheap energy from fossil fuel the cradle of modern economic growth and hegemony? Here writes a fellow seeker with unfailing curiosity and an inquiring mind sustained by hope to build a new society based on mutual aid and shared ethical rules. Mutuality is the second law of the jungle, assisting group survival. This insightful, provocative and timely book provides a comprehensive view of the devastating 2008 financial crisis and its lasting impact on our world and the economy. As well as the nature of capitalism and its financialised version, she considers how environmental changes impact the ability to govern humanity, and what constraints for access to materials and energy may mean for civilisation’s future. The history of several oil shocks is researched, secure energy supplies being a primary driver for geostrategic strategies. The book suggests fossil fuel may not be available and/or profitable to extract in the quantities required long before renewable energy is able to substitute for it. Financialised capitalism, plagued by cycles of boom and bust damaging the real economy, is crashing in slow motion. It is urgent to agree on simplified political structures that may help us face the decline foretold in ‘Limits to Growth’, half a century ago, and prepare for future re-building. After the Great Recession: The New Normal appeals to its audience with a stoic and constructive voice so that we may eventually come together for a better outcome for us all.

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Book SynopsisPeople hunting monkeys in the jungle once devised a simple yet effective trap: When the creature found a banana in a large jar with a narrow neck, it would plunge its paw in to retrieve it. But it couldn’t let go. And unless the monkey released the banana, it was stuck. We are, of course, the stuck monkey, paralysed by our modern lifestyles and consumer habits: our constant stream of online shopping deliveries, our compulsive dependence on digital devices, our obsession with our pets. These addictions, as small and harmless as they may seem, are quietly destroying the planet. And the eco-friendly alternatives that alleviate our guilt are often not much better. In Stuck Monkey, James Hamilton-Paterson uncovers the truth behind the everyday habits fuelling the climate crisis. Drawing on eye-opening research and shocking statistics, he mercilessly dissects a wide spectrum of modern life: pets, gardening, sports, vehicles, fashion, wellness, holidays, and more. Ferociously unflinching and intelligent, this book will make you think twice about the ‘innocent’ habits we often take for granted.Trade ReviewA marvellous, anecdote-packed mix of head-on and sideways takes on how corporate, personal and collective actions are trashing the planet and bringing about a climate and ecological emergency ... I would defy anyone to read this excellent book and not be forced into taking a long, hard look at how they live their life, and then take urgent steps to change it. * Professor Bill McGuire *A highly original and lucid portrayal of the eco-catastrophe we face ... throughout, Hamilton-Paterson's mordant humour offers some solace * Literary Review *Not an easy read, but a timely one, which cuts through a lot of nonsense * Saga Magazine *PRAISE FOR JAMES HAMILTON-PATERSON: 'A superb book, not only meticulously researched but also supremely readable' - Daily Mail 'A terrific story, told with tremendous relish, elegance and attention to detail' * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisPickup an old stamp album and flick through it. You’ll find a host of exotic and unfamiliar names: Cyrenaica, Fernando Poo, Fiume, North Ingria, Obock, Stellaland, Tuva, – distant lands, vanished territories, lost countries. Do they still exist? If not, where were they? What happened to them?From My Old Stamp Album goes in search of the truth about these and many other amazing places. Stuart Laycock and Chris West unearth stories of many kinds. Some take you to long-disappeared empires; others throw light on the modern era’s most pressing wars. You are invited to enjoy them all, in a collection of historical narratives as broad and enticing as that old stamp album that you’ve just discovered in the attic.

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Book SynopsisHave you accidentally ended up in the middle of a Disaster Zone? Yes? Well, do not panic! This book of top survival tips has everything you need to know about one of the world's most devastating disasters. Hold on tight... It is about to get dangerous!

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Book SynopsisThere is a lot more than just sand at theseaside. Come along on a trip to see what seaside creatures you can spot at the beach. The sky, sand, sea and rockpools are teeming with all sorts of life.

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Book SynopsisThere is a lot more than just sand at theseaside. Come along on a trip to see what seaside creatures you can spot at the beach. The sky, sand, sea and rockpools are teeming with all sorts of life.

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Book SynopsisWhen northern Kenyans find elephant bones, they lay down blossoms and branches as a mark of respect, honouring their crucial connection with the wildlife they live alongside. In our changing world, these values are vitally important. For decades, northern Kenya was one step away from a warzone, on the frontlines of climate change and habitat loss. People slept with their shoes on, fearing attack. Wildlife was decimated. Yet, facing the most extreme challenges, people united. What began as a last-ditch effort to save rhinos from extinction sparked a remarkable return of wildlife, with the once-struggling cattle ranch Lewa named a UN World Heritage Site for its outstanding value to humanity. This served as a catalyst for much broader action. Communities created a network of protected lands across an area larger than Switzerland. Through conservation, they built peace, driving social, environmental and political change. From tracking elephants through the bush to gun battles with bandits and treks through Al-Qaeda territory, Peter Martell tells the exciting story of a conservation movement that gives hope. At a time when humanity is reassessing its broken relationship with nature, these communities offer an inspirational blueprint, proving that environmental change does not have to divide, but can bring us together.

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