Earth Sciences, Geography & Environment Books

Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Deutscher Memorial Prize 2023This book presents an encompassing, detailed and thorough overview and reconstruction of Lefebvre's theory of space and of the urban. Henri Lefebvre belongs to the generation of the great French intellectuals and philosophers, together with his contemporaries Michel Foucault and Jean-Paul Sartre. His theory has experienced a remarkable revival over the last two decades, and is discussed and applied today in many disciplines in humanities and social sciences, particularly in urban studies, geography, urban sociology, urban anthropology, architecture and planning. Lefebvre, together with David Harvey, is one of the leading and most read theoreticians in these fields. This book explains in an accessible way the theoretical and epistemological context of this work in French philosophy and in the German dialectic (Hegel, Marx, and Nietzsche), and reconstructs in detail the historical development of its different elements. It also gives an overview on the receptions of Lefebvre and discusses a wide range of applications of this theory in many research fields, such as urban and regional development, urbanization, urbanity, social space, and everyday life.Trade ReviewChristian Schmid's reception and interpretation of Lefebvre's oeuvre refers strictly to the French originals and represents the first comprehensive epistemological reconstruction of the theory of the production of space. On that basis many of the previous confusions in the development of a critical spatial theory are clarified. This is where I see the highest significance of this path-breaking publication. -- Prof. Dr. Benno Werlen, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, GermanySchmid's publication is a superb theoretical treatise on Lefebvre, clarifying many common misunderstandings. It is particularly timely for those urban China researchers who are keen to avoid past mistakes of randomly indigenising and appropriating Western concepts and develop locally relevant theories in fruitful conversation with critical urban research. -- Prof. Dr. Wing-Shing Tang, Hong Kong Baptist UniversityChristian Schmid provides us with a wonderfully lucid guide through the complexity and richness of Henri Lefebvre's oeuvre. Among the many contributions of the book is the powerful new light it sheds on Lefebvre's spatio-historical and dialectical theory of society. Without question, it opens up vital new possibilities for a renewal of social theory, empirical research and political practice. -- Gillian HartChristian Schmid's carefully translated and strategically updated volume offers the most comprehensive reconstruction of Henri Lefebvre's theory of the production of space available in the English language today. On the basis of an unusually methodical discussion of the various intellectual currents that converge in Henri Lefebvre's vast life work, Schmid gives us crucial insights about the deeply dynamic and richly multidimensional ways in which space is produced. Henri Lefebvre and the Theory of the Production of Space constitutes mandatory reading for a wide audience ranging from specialists of 20th century social theory to thoughtful political organizers and practitioners of urban research. -- Stefan Kipfer, Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York UniversityIn this authoritative book, Christian Schmid systematically reconstructs Henri Lefebvre's theory of space production as a general theory of the urban society. By critically expanding the German-language original, this volume shows both the basis and the outcome of four decades of Schmid's thinking and studying cities with Lefebvre. -- Lukasz Stanek, University of Michigan, Ann ArborChristian Schmid has written the most meticulous, comprehensive and lucid interpretation of French Marxist philosopher Henri Lefebvre's incomparable oeuvre on space. Henri Lefebvre and the Theory of the Production of Space is distinguished above all by Schmid's imaginative grasp of Lefebvre's dialectical method, especially in exploring spatial mediations of everyday life, state and capital. This book will be essential and exhilarating reading for anyone interested in how space is political. -- Kanishka Goonewardena, Geography and Planning, University of TorontoIn an age of planetary urban transformation, crisis and insurgency, Henri Lefebvre's ideas continue to inspire radical urban research and practice around the world. In this long-awaited translation and elaboration of a work originally published in German over two decades ago, Christian Schmid offers a comprehensive reconstruction and systematic interpretation of Lefebvre's philosophy of space, framed in direct relation to the challenges of deciphering ongoing patterns and pathways of urban restructuring, their contradictions and their potentialities. In so doing, makes a path-breaking contribution to radical urban theory. -- Neil Brenner

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Book SynopsisBig cities don’t have to mean a dystopian future. They can be turned around to be powerhouses of well-being and environmental sustainability – if we empower women. This book is a unique collaboration between C40 and Friends of the Earth showcasing pioneering city mayors, key voices in the environmental and feminist movements, and academics. The essays collectively demonstrate both the need for women’s empowerment for climate action and the powerful change it can bring. A rallying call – for the planet, for women, for everyone.Trade ReviewThis book contains a wealth of information that will be useful to many readers looking for an overview on the diversity of perspectives on gender and climate change. * Women's Budget Group *There couldn’t be a clearer example of how important it is to recognise the intersectionality of the issues we’re facing. * Peace News *The essays in this book make the case for women’s empowerment for climate action and the powerful change it can bring. * Stylist *…this book is relevant to a wide audience (arguably everyone): to inform our understanding of discrimination against women, and to provide inspiring insight and encouragement into opportunities for achieving not only gender equality but environmental sustainability too. * Praise for the First Edition, Environment and Urbanization *Provides a depth and breadth of diverse perspectives to answer yes to the question: "Could women’s empowerment transform the chances of achieving environmental sustainability?". * Local Environment *As we look to address the greatest challenge humankind has ever faced, we do so with one of the greatest possible resources: womankind… Empowering the next generation of women leaders is a concrete step towards securing a bright, sustainable future for all. Through this book, we are seeking to share the wisdom of a pioneering generation of women leaders with the leaders to come. * Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, from the Foreword *Hope is a potent catalyst. And while our failure to adequately appreciate and guard against ecological destruction fills me with frustration, my hope is not meek or weak. It is urgent and raging. It’s a hope that believes a better world – away from cyclical war, the annihilation of the earth’s treasures and the grinding down of the poor – is possible. * Caroline Lucas MP *If women are given equal opportunities to contribute to the global condition we will be able to create a safer, more just and more prosperous world. Universal wellbeing created by universal participation. * Christiana Figueres, Architect of the Paris Climate Agreement *A wake-up call for the environmental movement * Praise for the First Edition, Craig Bennett, CEO of Friends of the Earth *An inspiring call to action * Liz Hutchins, Campaigns Director, Friends of the Earth *Climate action offers the opportunity to transform social and economic development for the better. We must take this opportunity to elevate women and girls as equals in a stable and sustainable society marked by lasting peace and prosperity. That is how women will save the planet. * Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change *You can’t save the planet without equality … We need a new economics informed by the larger picture, an economy that puts women and the Earth at the centre. * Vandana Shiva *Table of ContentsForeword by Anne Hidalgo Introduction by Nicola Baird 1. The Power of Stubborn Optimism - Christiana Figueres 2. Empowering Women to Power up the Paris Agreement on Climate Change - Patricia Espinosa 3. The Hissing of Summer Lawns: Cities, Gender, and Climate Change - Susan Buckingham 4. What’s Happening in Durban: From ‘Tree-Preneurs’ to Trendsetters - Zandile Gumede 5. Women’s Empowerment and Environmental Sustainability in the Context of International UN agreements - Diane Elson 6. Walking the Talk: Empowering Tomorrow’s Women Leaders - Alexandra Palt 7. How Holistic Thinking Benefits People and Planet - Lola Young 8. How Gender-Sensitive are National Adaptation Programmes of Action? Selected Findings from a Desk Review of Thirty-One Sub-Saharan African Countries - Nathalie Holvoet and Liesbeth Inberg 9. Why Educating Girls is Essential for a Sustainable Future - Atti Worku 10. Women, Conflict and the Environment in Somali Society - Shukri Haji Ismail Bandare and Fatima Jibrell 11. The Close Ties between Social and Environmental Justice - Karin Nansen 12. Engendering Urban Climate Policy - Gotelind Alber 13. Why do Gender Equality and Sustainability Go Hand in Hand? - Lyla Mehta and Melissa Leach 14. The Benefits of using a Gender Lens - Naoko Ishii 15. Is there a Specific Role for Women in Helping to Achieve Environmental Sustainability through Politics? - Caroline Lucas 16. Empowering a Balanced and Useful Economics of Sustainability: The Role of Gender - Julie A. Nelson 17. Hand in Hand: Women’s Empowerment and Sustainability - Vandana Shiva 18. How the Defence of the Commons and Territories has become a Core Part of Feminist, Anti-Capitalist Struggles - Celia Alldridge 19. Mother Earth - Maria Mies 20. From Icebergs to Climate Refugees - Jude Kelly 21. From Individual to Communal Rights: Empowering Women for Sustainable Use of Natural Resources - Nidhi Tandon 22. The Role of Fashion in Bringing About Social and Ecological Change - Anna Fitzpatrick 23. Family Planning: A Win-Win for Women and Sustainability - Carina Hirsch 24. The Power of Grassroots Action for Women’s Empowerment and the Environment - Kate Metcalf and colleagues 25. One Hundred Years of Collective Action for Environmental Change - Marylyn Haines Evans 26. The Impact of Gender Balance in the Renewable Energy Sector - Juliet Davenport 27. More Women in Business for a Sustainable Economy - Emma Howard Boyd

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Book SynopsisThis beautifully designed model account includes important new information which will not only be of great interest to botanists, conservationist and horticulturists but also to local people who are dependent on the diminishing natural habitats in central and southern Chile.

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Book SynopsisBrown Hares in the Derbyshire Dales is a written and photographic celebration of one of the Peak District’s most secretive and enigmatic animals. Meticulously researched and beautifully illustrated with over 100 colour photographs, this book gives a unique insight into the life, habitat and history of a much loved, yet threatened, species.First published in 2010 to coincide with the International Year of Biodiversity, this new edition – with more than 60 new photos – is intended to raise awareness of the brown hare (Lepus europaeus), which is now extinct in parts of Britain and listed as a priority species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.The book is split into two sections; the first describes the brown hare, what differentiates them from rabbits and other hares, their breeding patterns, courtship, boxing, their remarkable speed and agility, their habitat, what they eat, and their history in the UK and the Derbyshire Dales. There are also tips on where and how to see hares in the wild.The second section, biodiversity, sets the hare in the context of the rapid and extensive loss of their preferred natural habitat, primarily wildflower meadows and traditional grasslands, now almost eradicated by intensive farming systems in some areas. Balanced yet thought-provoking reflections on these modern farming methods are supplemented by accounts from local farmers, including Lord Edward Manners of Haddon Hall, interviewed especially for the book by the author.From local author and photographer Christine Gregory, Brown Hares in the Derbyshire Dales is an enlightening and captivating portrait of a beautiful British mammal.Trade Review'It features wonderful images of the hares themselves, a testimony to the author's patience, fieldcraft and expertise as a photographer ... Underlying the photography, the text carries a powerful conservation message, emphasising the importance of habitat diversity, for the hares and for the rest of the associated wildlife.' Dr Derek Yalden, Mammal News'Christine Gregory's book is a worthy addition to the tradition of natural history writing. It is scientifically accurate, well-written and a homage to an animal Christine is clearly fond of.' Jim Dixon, Chief Executive, Peak District National Park Authority

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Book SynopsisThe water vole is one of Britain's most endangered mammals. A native of the British Isles, and popularised in modern culture as 'Ratty' in Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows, the water vole is a cherished resident of our rivers, canals, streams and ponds. But this once ever-present mammal, like so many others, is now in danger - during the 1990s Britain's water vole population declined by over 80 per cent, and it is now fully protected by law in England and Wales. In The Water Vole, Christine Gregory, author of Brown Hares in the Derbyshire Dales and A River in Time, tells the story of the water vole, past, present and future, principally through its history in the waterways of Derbyshire. Having spent several years studying Derbyshire's water vole population and habitats, and capturing their behaviour intimately through her photography, Christine has developed a relationship with many of the custodians of the county's waterways, who are vital to the survival of the water vole. Decades of painstaking research into the decline of the water vole and the visionary work of conservationists give much cause for hope. Respecting our countryside and wild places and rebuilding the health of our rivers is key: we all have a role to play in the water vole's future.Table of ContentsForeword by Chris Packham; Introduction; Part 1 - The Water Vole; Part 2 - How Water Voles Live; Part 3 - A Protected Species; Part 4 - Derbyshire's Water Voles; Part 5 - History of the Water Vole in Britain; Part 6 - The Otter, the Mink and the Water Vole; Part 7 - The Future for Water Voles; Appendices.

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Book Synopsis'All mountaineers develop differently. Some go higher, some try ever-steeper faces and others specialise in a particular range or region. I am increasingly drawn to remoteness – to places where few others have trod.'The Wild Within is the third book from Simon Yates, one of Britain's most accomplished and daring mountaineers. With his insatiable appetite for adventure and exploratory mountaineering, Yates leads unique expeditions to unclimbed peaks in the Cordillera Darwin in Tierra del Fuego, the Wrangell St-Elias ranges on the Alaska-Yukon border, and Eastern Greenland. Laced with dry humour, he relates his own experience of the rapid commercialisation of mountain wilderness, while grappling with his new-found commitments as a family man. At the same time he must endure his role in the film adaptation of Joe Simpson's Touching The Void, having to relive the events of that trip to Peru for a Hollywood director.Yates' subsequent escape to the some of the world's most remote mountains isn't quite the experience it once was, as he witnesses first hand the advance of modern communications into the wilderness, signalled by the ubiquitous mobile phone masts appearing in once-deserted mountain valleys. He is left to dwell on the remaining significance of mountain wilderness and must rediscover what the notion of 'wild' means for him now.Trade Review"This book makes essential reading." (Simon Richardson, Climber magazine). "...a very good read, full of great stories and inspiration. It should be on the reading list of any budding expeditioneer." (Kenton Cool, Climb Magazine). "The Wild Within by Simon Yates is more than a standard mountaineering memoir. Yates is an insightful writer." (Lindsay Griffin, Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature). "In some ways The Wild Within is a lament for a lost world of wilderness and the reader leaves with a tinge of sadness that the world is so linked up, but it's also a celebration that the spirit of wilderness John Muir so eloquently described as being essential to the human soul. It's a big departure from previous books Against the Wall and The Flame of Adventure, but a departure that's more than succeeded." (Dave Mycroft, MyOutdoors.co.uk). "The Wild Within takes the reader to the outer limits of mountaineering experience and frames the journey in all its elemental power and mystery. The author's first book for Vertebrate can be considered a success. It can only further cement his reputation as a romantic wanderer and wilderness narrator." (John Appleby, Footless Crow). "Simon Yates has the rare ability to capture the reader's attention in the first few sentences and then to maintain interest until the very last sentence in the book. This personal tale of adventure and remarkable mountaineering skill is one that I couldn't put down until I had finished it!" (Joyce Wilson, Keswick Reminder).Table of ContentsIntroductionCordillera Darwin – Tierra Del Fuego MapOne That’s Very AmbitiousTwo Not Very ProfessionalThree The Way of the GauchoFour All Your Front TeethFive Life is GoodSix More Like Being AbroadSeven It Might not be the HardestMilne Land – Eastern Greenland MapEight A Plane CrasherNine It’s Like PantomimeTen I’ll Never Do Anything BetterWrangell-St Elias Ranges – Alaska/Yukon MapEleven Not for the Faint-HeartedEpilogueAcknowledgements

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Book Synopsis‘He appeared, without a word, in the tent’s entrance, covered in ice. He looked like anyone would after spending over twenty-four hours in a hurricane at over 8,000 metres. In winter. In the Karakoram. He was so exhausted he couldn’t speak.’Of all the games mountaineers play on the world’s high mountains, the hardest – and cruellest – is climbing the fourteen peaks over 8,000 metres in the bitter cold of winter. Ferocious winds that can pick you up and throw you down, freezing temperatures that burn your lungs and numb your bones, weeks of psychological torment in dark isolation: these are adventures for those with an iron will and a ruthless determination.For the first time, award-winning author Bernadette McDonald tells the story of how Poland’s ice warriors made winter their own, perfecting what they dubbed ‘the art of suffering’ as they fought their way to the summit of Everest in the winter of 1980 – the first 8,000-metre peak they climbed this way but by no means their last. She reveals what it was that inspired the Poles to take up this brutal game, how increasing numbers of climbers from other nations were inspired to enter the arena, and how competition intensified as each remaining peak finally submitted to leave just one awaiting a winter ascent, the meanest of them all: K2.Winter 8000 is the story of true adventure at its most demanding.Trade ReviewMcDonald shines a burning and intimate light into the souls of those who push themselves to the very edge of what is humanly possible. An instant mountaineering classic.JIMMY CHIN, CO-DIRECTOR OF FREE SOLO -- Jimmy ChinBernadette McDonald has the skill and experience to work on the largest Himalayan tapestry, the epic history, as well as pick at its individual human threads.ANDY KIRKPATRICK, AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF PSYCHOVERTICAL AND COLD WARS -- Andy KirkpatrickIn Winter 8000, Bernadette McDonald demonstrates once more her essential contribution to mountaineering history. With vividness and keen insight, she evokes a world that few experience first-hand: the landscapes of black ice, thin air and searing cold – as well as the haunting inner realms of people drawn to the isolation of the highest peaks and the darkest months.KATIE IVES, ALPINIST EDITOR-IN-CHIEF -- Katie IvesReading Bernadette’s superb book brought back memories of our attempt on the South-West Face of Everest in autumn 1972 when the wind and bitter cold overtook us. K2 is the only 8,000-metre peak still unclimbed in winter. Already the most difficult and dangerous mountain in the world, its first winter ascent remains a huge challenge for climbers of this generation and the future.SIR CHRIS BONINGTON -- Sir Chris BoningtonThere are no stories more terrifying, dramatic, and tearful than the abundant struggles, frequent tragedies, and rare successes in winter Himalayan climbing.STEVE HOUSE, ALPINIST, AUTHOR OF BEYOND THE MOUNTAIN -- Steve HouseBernadette McDonald has done it again. She has chronicled the first winter ascents of the fourteen highest peaks on Earth by men and women who pushed the limits of mountaineering to glorious new extremes at a terrible cost. Rich in character and conflict, Winter 8000 never turns its back on the central question: Is it worth the risk?DAVID ROBERTS, AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF MOUNTAIN OF MY FEAR -- David RobertsBernadette McDonald’s clear-eyed portrayal of the men and women who embark on these ferocious adventures reveals their addiction to the cruel, rarefied beauty of the high Himalaya, and how intense ambition pushes them to risk destroying their lives and shattering the hearts of those who love them.MARIA COFFEY, AUTHOR OF WHERE THE MOUNTAIN CASTS ITS SHADOW -- Maria CoffeyWith this book, Bernadette McDonald burnishes her already shining reputation as one of our great climbing historians. These accounts give us a fascinating portrayal of the few alpinists who are willing to endure winter ascents of the world’s highest mountains.STEVE SWENSON, AUTHOR OF KARAKORAM: CLIMBING THROUGH THE KASHMIR CONFLICT -- Steve SwensonTable of ContentsIntroduction A Solitary VisionChapter One Everest – First Time LuckyChapter Two Manaslu – Zakopane BoysChapter Three Dhaulagiri – The Looking GlassChapter Four Cho Oyu – Two for TwoChapter Five Kangchenjunga – How Much Is Too Much?Chapter Six Annapurna – Carpe DiemChapter Seven Lhotse – Climbing in a CorsetChapter Eight Shishapangma – The ItalianChapter Nine Makalu – Two Against the WindChapter Ten Gasherbrum II – AvalancheChapter Eleven Gasherbrum I – Lost FathersChapter Twelve Broad Peak – Unfinished BusinessChapter Thirteen Nanga Parbat – Magnificent ObsessionChapter Fourteen K2 – A Mountain for ThoroughbredsConclusion Ice WarriorsAppendix A Selected List of ClimbersAppendix B Summary of First Winter Ascents of 8000ers

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Book Synopsis'Even the most casual reader among you will by now have worked out that the whole thing is little more than a delightful ruse for having a very good time.'Experienced climber Charles Sherwood is on a quest to find the best climb on each continent. He eschews the traditional Seven Summits, where height alone is the determining factor, and instead considers mountaineering challenge, natural beauty and historical context, aiming to capture the diverse character of each continent and the sheer variety of climbing in all its forms.The author's ambitious odyssey takes him to the Alps, the Himalaya, Yosemite, the Andes, Kenya, New Zealand and South Georgia. His goal is neither to seek glory nor to complete a box-ticking exercise, but simply to enjoy himself in the company of his fellow climbers, including Mark Seaton, Andy Kirkpatrick and Stephen Venables, and to appreciate the splendour of his surroundings. On classic routes like the North Face of the Eiger and the Nose on El Capitan, it is hard not to be swept away by Sherwood's unfaltering enthusiasm.Also featuring fascinating historical detail about each route, Seven Climbs is a compelling account of Sherwood's efforts to answer a much-debated question: which are the world’s greatest climbs?Table of ContentsThe Challenge1. Europe: 1938 Route, North Face of the Eiger (Switzerland)2. Asia: South-West Ridge of Ama Dablam (Nepal)3. North America: The Nose, El Capitan, Yosemite (USA)4. South America: South-West Face of Alpamayo, Cordillera Blanca (Peru)5. Africa: Traverse of Nelion and Batian, Mount Kenya (Kenya)6. Australasia/Oceania: Linda Glacier Route, Aoraki/Mount Cook (New Zealand)7. Antarctica: Coast-to-Coast Traverse of the Salvesen Range, South Georgia (UK Overseas Territory)Not-So-Final Thoughts

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Book SynopsisSurrounded on three sides by water, Wales has hundreds of beaches to choose from. The Beaches of Wales by Alistair Hare is the first guide to every named beach and cove around the Welsh coastline. Listing approximately 500 beaches, this book offers something for everyone – from secret beaches and remote coves to dog-friendly beaches, surf beaches and more. It is an invaluable guide for families, holidaymakers, anglers, surfers and other watersports enthusiasts. The author is no stranger to Wales’s coastline: his research for this guide has taken him to every beach on the entire coast of Wales, exploring and taking photographs to help visitors find their perfect beach, first time. Split into easy-to-use sections, this guide includes everything from Penarth Beach near Cardiff in the south to Talacre Beach near Prestatyn in the north, as well as an additional section for beaches located on the country’s islands. Discover Wales’s most beautiful and popular beaches, such as Barafundle Bay in Pembrokeshire and Porth Ceiriad on the Llŷn Peninsula, as well as its isolated coves and remote sandy beaches, such as Cemetery Beach in Gwynedd and Whiteford Sands on the Gower Peninsula. Featuring essential information such as access and parking, facilities, and seasonal restrictions, alongside sections on beach safety and wildlife hazards, together with stunning photography and custom mapping, The Beaches of Wales will help you discover all that Wales’s coastline has to offer.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewDedicated readers of ecology, theology, or religious philosophy will want to savor each one [of these essays]. Library Journal The volume is a fair encapsulation of the intellectual concerns for which Berry is best known. -- Christina Peppard Commonweal Thoams Berry demonstrattes in these papers the qualities he calls for: humanist vision and imagination. Resurgence When encountering the essays, one is struck by the clarity of analyses showing humanity's destructive antagonism toward the Earth. In them we observe the gradual evocation of a vision in which this antagonism is overcome so that we can live in harmony and peace on our planetary home. -- Norman Wirzba Journal of the American Academy of Religion The Sacred Universe is an important, inspiring compendium of the thought of a great soul and spiritually profound seeker, who cogently and consistently reminds, even after his death, that we must learn to feel at home in the universe. -- Stephen B. Scharper America This text will serve as an excellent introduction to [Thomas] Berry... -- Peter Ellard, Siena College The International Journal of Environmental StudiesTable of ContentsForeword, by Mary Evelyn Tucker Part I 1. Traditional Religion in the Modern World (1972) 2. Religion in the Global Human Community (1975) 3. Alienation 4. Historical and Contemporary Spirituality Part II 5. The Spirituality of the Earth (1979) 6. Religion in the Twenty-first Century (1993, 1996) 7. Religion in the Ecozoic Era (1993) Part III 8. The Gaia Hypothesis: Its Religious Implications (1994) 9. The Cosmology of Religions (1994, 1998) 10. An Ecologically Sensitive Spirituality (1996) Part IV 11. The Universe as Divine Manifestation (2001) 12. The Sacred Universe (1998, 2001) 13. The World of Wonder (2001) Notes Index

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Book SynopsisOn the Prowl is a fully illustrated and approachable guide to the evolution of the big cats and what it portends for their conservation today. Mark Hallett and John M. Harris trace the origins of these iconic carnivores, venturing down the evolutionary pathways that produced the diversity of big cat species that have walked the earth.Trade ReviewOn the Prowl is a superb book, both enjoyable and instructive. I’m greatly impressed with the huge amount of data that Hallett and Harris have collected and presented in a most readable manner. The complex evolutionary history and relationships of the cats will keep researchers arguing for years. -- George Schaller, senior conservationist, Wildlife Conservation Society, and author of The Serengeti Lion: A Study of Predator-Prey RelationsOn the Prowl brings together biological and paleontological research related to the origins and history of the big cats, with an original emphasis on Asiatic data, paying homage to their majesty, dignity, and beauty. Mark Hallett’s artwork has succeeded brilliantly in capturing their inner spirit and character, their vulnerability and vitality. This book will serve the noble goals of making people aware of the fragility of ecosystems and revealing the moral obligation to preserve and protect extant species. -- Christine Argot, research professor and curator of collections, Muséum National d’Histoire NaturelleHallett and Harris guide the reader on a 20-million-year tour of predator and prey evolution, using environmental change as an engine for adaptation and extinction. The narrative is engaging, spiked with a touch of controversy, and supported by superb illustrations. For those interested in the evolutionary origins of big cats, On the Prowl would be a valuable addition to your library. -- Christopher Shaw, Idaho Museum of Natural History[An] erudite study of big cats. * Nature *Will have many a book lover purring with pleasure. * The Inquisitive Biologist *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsPreface1. Threads in the Fabric of Time2. Anatomy of a Hunter3. A Breath of Frost4. Beyond the Distant Horizons5. Testimony of the Caves6. Aftermath of an Ice Age7. Man the Destroyer8. The Steeds of DurgaAppendix 1: Distribution of Pantherins and Other Felids in Geologic TimeAppendix 2: Pantherin Dispersals Across the WorldAppendix 3: Taking ActionAppendix 4: Species of the Genus PantheraGlossarySourcesSuggested ReadingIndex

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Book SynopsisIn Fantastic Fossils, Donald R. Prothero offers an accessible, entertaining, and richly illustrated guide to the paleontologist’s journey. He details the best places to look for fossils, the art of how to find them, and how to classify the major types.Trade ReviewThis book condenses most of what you find in a college textbook on paleontology into a concise, readable handbook that explains everything from how to find and collect fossils to how to assign them scientific names. No fossil enthusiast should be without it! -- Spencer G. Lucas, Curator of Paleontology, New Mexico Museum of Natural History and ScienceDonald Prothero knows how to use the written word to make paleontology exciting, and the literary adventure he takes us on in his latest book, Fantastic Fossils, is definitely worth the price of admission. Via prose and a plethora of illustrations, Prothero shepherds us from badlands to beaches and quarries to roadcuts; all of these peregrinations give the reader a sense of what it’s like to be on a paleontological quest. As part of this metaphorical pursuit one also receives practical knowledge; the reader comes to understand not only how to collect and identify fossils but also their broader significance as natural history objects with myriad implications for ecology, evolution and climate change. Prothero’s book features the remark that: “Fossils are cool. Fossils are amazing.” I concur, and if you do too, or if you’re anyone from nine to ninety who wants to learn more about fossils, you should definitely check out this book. -- Bruce S. Lieberman, Biodiversity Institute and Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of KansasProthero is a prolific author of popular paleontology titles. Meeting his usual excellent standard, this delightful and wide-ranging book provides an engaging grounding in the basics of paleontology and geology, alongside information on many of the common creatures budding fossil hunters are likely to encounter. -- John Pickrell, author of Flying Dinosaurs and Weird DinosaursThe text is easy to understand, with limited use of jargon, and will be most helpful to beginners who want to know more about fossils but have limited geological understanding. * Choice *Accessible, entertaining, and richly illustrated. A must have for anyone with an interest in fossils. * Birdbooker Report *Table of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsPart I. Fossils Are Where You Find Them1. Fantastic Fossils2. How Are Fossils Formed?3. What Kinds of Rocks Yield Fossils?4. Where Do You Find Fossils?5. Dating Fossils6. Collecting Fossils: Badlands7. Collecting Fossils: Beaches8. Collecting Fossils: Quarries and Roadcuts9. The Crucial Step: Collecting DataPart II. Identifying Your Fossils10. What’s in a Name?11. Phylum Porifera: Sponges and Their Relatives12. Phylum Cnidaria (Coelenterates): Sea Jellies, Sea Anemones, and Corals13. Phylum Brachiopoda: Brachiopods, or Lamp Shells14. Phylum Bryozoa: Bryozoans, or Moss Animals15. Phylum Arthropoda: Trilobites and Their Relatives16. Phylum Mollusca: Clams, Snail, Squids, and Their Relatives17. Phylum Echinodermata: Sea Stars, Sea Urchins, and Their Relatives18. Phylum Hemichordata: Graptolites19. Phylum Chordata: Fish, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, and Mammals20. Paleobotany: Fossil PlantsIndex

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Book SynopsisSmoke on the Water traces the rise and fall of ocean incineration, showing how a transnational environmental movement tested the limits of U.S. political and economic power.Trade ReviewIn this brilliant book, Fazzi reveals how the incineration of hazardous materials at sea became an engine of empire and environmental politics. Smoke on the Water offers a beacon of hope, showing how in the churn of local and global politics, new standards of environmental justice have issued forth. -- Megan Black, author of The Global Interior: Mineral Frontiers and American PowerSmoke on the Water weaves a compelling narrative from a dizzying array of strands, laying out the complexities of local and global actions taken to rein in the environmentally disastrous practice of ocean incineration. Fazzi’s wide-ranging research combines with his accessible writing to make for a story that will appeal to scholars across many areas of interest. -- Anne Foster, author of Projections of Power: The United States and Europe in Colonial Southeast Asia, 1919–1941A welcome addition to the growing field of international environmental history and a pointed indictment of the late twentieth-century global neoliberal economic order. Drawing on extensive sources from governmental agencies as well as social and environmental movements, Fazzi offers an insightful analysis of the U.S. practice of ocean incineration. -- Petra Goedde, author of The Politics of Peace: A Global Cold War HistorySmoke on the Water combines impressive transnational research and insightful analysis of global ecopolitics in an engaging narrative account of the multiple strategies that ultimately blocked the burning of hazardous wastes at sea. A compelling read for all who seek to protect the planet. -- Ellen Griffith Spears, author of Baptized in PCBs: Race, Pollution, and Justice in an All-American TownIn a tight, concise narrative history, Smoke on the Water makes a convincing case for the power of translocal pressure groups to restrain U.S. power and influence globally and to shape environmental policy making at home and abroad. It also offers an optimistic lesson in how engaged citizens can advance the cause of environmental democracy through collective action—both historically and in our present moment. -- Julia F. Irwin, author of Catastrophic Diplomacy: U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance in the American CenturySmoke on the Water is a fascinating book about “weird ships doing bad stuff in the oceans.” Dario Fazzi unpacks the complex history of at-sea incineration, revealing the ecological consequences of disposing waste in the oceans as well as the limits and inconsistency of human technologies and environmental governance. -- David Kinkela, author of DDT and the American Century: Global Health, Environmental Politics, and the Pesticide That Changed the WorldTable of ContentsIntroduction1. The Disposable Frontier2. The Military-Chemical-Industrial Complex3. Translocal Activism4. Relentless Commitment5. Ban the Burn6. Quitting SmokingConclusionAcknowledgmentsNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisAndy Secher—one of the most prolific trilobite collectors in the world—takes readers on an entertaining and enlightening journey to the distant epoch when these ancient arthropods swarmed through the seas.Trade ReviewWow! I’ve never before seen so many amazing trilobites between the covers of a single book as I have in Andy Secher’s new extravaganza The Trilobite Collector’s Guide. Secher is one of the premier trilobite collectors of the world, and he can tell you everything about what it takes to find, collect, ‘prepare,’ and study trilobites. His photos are amazing. Trilobites are amazing. Be prepared to be dazzled and amazed! -- Niles Eldredge, curator emeritus, Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural HistoryAndy Secher’s passion for trilobites comes through on every page of this beautifully illustrated book. He combines up-to-date scientific knowledge with practical information on how to collect trilobites, how to prepare them, where to find them, and much more. His passion is contagious, and after reading a few pages of this book, you will find yourself organizing your next vacation around trilobites. -- Neil H. Landman, curator emeritus, American Museum of Natural HistoryThe Trilobite Collector's Guide provides a popular ‘hit parade’ of trilobite facts, figures, and phenomena for the nonacademic reader and nascent—or even accomplished—collector. Secher explores and beautifully illustrates an eclectic array of relevant topics in an entertaining, concise, and easily digestible form. -- David Rudkin, assistant curator emeritus of paleobiology, Royal Ontario MuseumThe Trilobite Collector’s Guide, along with last year’s encyclopedic Travels with Trilobites, establishes Andy Secher as a true rock star of the trilobite universe. A gifted writer, collector, world traveler, and music business pro, Secher entertainingly walks you through dozens of ‘Top Ten’ lists, each illuminating trilobites from a radically different perspective, all using photos drawn from his world-class collection. If you are not already a card-carrying citizen of the trilobite community, you soon will be. -- Sam Stubbs, noted trilobite collector, Houston, TXSecher, a famous collector of trilobites, provides 350 color photographs of fully preserved specimens. Written in a very accessible style that engages and informs. With the author’s light-hearted style and trilobite fossils, facts, and features, this work will appeal to readers with a solid interest in ancient Arthropods. * Booklist, the American Library Association (ALA) *This book is a must-have for anyone with an interest in trilobites! * The Birdbooker Report *Two years ago I reviewed another of Andy Secher’s books, Travels with Trilobites, Adventures in the Paleozoic, and decided that was the best book we might see on the subject for many years. I was wrong. Secher’s latest tome on my favorite arthropods is geared especially toward the collector. I suspect together that these two volumes will serve as sturdy bookends to whatever other trilobite books are on paleontologists’ bookshelves. * Trilobite Tales *Table of ContentsForeword: Beetles of the Paleozoic, by Richard ForteyForeword: Ten Reasons to Read This Book, by Melanie J. HopkinsIntroduction: The Trilobite Collector1. 10 Celebrated Cambrian Trilobite Localities2. 10 World-Class Fossil Shows3. 10 Outstanding Ordovician Trilobite Localities4. 10 Essential Figures in Trilobite History5. 10 Significant Silurian Trilobite Localities6. 10 Key Elements of Trilobite Morphology7. 10 Dramatic Devonian Trilobite Localities8. 10 Trilobite Collecting Tips9. 10 Renowned Carboniferous-Permian Trilobite Localities10. 10 Key Curation Details11. 10 Obscure (But Still Significant) Trilobite Localities12. 10 Creatures That Came Before Trilobites13. 10 Eminently Elegant Trilobites14. 10 Time and Trilobite-Related Theories15. 10 Most Common Trilobites16. 10 Ridiculously Rare Trilobites17. 10 Beautiful Bohemian Trilobites18. 10 Outrageously Old Trilobites19. 10 Last-in-Line Trilobites20. 10 Intriguing Trilobite Questions21. 10 Verifiably Ventral Trilobites22. 10 Rock ′n′ Roller Trilobites23. 10 Pertinent Preparation Steps24. 10 Cleverly Colored Trilobites25. 10 Engagingly Eyed Trilobites26. 10 Ways to Spot a Fake Trilobite27. 10 Mass Mortality Trilobites28. 10 Precariously Predated Trilobites29. 10 Magnificent Moroccan Trilobites30. 10 Planet-Spanning Paradoxides31. 10 Distinctly Disarticulated Trilobites32. 10 Beyond Big Trilobites33. 10 Dramatically Dolomitic Trilobites34. 10 Extravagantly Expensive Trilobites35. 10 Spectacularly Spined Trilobites36. 10 Tales Told by Trilobites37. 10 Ways to Value Your Trilobites38. 10 Doppelganger Trilobites39. 10 Legendary Trilobites40. 10 Must-Read Trilobite Books41. 10 Strikingly Strange Trilobites42. 10 Top Trilobite Websites43. 10 Unbelievable Utah Trilobites44. 10 Trilobite Orders45. 10 Significant Soft-Tissue Trilobites46. 10 Top Trilobite Museums47. 10 Top Trilobite Pretenders48. 10 Wonderful Walcott/Rust Trilobites49. 10 Deserving-of-Mention Trilobites50. 10 Revealing Rochester Shale Trilobites51. 10 Tantalizing Trilobite Teasers52. 10 Distinguished Dudley TrilobitesFinal ThoughtGlossary: Trilobite TerminologyIndex

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Book SynopsisA writer's travels along the legendary yet contested Jordan Riverexploring the long conflict over water supplyTrade Review“James Fergusson gives the reader a vivid understanding of the intricacies of occupation in Israel-Palestine by showing how the issue of water has been weaponised. The book describes the strange geography of the River Jordan and the vanishing Dead Sea, and gives lively descriptions of people and places along the way.”—Raja Shehadeh, author of We Could Have Been Friends, My Father and I: A Palestinian Memoir“In this beautifully descriptive, scrupulously objective, and profoundly important book, James Fergusson exposes the shamefully unequal allocation of vital water resources between Israelis and Palestinians – while daring to dream that righting this wrong could be a first step towards a just peace.”—Donald Macintyre, author of Gaza: Preparing for Dawn“Presents a vivid and enlightening new angle on the Middle East’s most intractable conflict. Fergusson’s book is both a highly readable and engaging travelogue and a nuanced political analysis of the balance of power in contemporary Israel-Palestine.”—William Sutcliffe, author of The Wall “A beautifully conceived and written book. That contemporary Israel-Palestine is a land of both environmental destruction and hydro-apartheid is not news. But in Fergusson’s hands, these brute realities are revealed in the most sensitive, compelling and accessible of styles.”—Jan Selby, author of Water, Power and Politics in the Middle East“James Fergusson’s meticulous search for each rivulet, stream, mountain aquifer, sewage pipe and desalination plant concludes with a crystal-clear vision of an ecological reconciliation. Anyone interested in peace should read this book.”—Nick Thorpe, author of The Road Before Me Weeps

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Book SynopsisRebecca Solnit has made a vocation of journeying into difficult territory and reporting back, as an environmentalist, antiglobalization activist, and public intellectual. This work represents developments in Solnit's thinking and offers you a panoramic world view enriched by her characteristically provocative, inspiring, and hopeful observations.Table of ContentsList of Photographs Introduction: Prisons and Paradises 1. Uneven Terrain: The West The Red Lands The Postmodern Old West, or the Precession of Cowboys and Indians The Struggle of Dawning Intelligence: Creating, Revising, and Recognizing Native American Monuments The Garden of Merging Paths 2. Borders and Crossers A Route in the Shape of a Question Thirty-Nine Steps Across the Border and Back Nonconforming Uses: Teddy Cruz on Both Sides of the Border 3. Trouble Below: Mining, Water, and Nuclear Waste The Price of Gold, the Value of Water Meanwhile Back at the Ranch Poison Pictures 4. Reaching for the Sky Excavating the Sky Drawing the Constellations Hugging the Shadows Justice by Moonlight 5. Landscapes of Resistance and Repression Fragments of the Future: The FTAA in Miami Jailbirds I Have Loves Making It Home: Travels outside the Fear Economy Mirror in the Street Liberation Conspiracies Sontag and Tsunami 6. Gardens and Wildernesses Every Corner Is Alive: Eliot Porter as an Environmentalist and an Artist The Botanical Circus, or Adventures in American Gardening A Murder of Ravens: On Globalized Species 7. Women's Place Tangled Banks and Clear-Cut Examples Seven Stepping Stones down the Primrose Path: A Talk at a Conference on Landscape and Gender Other Daughters, Other American Revolutions 8. Infernal Museums California Comedy, or Surfing with Dante The Wal-Mart Biennale The Silence of the Lambswool Cardigans Locked Horns 9. City at the End of the World The Orbits of Earthly Bodies San Francisco: The Metamorphosis The Heart of the City The Ruins of Memory Gaping Questions Coda: The Pacific Seashell to Ear Acknowledgments Notes Permissions Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"The book is carefully and clearly written, demonstrating the author’s commitment to climate work and to engaging with students, as well as the depth of her own knowledge as an environmentalist. Highly recommended." * CHOICE *"Not surprisingly . . . this small book reads like the distillation of simple folk wisdom." * Geography Realm *"This book makes an overdue and very welcome contribution to the world, where the mental health impacts and cascading losses that climate change generates are increasing rapidly. It synthesises a range of psychological theory, personal experience, Buddhist philosophy and activist self-care wisdom. This is organised into a series of strategies that can help people of any age to play the long game of fighting for climate justice." * Australian Journal of Environmental Education *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Embracing Life in the Anthropocene 1. Get Schooled on the Role of Emotions in Climate Justice Work 2. Cultivate Climate Wisdom 3. Claim Your Calling and Scale Your Action 4. Hack the Story 5. Be Less Right and More in Relation 6. Move Beyond Hope, Ditch Guilt, and Laugh More 7. Resist Burnout 8. Conclusion: Feed What You Want to Grow Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"An excellent grounding in how fire functions, how we think about it and why that matters. In Pyne’s hands, fire becomes more than simply a natural phenomenon." * Los Angeles Times *"Stephen J. Pyne takes a measured, historical, and ecological approach to fire. . . . [A] brief but highly impactful book." * Science *"The Pyrocene is his fullest elucidation yet of how humanity has entered a new age of fire, one that redefines the human-altered era of the Anthropocene. And Pyne . . . is certainly the best writer to make this argument." * Nature *"The Pyrocene may be just the type of analysis that we need to reformulate our understanding of fire and to prepare for the longue duree of a fire age." * Natural Resources and Environment *"A tremendous read, an incisive account of the history and science of fire alongside the evolution of hominids." * Organic Gardener *"Pyne’s book is [a] wonderful and worthy read." * Metascience *"A sweeping, deep biological and geological history of the Earth and how its human inhabitants have for the first time shaped its current state and future." * Utah Historical Quarterly * "Pyne’s book is another wonderful and worthy read. It is a culmination of his work and thinking about fire spanning over forty years." * Springer Nature *Table of ContentsPrologue: Between Three Fires 1 Fire Planet: Fire Slow, Fire Fast, Fire Deep 2 The Pleistocene 3 Fire Creature: Living Landscapes 4 Fire Creature: Lithic Landscapes 5 The Pyrocene Epilogue: Sixth Sun Author's Note Notes Bibliographic Essay Index

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Book SynopsisHave you ever wondered why your tap water tastes the way it does? The Taste of Water explores the increasing erasure of tastes from drinking water over the twentieth century. It asks how dramatic changes in municipal water treatment have altered consumers' awareness of the environment their water comes from. Through examining the development of sensory expertise in the United States and France, this unique history uncovers the foundational role of palatability in shaping Western water treatment processes. By focusing on the relationship between taste and the environment, Christy Spackman shows how efforts to erase unwanted tastes and smells have transformed water into a highly industrialized food product divorced from its origins. The Taste of Water invites readers to question their own assumptions about what water does and should naturally taste like while exposing them to the invisiblebut substantialsensory labor involved in creating tap water.Table of ContentsContents List of Illustrations Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations Introduction 1. Industrial Terroir 2. Making Flavor Molecular 3. Future Sensing Bodies 4. Theaters of Taste from the Boardroom to the Street 5. Erasing Place: Industrial Terroir in the Twenty-First Century Conclusion: Flavor Stories Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis book assesses the historical significance of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (IMTFE)commonly called the Tokyo trialestablished as the eastern counterpart of the Nuremberg trial in the immediate aftermath of World War II.Trade ReviewThe significance of this book is not whether the Tokyo trials established the guilt of Japanese wartime political leaders for initiating an aggressive war, and their culpability for the horrific war crimes committed by Japanese military personnel against innocent civilians and Allied military personnel. While these are important, the real import of The Tokyo War Crimes Trials is its systematic, yet nuanced analysis of the prevalent Japanese view--one that persists to this day--that the Tokyo tribunals were illegitimate because the legal process was corrupted for ideological and political reasons...This excellent book belongs on the bookshelf of every historian interested in legal history generally and war crimes in particular. -- Fred L. Borch * Journal of Military History *

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Book SynopsisNo major economy is more dependent on fossil fuel exports than Russia, yet it is unprepared for the global transition away from hydrocarbons. Thane Gustafson shows that as Russia’s income shrinks, its economy will stagnate, even as global warming imposes growing costs on society. By mid-century its power will fade, reordering global politics.Trade ReviewWith its focus on the future of Russia’s energy, grain, and metals markets, all of which have been reconfigured by the war and the new sanctions, Klimat could hardly be more timely…Gustafson [argues], with a dry but persuasive marshaling of facts, that in the redistribution of wealth and power that will result from climate change, Russia is doomed. After reading Klimat, Russia’s attack on Ukraine begins to look like the convulsion of a dying state. -- Sophie Pinkham * New York Review of Books *A sobering assessment of the impact of climate change on Russia’s standing as a great power from one of the most acute observers of environmental and energy issues. Highly recommended. -- Francis Fukuyama, author of Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of ResentmentFacing increasing global pressure, Russian decision makers are being forced to think about the new reality of decarbonization. This book provides excellent insights into the story behind a resource-rich but climate-damaging economy, and explores a key question for the future: What alternative exports can Russia offer? -- Tatiana Mitrova, Research Director of the Energy Center, Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVOThe first full-length exploration of Russia as both a prime source and a victim of climate change. Anyone interested in environmental issues or in Russia’s future should read this data-rich and gracefully written book. -- Timothy J. Colton, author of Yeltsin: A LifeRussia has less than a decade left to profit on the export of its coal and oil. After that, customers will no longer be buying…The war in Ukraine, arguably a large-scale climate war, points to the immediacy of climate change and its power to uproot, inflame, explode and violently reorganize human life on this planet. -- Kate Brown * Washington Post *A thoughtful book on Russian energy. * The Economist *A lucid guide to the state of Russian energy production in the present, offering an invaluable tour through the country’s economy, sector by sector, as it relates to climate change, while providing a clear-eyed prognosis for the thirty years to come, from the likely fates of metal mining and nuclear power to that of a thawing Arctic…If mining dirty coal in Shakhtyorsky was subsidized by the Soviet state, mining any coal in the twenty-first century is subsidized by future climate-driven crises. Thane Gustafson helps us think through the consequences. -- Bathsheba Demuth * Times Literary Supplement *Thane Gustafson has published two seminal works on Russia’s oil and gas industry in the past decade. His latest, Klimat, addresses its byproduct, climate change…Extreme weather events, including severe droughts and wildfires, are now much more frequent than when Putin ascended to power. Yet Russia’s economy, and Putin’s own power, are tied overwhelmingly to the prodigious production and export of fossil fuels. -- Liam Denning * Bloomberg *This is not an optimistic book…Russia is between a rock and a hard place, like much of the rest of the world perhaps, but Russia has less policy scope than the US, say, to cope and mitigate the environmental and economic effects of climate change. -- Peter Gordon * Asian Review of Books *An essential book for our moment, one that situates the Russian government’s approach to climate change and its energy strategy in the context of the rapidly shifting dynamics of global energy markets, all with an eye toward the COVID pandemic…Those who study Russian climate policy will benefit from this broader context, and those who focus on global climate negotiations will see how Russia’s multifaceted interests are less related to concern for climate change and more to the desire to avoid destabilizing the status quo. -- Laura A. Henry * Russian Review *In his lively, informative, and extremely timely analysis of climate change and its effects on Russia, [Gustafson] stresses repeatedly that while being one of the main culprits responsible for global climate change, the country is also destined to eventually become one of its main victims. -- Vitali Vitaliev * E&T *Illuminating…It is deeply insightful about Russia’s energy politics—a topic which is largely ignored except when it is contentious e.g. Europe’s energy politics in a time of crisis. Gustafson breaks down Russia’s energy economy in exceptional detail and looks at how the age of climate change will affect Russia as a whole. -- Joshua Huminski * Diplomatic Courier *Thoroughly researched…It speculates on what might become of Russia's finances as demand for its all-important energy exports falls. -- William Powell * Natural Gas World *Lucid and thought-provoking, Klimat shows how climate change is poised to alter the global order, potentially toppling even great powers from their perches. -- Pushkin HouseRussia, as Thane Gustafson shows in this comprehensive, highly readable volume, will be affected by climate change more than most countries…[He] concludes that climate-related changes outside Russia will affect the country more seriously than any direct, internal impacts, at least until 2050. -- Angela Stent * Survival: Global Politics and Strategy *Gustafson offers a thorough, measured, and easy-to-digest analysis exploring how Russia may fare in the increasingly warming planet of the coming decades. -- Samantha Berkhead * Moscow Times *Although much has changed since the invasion of Ukraine, the effects of the war so far on Russia’s main exports—short-term gain, long-term disadvantage—align with [Gustafson’s] arguments about the consequences of climate change for Russia…He considers probable trends in planetary emissions and progress towards greener energy over the next thirty years. But he sees little room for maneuver where Russia is concerned. -- Tony Wood * London Review of Books *An essential read. Professor Gustafson has published extensively on Russia’s political economy, and Klimat represents the latest piece of the puzzle in aiding our understanding of contemporary Russia…Gustafson reminds us that climate change will impact the global redistribution of wealth and power, and he argues that Russia is more likely to find itself in the losing camp. -- Marianna Poberezhskaya * Environmental Politics *Gustafson deserves credit for bringing an environmental issue into the heart of an economic and geopolitical analysis. Too often the complexities governing the natural world are excluded from economic scholarship to its own detriment. Instead, in this study climate change appears poised to play a dominant role in world affairs. -- Andy Bruno * Canadian-American Slavic Studies *

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Book SynopsisDiego Javier Luis tells the story of transpacific Asian movement to and through the Spanish Americas. On arrival in Mexico, diverse Asian peoples became “chinos” subject to the colonial caste system. Tracing Asian resistance and adaptation to New Spanish ideas of race, Luis presents a Pacific-focused narrative of the colonial Americas.Trade ReviewThe First Asians in the Americas is essential reading for anybody interested in the histories of global migration, race, and colonization in the Americas. Through painstaking archival research in Spain, Mexico, the United States, and the Philippines, Diego Javier Luis offers a bold reconceptualization of Asian migration to the Americas and restores heretofore little-known people and communities to their rightful places in history. -- Erika Lee, author of The Making of Asian America: A HistoryNo clue is too small for this modern-day detective-historian. Diego Javier Luis has pieced together the most comprehensive and fascinating history to date of Asians in colonial Mexico. -- Andrés Reséndez, author of Conquering the PacificA groundbreaking study of Asian diasporic experiences in the Spanish Empire. The decks of the Manila galleons, the coastal Acapulco-to-Colima corridor, and much of Pacific Mexico emerge here as spaces of Asian adaptability and social, cultural, and linguistic exchanges. Through the lens of global microhistory, Luis recovers and humanizes the history of colonial ‘chino’ populations in all their complexity. -- Pablo Miguel Sierra Silva, author of Urban Slavery in Colonial MexicoDiego Javier Luis has given us the first of its kind: a study of the transpacific Asian migration to the Americas under Spanish imperial rule. This book radically revolutionizes our understanding of race-making and mestizaje in the Spanish Americas and the Spanish transpacific. -- Christina H. Lee, author of Saints of ResistanceA broadly thought-provoking book. …Although the modern Western use of ‘Asian’ is perhaps better (and arguably more benign) than the colonial use of ‘chino’ as an identifier, it suffers from much the same problem of ‘collapsing’ various ‘diverse ethnolinguistic groups’ to the benefit of some, perhaps, but the detriment of others. Luis’s book is a salutary reminder that all this started long ago. -- Peter Gordon * Asian Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisAs railways, steamships, and telegraph communications brought distant places into unprecedented proximity, previously minor discrepancies in local time-telling became a global problem. Vanessa Ogle’s chronicle of the struggle to standardize clock times and calendars from 1870 to 1950 highlights the many hurdles that proponents of uniformity faced.Trade ReviewThe powerful lesson of Ogle’s book is how the gradual global transformation of time over the course of the twentieth century came to suit many different parties, all of whom thought they had something to gain from new modes of integration and connectivity. The process we anachronistically call ‘globalization,’ Vanessa Ogle shows, was made up of forces that often used international means to solve national or parochial problems. -- Thomas Meaney * Times Literary Supplement *Ogle is more interested in the ways in which the concept of global time helped create what she calls a ‘global imagination,’ in which peoples and societies could be understood as parts of a single, developing world system. In this way, Ogle argues, the standardization of time reflected and reproduced the world’s European-led power hierarchies. International clocks and calendars united the world, but they also revealed and sometimes reinforced its inequities. -- G. John Ikenberry * Foreign Affairs *Today, we take our global system of timekeeping largely for granted… Yet in her imaginative and thought-provoking new book The Global Transformation of Time: 1870–1950, Vanessa Ogle reminds us that standardization and simultaneity had to be invented… Ogle’s formidable work contributes to a new history of political economy which takes seriously the ideas, values, and acts of violence behind the emergence of global capitalism. -- Ian P. Beacock * The Atlantic *How exactly horological chaos gave way to order is the subject of Ogle’s accessible and prodigiously researched book…Ogle has insightful things to say about many topics, from the role of cosmopolitan ports in disseminating new kinds of timepieces, to Islamic calendars, to the curiously moralizing tone of early discussions of using daylight savings schemes to prevent people from squandering precious sunshine hours. Perhaps her most important contribution is to show, via discussion of the various ways that power relations shaped debates relating to time, how foolish it is to view globalization, in any period, as a smooth, value-free process of flattening out. -- Jeffrey Wasserstrom * Financial Times *With impressive breadth, imagination, and originality, Ogle has produced an important and genuinely global history of time that reveals the rhythms, directions, unevenness, and contradictory consequences of what we now call globalization. -- Geoff Eley, University of MichiganWriting global history is still a high-stakes venture, and Ogle’s The Global Transformation of Time is an impressive testimony to the potential of the genre. We get a deep sense of the talk about time and calendars among transnational experts and politicians as well as the everyday intelligence that produced differentiated time regimes—times for travel, for work, for leisure, for religious practice or, as may be, for milking cows—across the globe in Berlin and Beirut, London and Bombay, and their rural hinterlands. Reading this book is a tremendous intellectual pleasure from beginning to end. -- Michael Geyer, University of ChicagoGlobalization is all the rage in the 21st century. What technology and cultural factors led to this shrinking world? One of the factors often overlooked, even taken for granted, is our system of uniform time…The progressives who advocated for uniform time found themselves dealing with nationalism, regionalism, and colonialism, as well as resistance from labor, religion, and other groups with a vested interest in the status quo. Ogle provides an intriguing glimpse into the machinations that led to the globalization of time. -- T. Timmons * Choice *

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive introduction to tropical ecologyThis full-color illustrated textbook offers the first comprehensive introduction to all major aspects of tropical ecology. It explains why the world''s tropical rain forests are so universally rich in species, what factors may contribute to high species richness, how nutrient cycles affect rain forest ecology, and how ecologists investigate the complex interrelationships among flora and fauna. It covers tropical montane ecology, riverine ecosystems, savanna, dry forestand more.Tropical Ecology begins with a historical overview followed by a sweeping discussion of biogeography and evolution, and then introduces students to the unique and complex structure of tropical rain forests. Other topics include the processes that influence everything from species richness to rates of photosynthesis: how global climate change may affect rain forest characteristics and function; how fragmentation of ecosystems affects species richness and ecological processes; human ecology in the tropics; biodiversity; and conservation of tropical ecosystems and species.Drawing on real-world examples taken from actual research, Tropical Ecology is the best textbook on the subject for advanced undergraduates and graduate students. Offers the first comprehensive introduction to tropical ecology Describes all the major kinds of tropical terrestrial ecosystems Explains species diversity, evolutionary processes, and coevolutionary interactions Features numerous color illustrations and examples from actual research Covers global warming, deforestation, reforestation, fragmentation, and conservation The essential textbook for advanced undergraduates and graduate students Suitable for courses with a field component Leading universities that have adopted this book include: Biola University Bucknell University California State University, Fullerton Colorado State University - Fort Collins Francis Marion University Michigan State University Middlebury College Northern Kentucky University Ohio Wesleyan University St. Mary''s College of Maryland Syracuse University Tulane University University of California, Santa Cruz University of Central Florida University of Cincinnati University of Florida University of Missouri University of New Mexico University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of the West Indies Trade Review"Overall, an ideal resource for a tropical ecology course."--Choice "Tropical Ecology provides a superb introduction to the tropics. Kricher does a remarkable job at bringing together an enormous amount of information and presenting it in an accessible but rigorous way. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and certainly recommend it."--John G. Blake, Biotropica "[A]n excellent college text ... it will become my tropical ecology shelf resource."--Wildlife Activist "Tropical Ecology has 15 chapters and is broadly organized into four sections: a large section dealing with biodiversity in tropical rain forests, a section on productivity and nutrient cycling, a section on other ecosystems in the tropics, and a final section on human ecology in the tropics, including relevant issues in conservation. The first chapter gives an overview of tropical ecology, providing a nice background on the rich history of tropical fieldwork including that of Darwin, Wallace, and Humboldt. It provides a useful synopsis of the advances in tropical ecology over the years. It further gives a nice overview of all the biomes around the world, and a wonderfully succinct and accessible summary of the climatic processes that create the global diversity in biomes... In general ... Kricher was successful in convincing the reader about the unique contributions of tropical ecology to our understanding of ecological processes, especially to our understanding of how biodiversity is generated and maintained. This textbook is a wonderful starting point or reference for students and those generally interested in learning more about tropical ecology."--Ecology "Tropical Ecology by John Kricher unifies both perspectives to a great textbook. While reviewing the different conceptual angels that are necessary to grasp the ecology of the world's tropics, many well-chosen examples illustrate the need to be aware of countless 'descriptive' facts and phenomena before theories can be used to explain them. By viewing topics from many different angles (such as climate, plant physiology, behaviour, evolution, geology), the book makes clear the multidisciplinarity of understanding tropical ecosystems... I think it is a great dual-purpose book. With its non-technical style, nice colour pictures and graphs, and good didactical organization (e.g., boxes for special case stories; accompanying slides for lecturing on http://press.princeton.edu/links/kricher/) it makes a highly recommended, multidisciplinary textbook for academic teaching. At the same time it can be used as a comprehensive review of the state of the art and as a guide to recent original literature for graduate students and researchers starting new on one of the topics."--Jan Beck, Elsevier "As this textbook follows at the heels of Kricher's successful Neotropical Companion, it is no surprise that the text is clearly written and should be accessible to undergraduate and starting graduate students, the primary target of this text. The textbook is written in a narrative that, despite its length, is easy to digest. Kricher uses approachable examples with clear illustrations, and the text is well organized. As a whole, the textbook is nicely done and should provide a wonderful complement for a course in tropical ecology."--J. Albert C. Uy, Ecological Society of America "The book can be dipped into for an in-depth read on many subjects and it is liberally scattered with colour photographs, graphs and quotes from many current research papers. Overall this is a comprehensive account of the ecology of the neotropics and is highly recommended for students."--John Feltwell, Biologist "I think it is a great dual-purpose book. With its non-technical style, nice colour pictures and graphs, and good didactical organization ... it makes a highly recommended, multidisciplinary textbook for academic teaching. At the same time it can be used as a comprehensive review of the state of the art and as a guide to recent original literature for graduate students and researchers starting new on one of the topics."--Jan Beck, Basic and Applied Ecology "Kricher has written the text in an easy to read style, which makes the study of the subject pleasurable, rather than a chore. Overall, Kricher provides a great text for the beginning and advanced student. I would recommend it as a text for students to obtain a good understanding of the concepts of tropical ecology."--Noel D. Preece, Austral EcologyTable of ContentsACKNOWLEDGMENTS vii INTRODUCTION 1 Chapter 1: What and Where Are the Tropics? 6 Chapter 2: Biogeography and Evolution in the Tropics 38 Chapter 3: Inside Tropical Rain Forests: Structure 79 Chapter 4: Inside Tropical Rain Forests: Biodiversity 109 Chapter 5: A Study in Biodiversity: Rain Forest Tree Species Richness 154 Chapter 6: A Shifting Mosaic: Rain Forest Development and Dynamics 188 Chapter 7: Biotic Interactions and Coevolution in Tropical Rain Forests 227 Chapter 8: Trophic Dynamics in Evolutionary Context 272 Chapter 9: Carbon Flux and Climate Change in Tropical Ecosystems 323 Chapter 10: Nutrient Cycling and Tropical Soils 359 Chapter 11: Tropical Savannas and Dry Forests 390 Chapter 12: Other Tropical Ecosystems: From the Mountains to the Rivers to the Sea 422 Chapter 13: Humans as Part of Tropical Ecosystems: Focus on the Neotropics 469 Chapter 14: Forest Fragmentation and Biodiversity 500 Chapter 15: Conservation Outlook for the Tropics 530 APPENDIX: GEOLOGIC TIME CHART 565 LITERATURE CITED 566 ILLUSTRATION CREDITS 594 INDEX 606

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Book SynopsisHere is the ultimate field guide to Botswana's stunningly diverse birdlife. Covering all 597 species recorded to date, Birds of Botswana features more than 1,200 superb color illustrations, detailed species accounts, seasonality and breeding bars, and a color distribution map for each species. Drawing on the latest regional and national data, the bTrade Review"[An] excellent guide... With the publication of this field guide, Botswana is likely to become a more popular birding destination for travelers."--Dan R. Kunkle, Wildlife Activist "This is the first-ever field guide to birds of this south African country. Part of the Princeton Field Guides, it is excellent, with 255 well-executed color plates of all 597 Botswana species... A very valuable resource for all academic audiences concerned with Africa's wildlife."--Choice "This book is definitely an excellent addition to the ornithological literature of southern Africa."--Holger Kolberg, Lanioturdus "The book will be a welcome addition to any keen southern African birder's library."--Peter Ryan, African Birdlife "Attractive, readable ... this field guide will prove indispensable for birdwatchers traveling in Botswana."--Jonathan F. Husband, ARBATable of ContentsForeword 7 Acknowledgments 8 Introduction 9 Botswana at a glance 9 Biogeographic context 10 Vegetation and habitat types 11 Overview of Botswana's birds 17 Where to see birds in Botswana 17 How to use this book 20 BirdLife Botswana 22 Glossary 23 Bird Topography 26 Species Accounts 28-383 Struthionidae 28 Numididae 28 Phasianidae 30 Turnicidae 34 Anatidae36 Podicipedidae 46 Phoenicopteridae 48 Ciconiidae 50 Scopidae 54 Threskiornithidae 56 Ardeidae 58 Pelecanidae 70 Phalacrocoracidae 72 Anhingidae 74 Heliornithidae 74 Sagittariidae 76 Pandionidae 76 Accipitridae 78 Falconidae 112 Otididae 120 Gruidae 124 Sarothruridae 126 Rallidae 126 Burhinidae 134 Recurvirostridae 134 Charadriidae 136 Rostratulidae 142 Jacanidae 144 Scolopacidae 146 Glareolidae 158 Stercorariidae 164 Laridae 164 Pteroclidae 170 Columbidae 172 Musophagidae178 Cuculidae 180 Strigidae 190 Tytonidae 196 Caprimulgidae 198 Apodidae 202 Trogonidae 206 Coliidae 208 Coraciidae 210 Alcedinidae 212 Meropidae 218 Upupidae 222 Phoeniculidae 222 Bucerotidae 224 Bucorvidae 226 Lybiidae 228 Indicatoridae 230 Picidae 232 Psittacidae 236 Platysteiridae 238 Prionopidae 240 Eurylaimidae 240 Malaconotidae 242 Dicruridae 248 Campephagidae 248 Monarchidae 250 Laniidae 250 Oriolidae 254 Pittidae 256 Corvidae 256 Stenostiridae 258 Paridae 258 Remizidae 260 Nicatoridae 260 Alaudidae 262 Pycnonotidae 272 Hirundinidae 274 Macrosphenidae 282 Phylloscopidae 282 Acrocephalidae 284 Locustellidae 290 Cisticolidae 290 Leiothrichidae 302 Sylviidae 306 Zosteropidae 308 Certhiidae 308 Sturnidae 310 Buphagidae 316 Turdidae 318 Muscicapidae 320 Nectariniidae 334 Passeridae 338 Ploceidae 344 Estrildidae 356 Viduidae 364 Motacillidae 370 Fringillidae 378 Emberizidae 382 Appendix of Additional Species 384 References 385 Species Index 386 About the Author & Illustrator 398

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Book SynopsisIn the 1990s Richard B. Alley and his colleagues made headlines with the discovery that the last ice age came to an abrupt end over a period of only three years. In The Two-Mile Time Machine, Alley tells the fascinating history of global climate changes as revealed by reading the annual rings of ice from cores drilled in Greenland. He explains thatTrade ReviewWinner of the 2001 Book Award in Science, Phi Beta Kappa One of Choices Outstanding Academic Titles for 2001 "Although not all scientists will agree with Alley's conclusions, [this] engaging book--a brilliant combination of scientific thriller, memoir and environmental science--provides instructive glimpses into our climatic past and global future ... "--Publisher's Weekly "Alley's ... striking finding is that the earth's climate has always been wildly variable and subject to dramatic swings--except during the past 10,000 years. So the period during which humankind has established itself across the globe and made the transition from grubby bands of hunter-gatherers to the dubious majesty of global capitalism corresponds exactly to a freakishly stable period in the earth's climate."--Angus Clarke, The Times of London "With a highly readable style designed to capture and stimulate the imagination of his students, Alley explains some of the complexities of Earth system science with a minimum of jargon. This book is not just for students: it will be readily accessible to a wide audience that should be aware of its contents."--David Peel, New Scientist "[A] provocative little book ... a compelling tale of climate sleuthing ...[Alley] is authoritative without being dogmatic, concerned without being alarmist."--Robert C. Cowen, Christian Science Monitor "A fascinating journey into the geologic past and the history of the Earth's climate ... Alley ends his entertaining book by polishing his crystal ball, envisioning what the future climate will be, and what we might do about it."--J.A. Rial, American Scientist "A superlative account of a complex topic ... It is refreshingly straightforward to read, often humorous, yet still deadly serious, complete with anecdotes and understandable explanations of complex processes."--Choice "Books in which scientists write about their professional experience and describe in lay terms the stuff that makes them excited about science rarely disappoint. Richard Alley's The Two Mile Time Machine is no exception. It describes a fascinating journey into the geologic past and the history of the Earth's climate... Alley ends his entertaining book by polishing his crystal ball, envisioning what the future climate will be, and what we might do about it."--J.A. Rial, American Scientist "[A] superb book... Alley demonstrates that the scientific understanding of climate is both a lot more complex, and a lot simpler, than public perceptions might indicate...The Two-Mile Time Machine restores some of the joy of discovery that has always been present in scientific work, but is often lost amidst today's furious research pace and compressed news cycles."--Cathering H. Crouch, Books and Culture "A fascinating first-hand story... [A]n engaging narrative about the processes of obtaining, analyzing, and interpreting the ice cores... Scientists, students, and the general public all need to know the present state of our incomplete understanding of the global climate system. This book provides an excellent foundation"--Al Bartlett, American Journal of Physics "It is ... refreshing to read a book that tells us in easy words, but with sufficient depth, how scientists have obtained the information about past climate change that is the basis for worries about the future. Richard Alley is a world authority in the science of ice cores and climate, and his book fills the large gap between technical and scholarly words for students of climate science and the short articles about these topics that are often found in the popular science magazines. The book addresses the interested layperson; following the story does not require special scientific knowledge. [It] is an excellent messenger of scientific endeavor and the enrichment this brings to society."--Thomas Stocker, Bulletin of the American Meteorological SocietyTable of ContentsList of Illustrations vii Preface to the New Paperback Edition ix PART I SETTING THE STAGE 1 Fast Forward 3 2 Pointers to the Past 11 PART II READING THE RECORD 3 Going to Greenland 17 4 The Icy Archives-Ice Sheets and Glaciers 31 5 Ice Age through the Ice Age 41 6 How Cold of Old? 59 7 Dust in the Wind 71 8 Tiny Bubbles in the Ice 77 PART III CRAZY CLIMATES 9 The Saurian Sauna 83 10 The Solar System Swing 91 11 Dancing to the Orbital Band 99 12 What the Worms Turned 109 PART IV WHY THE WEIRDNESS? 13 How Climate Works 131 14 A Chaotic Conveyor? 147 15 Shoving the System 159 PART V COMING CRAZINESS? 16 Fuelish 169 17 Down the Road 181 18 An Ice-Core View of the Future 185 APPENDIXES 1 A Cast of Characters 193 2 Usage of Units 199 Sources and Related Information 201 Acknowledgments 223 Index 225

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year""Fascinating and sumptuously illustrated. . . . Da Costa Meyer’s book offers a valuable reminder of the high price paid by most Parisians for the beautiful new city center, and a valuable rejoinder to the countless celebrations of Haussmann’s Paris as the ‘capital of the nineteenth century.’"---David Bell, New York Review of Books"Esther da Costa Meyer’s magisterial volume offers a sweeping analysis of Paris’s modernization that both assesses existing scholarship and offers poignant new perspectives. . . . Richly illustrated and elegantly written. . . . Da Costa Meyer has produced an indispensable volume for scholars of modern France and modern urbanism."---Sun-Young Park, The Metropole"And what an important book it is. One of the most stimulating I’ve come across on cities, a city and Paris."---Andrew Kelly, Director of Festival of the Future City and Creative Programmer

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Book SynopsisIn The Medea Hypothesis, renowned paleontologist Peter Ward proposes a revolutionary and provocative vision of life's relationship with the Earth's biosphere--one that has frightening implications for our future, yet also offers hope. Using the latest discoveries from the geological record, he argues that life might be its own worst enemy. This staTrade ReviewOne of the 2009 New York Times Magazine's 9th Annual Featured Books in Ideas "Ward holds the Gaia Hypothesis, and the thinking behind it, responsible for encouraging a set of fairy-tale assumptions about the earth, and he'd like his new book, due out this spring, to help puncture them. He hopes not only to shake the philosophical underpinnings of environmentalism, but to reshape our understanding of our relationship with nature, and of life's ultimate sustainability on this planet and beyond."--Drake Bennett, Boston Globe "Author and Earth Sciences professor Ward has authored numerous books for non-specialists; this latest is a critical response to James Lovelock's Gaia concept, which argues that homeostatic physical and chemical interactions work to maintain Earth's habitability. Ward argue, passionately, that the opposite is true--that living organisms decrease Earth's habitability, hastening its end by perhaps a billion years."--PublishersWeekly.com "When avid science readers browse the shelves for new titles, the books that grab their attention are best described by a single adjective: thought-provoking. And no scientist/author is more provocative in his approach and innovative in his thinking than University of Washington astrobiologist Peter Ward ... [R]eaders looking for solace will not find it in Ward's latest effort, The Medea Hypothesis. This time Ward goes after motherhood itself--or at least the central idea of the Gaia ('good mother') hypothesis that has evolved to describe the relationship between life and the planet as a whole."--Fred Bortz, Seattle Times "Reading the book will widen your field of vision about life on earth, which is still there after about 4 billion years."--Dr. Hein van Bohemen, Ecological Engineering "The point of The Medea Hypothesis is that life, rather than helping to regulate the Earth 'System' by negative feedbacks, does all it can to consume the resources available--sowing the seeds of its own extinction."--Dr. Henry Gee, BBC Focus Magazine "[Ward] makes his points succinctly and supports them well."--Rebecca Wigood, Vancouver Sun "[The Medea Hypothesis] is an interesting intellectual exercise on the history of life."--Choice "Ward ... adopts the tone of a planetary mortician gruesomely interested in his subject's decease. Ward is an expert on mass extinctions, and the subject seems to have infected his general outlook. He does not come across a happy camper."--Roger Gathman, Austin American-Statesman "The Medea Hypothesis is a valuable and well-needed challenge to the hegemony of Gaian thought, and this is a very clearly presented and thought provoking book... Ward's book is a crucial step in opening this debate and I would certainly recommend reading it, but with a critical eye open for chinks in the argument."--Lewis Dartnell, Astrobiology Society of BritainTable of ContentsIntroduction ix Chapter 1: Darwinian Life 1 Chapter 2: What Is Evolutionary "Success"? 14 Chapter 3: Two Hypotheses about the Nature of Life on Earth 24 Chapter 4: Medean Feedbacks and Global Processes 55 Chapter 5: Medean Events in the History of Life 72 Chapter 6: Humans as Medeans 91 Chapter 7: Biomass through Time as a Test 98 Chapter 8: Predicted Future Trends of Biomass 114 Chapter 9: Summation 126 Chapter 10: Environmental Implications and Courses of Action 128 Chapter 11: What Must Be Done 141 References 157 Index 173

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Faces of Muhammad is a learned, panoramic and fascinating book."---Tom Holland, The Spectator"[A] highly readable book."---Paul Hunt, interLib"A well-timed and long-awaited survey of the European portrayal of the Prophet of Islam."---Elmira Akhmetova, Muslim World Book Review"A perceptive, meticulous and unbiased critical assessment of the 'changing, complex, and contradictory visions‘ of the prophet of Islam in European and American/ 'Western‘ literary and academic works."---Tauseef Ahmad Parray, Aligarh Journal of Quranic Studies

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Book SynopsisPower to the People examines the varied but interconnected relationships between energy consumption and economic development in Europe over the last five centuries. It describes how the traditional energy economy of medieval and early modern Europe was marked by stable or falling per capita energy consumption, and how the First Industrial RevolutioTrade Review"Employing economic theory and growth accounting to illuminate the linkages between energy use and economic activity and supporting their argument with extensive quantitative evidence, the authors make a compelling case that modern economic growth would have been impossible without the increased energy intensity made possible by exploitation of fossil fuels. This work provides valuable historical perspectives on pressing contemporary challenges."--Choice "With many insightful graphs, plus useful explanatory boxes for the less initiated, it is highly accessible, and recommended to undergraduate students curious about the history of energy, to postgraduates specializing in a specific field, and to academics."--Roger Fouquet, Journal of Economic Literature "[T]his multi-authored effort is well structured and furnished with splendid illustrations and explanatory tables ... I would recommend the book, but with the warning that it is not an easy read due to the sheer quantity of information and analytical viewpoints it contains."-- Aurelia Mane-Estrada,European History Quarterly "Power to the People is to be welcomed. It is a valuable contribution to our knowledge of Economic History and History of Technology and will appeal both to the professional and the general reader interested in the future of humanity."--Francesc X. Barca-Salom, Environment and History "An ambitious and important analysis of the relationships between energy and economic growth in Europe over the past five hundred years."--Christopher F. Jones, Environmental HistoryTable of ContentsPreface ix CHAPTER ONE Introduction 1 CHAPTER TWO Definitions and Concepts 17 PART I Pre-Industrial Economies Paolo Malanima 35 CHAPTER THREE Traditional Sources 37 1. Energy in Premodern Societies 2. Organic Sources and Agricultures 3. Non-organic Sources 4. Seven Long-run Propositions 5. Conclusion CHAPTER FOUR Constraints and Dynamics 81 1. Population and Climate 2. Energy Scarcity 3. Saving Land 4. Saving Labor 5. Conclusion PART II The First Industrial Revolution Paul Warde 129 CHAPTER FIVE A Modern Energy Regime 131 1. The Take-off of Coal 2. Traditional Sources: Rise but Relative Decline 3. Conclusion CHAPTER SIX The Coal Development Block 159 1. The Core Innovations 2. The Growth Dynamics of the Coal Development Block 3. The Transport Revolution CHAPTER SEVEN Energy and Industrial Growth 209 1. Coal and Growth 2. Seven Long-run Propositions 3. Energy Intensity and Economic Structure 4. Conclusion PART III The Second and Third Industrial Revolutions Astrid Kander 249 CHAPTER EIGHT Energy Transitions in the Twentieth Century 251 1. The Rise of Oil and Electricity 2. Old and New in Energy Regimes 3. Conclusion CHAPTER NINE Major Development Blocks in the Twentieth Century and Their Impacts on Energy 287 1. The ICE-Oil Block 2. The Electricity Block 3. The ICT Development Block 4. Conclusion CHAPTER TEN The Role of Energy in Twentieth-Century Economic Growth 333 1. Development Blocks and GDP 2. Seven Long-run Propositions 3. Energy Intensity and Economic Structure 4. Conclusion CHAPTER ELEVEN Summary and Implications for the Future 366 1. Summing Up the Book 2.Thinking about the Future 3. Some Remarks about the Future APPENDIXES A. The Role of Energy in Growth Accounting 387 B. Decomposing Energy Intensity 1870-1970 395 C. The Impact from the Service Transition on Energy Intensity 402 D. Biased Technical Development 411 References 415 Index 451

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Book SynopsisWhen Indonesia's Mount Tambora erupted in 1815, it unleashed the most destructive wave of extreme weather the world has witnessed in thousands of years. The volcano's massive sulfate dust cloud enveloped the Earth, cooling temperatures and disrupting major weather systems for more than three years. Communities worldwide endured famine, disease, andTrade ReviewWinner of the 2015 Michelle Kendrick Memorial Book Prize, Society for Literature, Science, and the Arts Honorable Mention for the 2014 ASLI Choice Award in History, Atmospheric Science Librarians International One of The Times Higher Education Supplement's Books of the Year 2014, chosen by Alison Stokes One of The Guardian's Best Popular Physical Science Books of 2014, chosen by GrrlScientist "This engaging interdisciplinary study links Tambora's disruption of global weather patterns not only to Arctic melting, famine, and cholera but to the landscape paintings of William Turner, the debts that plagued Thomas Jefferson near the end of his life, the elegiac verse of the Chinese poet Li Yuyang, and Mary Shelley's novel 'Frankenstein,' written in 1816, the 'Year without a Summer.' The lessons of Tambora's 'Frankenstein weather'--as Wood is quick to point out--may carry special weight in today's era of climate upheaval."--The New Yorker "Wood, who intends no hyperbole in his subtitle, makes a convincing case for Tambora's role in causing 'the most catastrophic sustained weather crisis of the millennium.'"--Thomas Jones, London Review of Books "Persuasively entertaining... If not the first, Mr. Wood's book is by far the best on the subject, and most comprehensive. What Mr. Wood has achieved in Tambora is to uncover, collect, and collate a great deal of new scientific evidence to bolster his case."--Simon Winchester, Wall Street Journal "The greatest volcanic eruption of modern times occurred in 1815 on the small island of Tambora in the East Indies. It spawned the most extreme weather in thousands of years. In what contemporaries described as the 'year without a summer,' its immense ash cloud encircled and cooled the Earth. While historians have mostly ignored the decades of worldwide misery, starvation, and disease that followed, Wood (The Shock of the Real), professor of English at the University of Illinois, remedies this oversight, combining a scientific introduction to volcanism with a vivid account of the eruption's cultural, political, and economic impact that persisted throughout the century."--Publishers Weekly, starred review "Wood broadens our understanding beyond the 'year without a summer' cliche... Wood's command of the scientific literature is impressive, and more than matched by his knowledge of world history during this horrific episode of catastrophic global climate change. With the mass of information he has assimilated, he skillfully weaves a tale full of human and cultural interest."--Ted Nield, Nature "The book is fluently-written, tightly constructed around a single event and a short time period, filled with interesting anecdotes about both well-known and obscure people, places, and evetns, and connects less-than-obvious dots... [F]ascinating and easy-to-read... Tambora is also interesting as a timely reminder of how interconnected our world is."--Peter Gordon, Asian Review of Books "[Tambora's] portentous lessons on the consequences of global climate disturbances, is told with particular elan and a flair for the dramatic in Gillen D'Arcy Wood's Tambora: The Eruption That Changed the World... Wood uncovers for the reader the worldwide reaches of the eruption and makes it a watershed date in the timeline of human history."--William O'Connor, The Daily Beast "Even Westerners who were aware of the occasional spewings of Italy's Mount Vesuvius (much smaller eruptions that didn't change climate at all) had no idea what a volcano on the other side of the globe was capable of doing. Today, Wood ... can put it into a worldwide context of environmental and social upheaval."--Nancy Szokan, Washington Post "[T]his is a subject worthy of much thought. Tambora is the most far-reaching account of it yet, and D'Arcy Wood deserves a wide and serious readership for his audacious book ... a grand case study... It is a brave literary scholar who taken on volcanology, meteorology, epidemiology, glaciation and global economics. Gillen D'Arcy Wood has done so judiciously and shown the power of literature to work as a guiding principle among them."--Alexandra Harris, Literary Review "Wood's compelling and at times terrifying 'cautionary tale' details the global effects of the April 1815 volcanic eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia... This extremely detailed work draws together disparate events in a fascinating way. It's in-depth enough for climate science students and offers something different for those wishing to know more about romantic literature; at the same time the work is accessible for popular-science readers. For large public libraries and academic collections."--Henrietta Verma, Library Journal "Too often, the claim that a book is tackling a subject 'that changed the world' is pure hyperbole. Not in this case, however... Gillen D'Arcy Wood offers up this fascinating story of Tambora as a cautionary tale about what might lie ahead of us--a tale that, like Frankenstein, warns against the consequences of technological hubris."--Fiona Capp, The Age "[A] provocative book that confidently leaps from volcanology to lit crit by way of history... [E]arth-shaking ... told with gusto."--Robbie Millen, The Times "The author's command of the scientific literature is impressive and more than matched by his knowledge of world history during this horrific episode of catastrophic global climate change. Through the mass of information he has assimilated, he skilfully weaves a take full of human and cultural interest... This book is much more than just a piece of brilliant popular science. Drawing together a world of data relating to this epoch-changing eruption, Wood has made a major contribution to volcanology, climatology and cultural history, in a writer's quest that was clearly driven by a deep personal passion and conviction."--Ted Nield, Geoscientist Magazine "Gillen D'Arcy Wood tells this story with skill and convincing research in Tambora: The Eruption that Changed the World, bringing together science, historic records and anecdotes from 200 years ago... Wood delivers an intriguing anecdote of historical science, describing how humans are oblivious to the links to nature all around us."--Matthew Scott, South China Morning Post "In Tambora: The Eruption That Changed the World, Gillen D'Arcy Wood weaves a story that Shelley and Byron could not have told, because they could not have known it. Behind the killing weather and the noonday dark was the largest volcanic eruption in recorded history... Wood makes compelling use of literature as a stand-in for the voiceless throngs crushed in this disaster."--Jenni Laidman, Chicago Tribune "[E]ngagingly written and meticulously researched... [A] thoroughly interesting and engaging read."--Alison Stokes, Times Higher Education "This beautifully written book successfully bridges the divides separating science, the arts and social history, to give us an enthralling illustration of the devastation brought about by alterations in global climate that, in fact, lasted for only three years."--Anthony Toole, Amazon.co.uk "In example of example, Wood expertly explains the volcano's effects on climate and agriculture... Wood leaves no doubt how sensitive and far-reaching Earth's climate system is--and how vulnerable humans are to the natural world."--Science News "His remarkable, even pioneering, book is the first to discuss the Tambora eruption as a global phenomenon afflicting Asia as well as Europe and America."--Andrew Robinson, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society "Wood does not present this eruption as a case of crude environmentalism but as a case study in the fragile interdependence of human and natural systems."--Wan Lixin, Shanghai Daily "Here, Wood comprehensively looks at all these effects, unearthing much previously ignored historical data from around the world and showing how they were all an outgrowth of this earthshaking eruption. In all, it is a remarkable compilation of formerly unconnected information. The text reads almost like an adventure novel, and yet everything is well documented."--Choice "[A] fascinating account of just how much havoc one volcano can wreak."--Alison Stokes, Times Higher Education "Wood's book is extraordinary in its global scope and interdisciplinarity... Wood not only grapples with climate change's history, but also offers a model for how humanistic scholars can engage with climate change now and in the future."--Scott Hess, ISLE "D'Arcy Wood incorporates material that was previously little known, making it easier to grasp the enormity of the environmental changes that affected the health and well-being of a significant segment of humankind. In a fluent and erudite style, D'Arcy shows clearly how several tragedies resulted from the interaction and convergence of the abysmal weather and preexisting natural (the Little Ice Age), socioeconomic, and/or political conditions. By not oversimplifying but emphasizing the complexity of this global event, he has made this book an important resource for those interested in environmental history."--Jelle Zeilinga de Boer, Environmental History "Wood intricately weaves literary works, scientific data, and anecdotal evidence to create a gripping account of the worldwide event and the 'Year without a Summer' that followed in 1816."--Jonathan Abel, H-Net Reviews "An engrossing study."--Noah Heringman, The Annual Review "This is not the first book to be published on the Tambora eruption of 1815. However, this beautifully written and constructed, engaging and entertaining book is, in my opinion, by far the best on the subject, and I highly recommend it."--Graham Denyer, Weather "Tambora offers at once fine history and important witness: we can ill afford to underestimate the destabilizing potential of climate change... Tambora is clear and well researched, and the book flows well. It is passionate and in places even humorous."--Conevery Bolton Valencius, ISIS ReviewTable of ContentsList of Illustrations xi Note on Measurements xv INTRODUCTION Frankenstein's Weather 1 ONE The Pompeii of the East 12 TWO The Little (Volcanic) Ice Age 33 THREE "This End of the World Weather" 45 FOUR Blue Death in Bengal 72 FIVE The Seven Sorrows of Yunnan 97 SIX The Polar Garden 121 SEVEN Ice Tsunami in the Alps 150 EIGHT The Other Irish Famine 171 NINE Hard Times at Monticello 199 EPILOGUE Et in Extremis Ego 229 Acknowledgments 235 Notes 237 Bibliography 259 Index 281

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Finalist for the Turku Book Prize, European Society for Environmental History""Honorable Mention for the DAAD/GSA Prize for the Best Book in History / Social Sciences""An excellent guide to historical plans to remake specific landscapes and influence the world's climate."---B. Lieberman, Choice"Exemplary analysis of imperial and fascist European visions for transforming deserts into climatically appealing landscapes and seascapes for colonial settlement."---Christine Keiner, H-Environment

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This is an ambitious little field guide, which aims to allow amateurs to identify basic rocks and rock formations, for the first time, in a systematic way."---Jon Trevelyan, Deposits Magazine"The book . . . gives any amateur geologist a genuine opportunity to identify rock types out in the field."---David Swales, British Naturalists Association

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"[A] sweeping history. . . . Kreike offers a stark corrective and an implicit warning: Humanity is not distinct from nature, and assuming it is can have tragic outcomes. Climate change is one; pandemics are another. In this book, catastrophic warfare is a third. Waiting for the fourth horseman would seem unwise."---Tatiana Schlossberg, New York Times Book Review"Waging war against the Earth is an old business, and this book provides ample—and dispiriting—evidence for it." * Kirkus Reviews *"Might this be the most important topic that most smart, very well educated people have never read a book on? [This] treatment is excellent and engaging."---Tyler Cowen, Marginal Revolution"Overall then, Scorched Earth is a thoroughly researched academic book that sits at the intersection of military history and environmental history and especially delivers for readers of the former. A fascinating topic that is by no means light reading."---Leon Vlieger, Inquisitive Biologist"[A] powerful statement of what people often fail to see amid the horrors of war." * Choice Reviews *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This book will be a useful asset for anyone visiting [Puerto Rico]."---Keith Betton, British Birds

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the PROSE Award in Earth Science, Association of American Publishers""[A] vivid, gripping book. . . . Dale Greenwalt . . . has written a riveting account of a field achieving revolutionary insights."---Simon Ings, New Scientist"[An] eye-opening guide to this new world of understanding, one that encompasses chemistry along with biology."---David P. Barash, Wall Street Journal"An accessible book on ancient life that focuses as much on chemistry as on biology."---Wade Lee-Smith, Library Journal"[Fascinating] . . . an unabashedly excited report from the front lines"---Steve Donoghue, Open Letters Review"The book provides a fascinating journey through the very latest in research into the origins of life on Earth. . . . No one should be intimidated by this highly readable work."---David Gascoigne, Travels with Birds"If you think you cannot stomach yet another popular book on palaeontology, think again. Remnants of Ancient Life is as fascinating as the inviting cover and subtitle suggest, managing to put a completely fresh gloss on the topic of palaeontology."---Leon Vlieger, The Inquisitive Biologist

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