The environment Books

Book SynopsisFrom celebrated writer Robert Macfarlane comes this brilliant, perspective-shifting new book which answers a resounding yes to the question of its title.At its heart is a single, transformative idea: that rivers are not mere matter for human use, but living beings who should be recognized as such in both imagination and law. Is a River Alive? takes the reader on an exhilarating exploration of the past, present and futures of this ancient, urgent concept.The book flows first to northern Ecuador, where a miraculous cloud-forest and its rivers are threatened by goldmining.Then, to the wounded rivers, creeks and lagoons of southern India, where a desperate battle to save the lives of these waterbodies is under way.And finally, to north-eastern Quebec, where a spectacular wild river the Mutehekau or Magpie is being defended from death by damming in a river-rights campaign.At once Macfarlane's most personal and most political book to date, Is a River Alive? will open hearts, spark debates and lead us to the revelation that our fate flows with that of rivers and always has

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Book SynopsisFrom the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Braiding Sweetgrass, an inspiring vision of how to reorient our lives around gratitude, reciprocity and communityAs Indigenous scientist and author of Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall Kimmerer harvests serviceberries alongside the birds, she considers the ethic of reciprocity that lies at the heart of the gift economy. How, she asks, can we learn from Indigenous wisdom and the plant world to reimagine what we value most?Our economy is rooted in scarcity, competition, and the hoarding of resources, and we have surrendered our values to a system that actively harms what we love. Meanwhile, the serviceberry's relationship with the natural world is an embodiment of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and gratitude. The tree distributes its wealthits abundance of sweet, juicy berriesto meet the needs of its natural community. And this distribution ensures its own survival.The Serviceberry is an antidote to the broken relationships and misguided goals of our times, and a reminder that hoarding won't save us, all flourishing is mutual.

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Book SynopsisHow Bad Are Bananas? was a groundbreaking book when first published in 2009, when most of us were hearing the phrase 'carbon footprint' for the first time. Mike Berners-Lee set out to inform us what was important (aviation, heating, swimming pools) and what made very little difference (bananas, naturally packaged, are good!). This new edition updates all the figures (from data centres to hosting a World Cup) and introduces many areas that have become a regular part of modern life - Twitter, the Cloud, Bitcoin, electric bikes and cars, even space tourism. Berners-Lee runs a considered eye over each area and gives us the figures to manage and reduce our own carbon footprint, as well as to lobby our companies, businesses and government. His findings, presented in clear and even entertaining prose, are often surprising. And they are essential if we are to address climate change.Trade ReviewIt is terrific. I can't remember the last time I read a book that was more fascinating and useful and enjoyable all at the same time. -- Bill BrysonAn engaging book that manages to present serious science without preaching. It offers tools that any reader will be able to use and make informed choices, and even seasoned ecoenthusiasts will be in for plenty of surprises * New Scientist *Enjoyable, fun to read and scientifically robust. A triumph of popular science writing. -- Chris GoodallIf we're serious about really addressing climate change, we need to become energy and carbon literate, and get to grips with the implications not only of our choices but also the bigger infrastructures which underpin the things we consume. How can we educate our desires unless we know what we're choosing between? Mike Berners Lee, to my complete delight, has provided just the wonderful foundation we need - a book that somehow made me laugh while telling me deeply serious things. -- Peter Lipman, Director of SUSTRANSThis book is amazing. I was either going "wow" or snorting with laughter. -- Rachel Nunn, Director, Carbon Neutral StirlingCuriously fascinating to both climate geeks and well-rounded human beings alike. -- Franny Armstrong, Director of The Age of Stupid and founder of 10:10

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Book SynopsisIf Women Rose Rooted has been described as both transformative and essential. Sharon Blackie leads the reader on a quest to find their place in the world, drawing inspiration from the wise and powerful women in native mythology, and guidance from contemporary role models who have re-rooted themselves in land and community and taken responsibility for shaping the future. Beautifully written, honest and moving, If Women Rose Rooted is a passionate song to a different kind of femininity, a rallying, feminist cry for the rewilding of womanhood; reclaiming our role as guardians of the land.Trade Review'Mind-blowing. An anthem for all we could be . . . I sincerely hope every woman who can read has the time and space to read it.' Manda Scott | 'Powerful and inspiring.' Melissa Harrison | 'A beautiful, intelligent and unusual book... I'm hoping this book will become the anthem of our generation.' Kate Forsyth | 'It is heartening to read a progressive view of the women's movement and one that links with care for the Earth and all living beings. This book is very well recommended.' GreenSpirit

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Book SynopsisHow does our economic system impact the way we live? Does it really affect what we truly care about? Oxford economist E. F. Schumacher provides an enlightening study of our economic system and its purpose, challenging the current state of excessive consumption in our society. Offering a crucial message for the modern world struggling to balance economic growth with the human costs of globalisation, Small Is Beautiful puts forward the revolutionary yet viable case for building our economies around the needs of communities, not corporations. One of the 100 most influential books published since World War II' The Times Literary SupplementTrade ReviewA book of heart and hope and downright common sense about the future. -- Peter Lewis * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisPlease note this title is suitable for any student studying:- Exam Board: International Baccalaureate (IB)- Level and subject: IB Diploma - Environmental Systems and Societies students - SL and HL - First teaching: 2024 - First exams: 2025 Developed in cooperation with the IB and matched to the first teaching 2024 syllabus, these inquiry-based resources offer complete coverage of the 2024 Subject Guide and motivate learners to build interconnected subject knowledge. This title:- Is published in cooperation with the IB so you can be assured the content is aligned, reviewed, and approved- Focuses on both knowledge and skills with high quality content created by experienced IB authors, examiners, and teachers- Helps students develop a holistic view of the subject via a wealth of contemporary case studies- Truly engages learners with scientific concepts - the inquiry-based approach drives active exploration, investigation and critical thought- Supports students at HL with a dedicated chapt

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Book Synopsis''A very funny, important and only moderately terrifying clarion call of a book'' - Adam Kay''HOT MESS provides loads of laughs about the climate situation and will position you at the right point between fear and determination'' - Mark Watson ''Hilarious, informative and worrying in equal measure. And that''s just the bits about having a baby'' - Josie LongFor fans of Randall Munro''s WHAT IF? Matt Parker''s HUMBLE PI and anyone looking for practical tips on how to stop the end of the world!Dr Matt Winning is a stand-up comedian and environmental economist with a PHD in climate change policy, which means he''s the sort of doctor who will rush to your side if you fall ill on a plane, but only to berate you for flying. We are currently facing a global climate emergency. You''ve probably noticed. But why does the end of the world need to be so depressing? HOT MESS aims to both lighTrade ReviewClimate change is no laughing matter - oh yes it is - with Matt Winning's superb, hilarious, side-splitting book that makes you take a whole new look at the climate crisis, surviving having children and life in general. * Mark Maslin, author of How to Save Our Planet *A very funny, important and only moderately terrifying clarion call of a book. * Adam Kay *HOT MESS provides loads of laughs about "the climate situation" and will position you at the right point between fear and determination. * Mark Watson *Hilarious, informative and worrying in equal measure. And that's just the bits about having a baby. * Josie Long *The first book about climate change that made me laugh out loud. If you've been too freaked out to subject yourself to the climate crisis, Hot Mess is the kick in the pants you need to start making yourself useful. * ' Prof. Kimberly Nicholas, author of Under the Sky We Make: How to Be Human in a Warming World *Everything a Fringe show should be: hilarious, personal, inventive, and something that will stay with you for some time to come. * EdFestMag *Winning's sharp wit and intelligence allows him to educate as he entertains. * Sunday Post *

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Book SynopsisRoman Krznaric is a social philosopher who writes about the power of ideas to create change. His internationally bestselling books, including The Good Ancestor, Empathy, and Carpe Diem Regained, have been published in more than twenty-five languages. He is Senior Research Fellow at Oxford University's Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing and founder of the world's first Empathy Museum. After growing up in Sydney and Hong Kong, Roman studied at the universities of Oxford, London and Essex, where he gained his PhD in political science. His writings have been widely influential amongst political and ecological campaigners, education reformers, social entrepreneurs and designers. An acclaimed public speaker, his talks and workshops have taken him from a London prison to the TED global stage.Roman is a member of the Club of Rome and a Research Fellow of the Long Now Foundation. He previously worked as an academic, a gardener and a humanTrade ReviewThis is the book our children's children will thank us for reading * The Edge, U2 *Roman Krznaric's brilliant book The Good Ancestor champions the long-term thinking that could lead us out of our multiple disasters. * George Monbiot *Beautiful to read, heartfelt and persuasive The Good Ancestor is one of those landmark books with the power to shift a mindset. One turns the pages feeling a growing compulsion for change. Krznaric’s clarion call for long-term thinking makes him an ancestor all future generations can be proud of * Isabella Tree, author of Wilding *A philosopher's contribution to saving the world * Andrew Anthony, Observer *Packed with commonsense advice on how to develop an uncommon habit * Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisA beautiful, full-colour guided nature journal from award-winning novelist and nature writer Melissa Harrison. ''Nobody writes about the natural world like her''INDIA KNIGHT''Absolutely gorgeous . . . never has there been a nicer way to learn''KATE BRADBURYWelcome to your own, personal nature journal, and a new way of being in the world.A year-long course in noticing, you can start in any month and follow the stories unfolding around you - wherever you live. Featuring monthly guides, birdsong to listen out for, beautiful illustrations, checklists and tips, Homecoming will help you connect to nature, boost your wellbeing and plug you back into the rhythm of the seasons. Write down the very best thing you experience in nature each day and learn how to establish your own rituals, high points and habits to carry you through the year.

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Book SynopsisThe oceans are our planet''s most distinctive and imposing natural habitat. They cover 71 per cent of its surface; support a remarkably diverse and exquisitely adapted array of life forms, from microscopic viruses, bacteria, and plankton to the largest existing animals; and possess many of Earth''s most significant, intriguing, and inaccessible ecosystems. In an era in which humans are significantly altering the global environment, the oceans are undergoing rapid and profound changes. The study of marine biology is thus taking on added importance and urgency as people struggle to understand and manage these changes to protect our marine ecosystems. Healthy oceans produce half of the oxygen we breathe; stabilize our climate; create ecosystems that protect our coasts from storms; provide us with abundant food; and host diverse organisms that provide us with natural products for medicine and biotechnology. In this Very Short Introduction, marine biologist Philip Mladenov provides an accessible and up-to-date overview of marine biology, offering a tour of marine life and marine processes that ranges from the unimaginably abundant microscopic organisms that drive the oceans'' food web to the apex predators that we exploit for food; from polar ocean ecosystems to tropical coral reefs; and from the luxurious kelp beds of the coastal ocean to deep-ocean hydrothermal vents where life exists without the energy of the sun. Throughout the book he considers the human impacts on marine life including overfishing, plastic and nutrient pollution, the spread of exotic species, and ocean warming and acidification. He discusses the threats these pose to our welfare, and the actions required to put us on a path to a more sustainable relationship with our oceans so that they can be restored and protected for future generations. Mladenov concludes with a new chapter offering an inspiring vision for the future of our oceans in 2050 that can be realised if we are wise enough to accelerate actions already underway and be bold with implementing new approaches.The next decade will decide the state of the oceans that we leave behind for future generations. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewMarine Biology represents a useful "very short introduction" for students looking to develop their understanding of the marine field and for enthusiasts and conservationists looking to dive further into the oceans and the life they hold. * Conservation Biology *Broken into logical and easily digestible chapters and aided by intuitive easy-to-read diagrams, the author makes numerous complex ideas and theories easily comprehensible. * Society for Conservation Biology *Authoritative yet tender, this is a first-rate introduction to the mysteries of life in the ocean - and a glimpse of how that life is changing as humans damage the very chemistry of the sea around us. * Alanna Mitchell, author of Sea Sick: The Global Ocean in Crisis *Dipping a toe into any chapter of this Very Short Introduction is like diving into the complex, wonderful world of ocean life. You're quickly and fully immersed in every topic. * Professor Stephen Palumbi, Stanford University *Table of ContentsAcknowledgementsList of illustrationsList of tablesList of abbreviations Introduction 1: The oceanic environment 2: Marine biological processes 3: Life in the coastal ocean 4: Polar marine biology 5: Marine life in the tropics 6: Deep-ocean biology 7: Intertidal life 8: Food from the oceans 9: The future of our oceansFurther readingIndex

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Book SynopsisMission Zero is a landmark independent report into the delivery of the UK's commitment to net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. Chaired by Chris Skidmore, the UK's former Energy Minister who was responsible for signing net zero into law, its conclusions set out, for the very first time, a new economic narrative for climate policy, demonstrating the vast financial opportunity that net zero can deliver. This timely and crucial report acts as a template for how all countries can map out future challenges and opportunities and, above all, deliver their own pathway to net zero while also creating new jobs, industries and investment for the future. Commissioned by the UK's Prime Minister in September 2022, Mission Zero is the largest engagement exercise on net zero conducted to date and has been widely recognised as the most informative and detailed document on the topic, covering every sector and aspect of society. This important book is a vital piece of work and an indispensable must-read for anyone interested in energy, climate and sustainability policy.

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Book SynopsisJason Allen-Paisant is a Jamaican writer and multi-award-winning poet. He is the author of two critically acclaimed books of poetry, Thinking with Trees and Self-Portrait as Othello, which won the UK's two most prestigious poetry awards for 2023 the Forward Prize and T.S. Eliot Prize. He is also a Professor of Critical Theory and Creative Writing at the University of Manchester and Associate Editor of Callaloo Literary Journal. Jason lives in Leeds with his partner and two children.

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Book SynopsisThose who have a deep affection for Britain's countryside will be totally absorbed by this extraordinary history of environmentalists' efforts to conserve the glorious South Downs. After describing the special qualities of the area and earlier attempts to safeguard it, the story of a twenty-year campaign to secure National Park status for this special part of England is recounted. Strong forces opposed, but the South Downs Campaign, which eventually grew to represent 159 national, regional and local groups, won through and the national park was established in 2010. Author Robin Crane chaired the meeting of seven people who founded the South Downs Campaign in 1990. He remained chairman until the South Downs National Park was finally designated. From the outset the campaign was run by a team of both volunteers and professionals. The Campaign for National Parks, The Ramblers Association, Sussex Wildlife Trust and Sussex and Hampshire CPREs were the lead organisations. Margaret Paren, wh

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Book SynopsisOne of Bill Gates''s Favorite Books of 2016A revelatory look at our national power grid--how it developed, its current flaws, and how it must be completely reimagined for our fast-approaching energy future.America''s electrical grid, an engineering triumph of the twentieth century, is turning out to be a poor fit for the present. It's not just that the grid has grown old and is now in dire need of basic repair. Today, as we invest great hope in new energy sources--solar, wind, and other alternatives--the grid is what stands most firmly in the way of a brighter energy future. If we hope to realize this future, we need to reimagine the grid according to twenty-first-century values. It's a project which forces visionaries to work with bureaucrats, legislators with storm-flattened communities, moneymen with hippies, and the left with the right. And though it might not yet be obvious, this revolution is already well under way. Cultural anthropologist Gretchen Bakke unveils the many facets of America's energy infrastructure, its most dynamic moments and its most stable ones, and its essential role in personal and national life. The grid, she argues, is an essentially American artifact, one which developed with us: a product of bold expansion, the occasional foolhardy vision, some genius technologies, and constant improvisation. Most of all, her focus is on how Americans are changing the grid right now, sometimes with gumption and big dreams and sometimes with legislation or the brandishing of guns.The Grid tells--entertainingly, perceptively--the story of what has been called "the largest machine in the world": its fascinating history, its problematic present, and its potential role in a brighter, cleaner future.

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Book SynopsisFukuoka perfected his so-called "do-nothing" technique, a way of farming that seeks to work with nature rather than make it over through increasingly elaborate-and often harmful -methods. His farm became a gathering place for people from all over the world who wished to adapt his ways to their own local cultures.

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Book SynopsisThe present ecological mutation has organized the whole political landscape for the last thirty years. This could explain the deadly cocktail of exploding inequalities, massive deregulation, and conversion of the dream of globalization into a nightmare for most people. What holds these three phenomena together is the conviction, shared by some powerful people, that the ecological threat is real and that the only way for them to survive is to abandon any pretense at sharing a common future with the rest of the world. Hence their flight offshore and their massive investment in climate change denial.The Left has been slow to turn its attention to this new situation. It is still organized along an axis that goes from investment in local values to the hope of globalization and just at the time when, everywhere, people dissatisfied with the ideal of modernity are turning back to the protection of national or even ethnic borders.This is why it is urgent to shift sideways and to define politics as what leads toward the Earth and not toward the global or the national. Belonging to a territory is the phenomenon most in need of rethinking and careful redescription; learning new ways to inhabit the Earth is our biggest challenge. Bringing us down to earth is the task of politics today.Trade Review"...Latour's most important contribution to current debates may be his untimely insistence on the importance of thinking universally in a post-universal world."Los Angeles Review of Books "Brilliantly mind-bending"The New York Times“Concise and wise”LRBTable of Contents1. A hypothesis as political fiction: the explosion of inequalities and the denial of climate change are one and the same phenomenon. 2. Thanks to America’s abandonment of the climate agreement, we now know clearly what war has been declared. 3. The question of migrations now concerns everyone, offering a new and very wicked universality: finding oneself deprived of ground. 4. One must take care not to confuse globalization-plus with globalization-minus. 5. How the globalist ruling classes have decided to abandon all the burdens of solidarity, little by little. 6. The abandonment of a common world leads to epistemological delirium 7. The appearance of a third pole undoes the classical organization of modernity torn between the first two poles, the Local and the Global. 8. The invention of “Trumpism” makes it possible to identify a fourth attractor, the Out-of-This-World. 9. In identifying the attractor we can call Terrestrial, we identify a new geopolitical organization. 10. Why the successes of political ecology have never been commensurate with the stakes. 11. Why political ecology has had so much trouble breaking away from the Right/Left opposition. 12. How to ensure the relay between social struggles and ecological struggles. 13. The class struggle becomes a struggle among geosocial positions. 14. The detour by way of history makes it possible to understand how a certain notion of “nature” has immobilized political positions. 15. We must succeed in breaking the spell of “nature” as it has been pinned down by the modern vision of the Left/Right opposition. 16. A world composed of objects does not have the same type of resistance as a world composed of agents. 17. The sciences of the Critical Zone do not have the same political functions as those of the other natural sciences 18. The contradiction between the system of production and the system of engendering is heating up 19. A new attempt at describing dwelling placesÑFrance’s ledgers of complaints as a possible model. 20. A personal defense of the Old Continent. Acknowledgements Figures Notes

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Book Synopsis'Poignant ... A meditation on life, love and the importance of nature' IRISH TIMES When they were in their twenties, Niall Williams and Christine Breen made the impulsive decision to leave New York City and move to Christine’s ancestral home in the town of Kiltumper in rural Ireland. In the decades that followed, the pair dedicated themselves to writing, gardening and living a life that followed the rhythms of the earth. In 2019, with Christine in the final stages of recovery from cancer and the surrounding land threatened by the arrival of turbines, Niall and Christine decided to document a year - in words and Christine's drawings - of living in their garden and in their small corner of a rapidly changing world. Proceeding month by month through the year, this is the story of a garden in all its many splendours, and a couple who have made their life observing its wonders.Trade ReviewMoving and surprisingly provocative ... This couple's narrative is more than a January-December chronicle, it is the result of decades of care ... In Kiltumper is as much a book about the cherishing of a marriage as it is about the love of a place ... A heartfelt paean to a disappearing way of life -- Dominique Browning * Wall Street Journal *A record, both honest and beautiful, of a sustainable but precarious way of life -- Claire Connolly * Times Literary Supplement *Poignant ... A meditation on life, love and the importance of nature -- Brian Maye * Irish Times *Beautifully written ... A wonderfully lyrical and uplifting read -- Dermot Bolger * Sunday Business Post *An absorbing and thought-provoking read -- Diarmuid Gavin * Irish Independent *An intimate, meditative garden memoir -- Hilary White * Sunday Independent *While the events chronicled rarely move beyond the garden, and while the descriptions are so intimate they almost elicit grief for the dying cherry tree and spark exhortations to the dahlias to hold on to their heavy heads, it is the gardeners’ personalities that bloom -- Caroline O'Doherty * Irish Independent *The small Kiltumper acreage is detailed with a sense of wonder and of pleasure ... Chapter after chapter is enhanced with exquisite pencil drawings ... Frequently quotable, always eloquent ... This is a book full of joy, warmly rich with accomplishment and wonder and a strong sense of mutual commitment -- Mary Leland * Irish Examiner *Arresting ... Remarkable ... This book, in Seamus Heaney's phrase, catches the heart off guard ... Uncommonly magical ... Read it and be restored to yourself -- Cahir O'Doherty * Irish Central *I loved their two voices, truthful and gentle and generous, so full of care for their land and for each other ... A record of how deeply life can be lived within a garden's walls -- GEORGINA HARDINGA beautiful story, with words at once uplifting and poignant. Full of the acceptance and the optimism that only a garden and the act of caring for it brings -- JO THOMPSONI read it with enormous pleasure … There were so many episodes I loved, whether they were heartbreaking or uplifting … It was a delight to step into Niall and Christine’s precious garden, into the rhythms of their way of living, and to be refreshed -- TIM PEARSThis is a book to whet one’s appetite — for reading, writing, gardening — and living. I loved the counterpoint of the two voices as they face age, cancer, the struggle to write, to garden — to keep at it — under the threat of wind turbines and the wild Atlantic wind; not to give up. A triumph -- Katherine SwiftA celebration of life in rural Ireland * Irish Times, Best books for Christmas 2021 *Including beautiful pen and ink drawings by Christine, this is the story of a garden in all its many splendours and a couple who have made their life observing its wonders * Countryside *Whether you like gardening or enjoy reflections on a life lived simply in harmony with nature, this book is a sheer joy ... Niall and Christine celebrate the challenges and joys in delightful detail, from feeding Harp beer to brassicas, to running writing workshops and sharing the good life with friends and family -- Zoë West * Woman & Home, Book Club Awards *Here, they record 12 months of work in their garden, capturing their love of the land – which has been in Christine’s family since the 18th century – and also reflecting on the past and anxiously contemplating what the future holds as climate change takes hold. Through everything, their garden is a lovingly nurtured constant * Sunday Express, S Magazine *Twelve months in a cherished garden ... The good life, with its ups and downs * Saga *A celebration of the solace of country life … Country living, Breen reflects, teaches “about darkness and stars, about sunlight and silence, about things out of your control”: about the inevitability of change. The book includes Breen’s elegant botanical drawings. A warm homage to a piece of beloved Irish land * Kirkus Reviews *The book will appeal to any devoted gardener, and it also serves as an inviting snapshot of a place -- Eric Liebetrau * Kirkus Reviews *

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Book Synopsis‘A wonderful book: Nancy Campbell is a fine storyteller with a rare physical intelligence. The extraordinary brilliance of her eye confers the reader a total immersion in the rimy realms she explores. Glaciers, Arctic floe, verglas, frost and snow — I can think of no better or warmer guide to the icy ends of the Earth’ Dan Richards, author of Climbing DaysA vivid and perceptive book combining memoir, scientific and cultural history with a bewitching account of landscape and place, which will appeal to readers of Robert Macfarlane, Roger Deakin and Olivia Laing.  Long captivated by the solid yet impermanent nature of ice, by its stark, rugged beauty, acclaimed poet and writer Nancy Campbell sets out from the world’s northernmost museum – at Upernavik in Greenland – to explore it in all its facets. From the Bodleian Library archives to the traces left by the great polar expeditions, from remote

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of The History of the World in 100 Animals, a BBC Radio Four Book of the Week, comes an inspirational new book that looks at the 100 plants that have had the greatest impact on humanity, stunningly illustrated throughout. As humans, we hold the planet in the palms of ours hands. But we still consume the energy of the sun in the form of food. The sun is available for consumption because of plants. Plants make food from the sun by the process of photosynthesis; nothing else in the world can do this. We eat plants, or we do so at second hand, by eating the eaters of plants.   Plants give us food. Plants take in carbon dioxide and push out oxygen: they give us the air we breathe, direct the rain that falls and moderate the climate. Plants also give us shelter, beauty, comfort, meaning, buildings, boats, containers, musical instruments, medicines and religious symbols. We use flowers for love, we use flowers for death. The foss

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Book SynopsisWe barely talk about them and seldom know their names. Philosophy has always overlooked them; even biology considers them as mere decoration on the tree of life. And yet plants give life to the Earth: they produce the atmosphere that surrounds us, they are the origin of the oxygen that animates us. Plants embody the most direct, elementary connection that life can establish with the world. In this highly original book, Emanuele Coccia argues that, as the very creator of atmosphere, plants occupy the fundamental position from which we should analyze all elements of life. From this standpoint, we can no longer perceive the world as a simple collection of objects or as a universal space containing all things, but as the site of a veritable metaphysical mixture. Since our atmosphere is rendered possible through plants alone, life only perpetuates itself through the very circle of consumption undertaken by plants. In other words, life exists only insofar as it consumes other life, removing any moral or ethical considerations from the equation. In contrast to trends of thought that discuss nature and the cosmos in general terms, Coccia’s account brings the infinitely small together with the infinitely big, offering a radical redefinition of the place of humanity within the realm of life.Trade Review“Back to animals! Back to mushrooms! And now back to plants! It is with plants that this marvellous, witty, and immensely literate book wants us, the human readers, to get acquainted again. And, of course, with plants it is actually toward the sun that we are reoriented. Philosophy is on the move again, not exactly forward but downward, giving a completely different meaning to what counts as a foundation to thought.” Bruno Latour“The view of life as interdependence is a particularly affecting and relevant way to think about living and coping in the Anthropocene, when the ways that humans affect the literal composition of the atmosphere has become the existential question of our time.”The NationTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Author’s Preface xi I Prologue 1 On Plants, or the Origin of Our World 3 2 The Extension of the Domain of Life 7 3 On Plants, or the Life of the Spirit 12 4 Toward a Philosophy of Nature 17 II Leaf Theory: The Atmosphere of the World 5 Leaves 25 6 Tiktaalik roseae 29 7 In Open Air: Ontology of the Atmosphere 35 8 The Breath of the World 54 9 Everything Is in Everything 66 III Theory of the Root: The Life of the Stars 10 Roots 77 11 The Deepest Are the Stars 86 IV Theory of the Flower: The Reason of Forms 12 Flowers 99 13 Reason Is Sex 105 V Epilogue 14 On Speculative Autotrophy 113 15 Like an Atmosphere 119 Notes 123

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Book SynopsisThis is an incredibly inspiring exploration of the sea's role in the wellness of people and the planet, beautifully written by Easkey Britton – surfer, scientist and social activist. She offers a powerful female perspective on the sea and surfing, explaining what it’s like to be a woman in a man's world and how she promoted the sport to women in Iran, surfing while wearing a hijab. She speaks of the undiscussed taboo around entering the water while menstruating – and of how she has come to celebrate her own bodily cycles. She has developed her own approach to surfing, which instead of seeking to dominate the waves, works in tune with the natural cycles of her body, the moon and the seasons. In a society that rewards busyness, she believes that understanding the influence of cycles becomes even more important – and we all have them, men and women. For Easkey, the sea is a source of mental and physical wellbeing. She explores the mental toughness needed in big-wave surfing, and presents surfing as an embodied mindfulness practice in which we can find flow and connect with the movement of the waves. She stresses the need to recognize the ocean as our most powerful ally when addressing our greatest global challenge: the climate crisis. Above all, Easkey’s relationship to the sea has taught her about the need to meet life and evolve with it, rather than seeking to control it. By such wisdom our planet might just survive and thrive.Trade Review"A fantastic read - beautifully written and brimming with wisdom, wildness and stories that enlighten and inspire ... a book for these times from a soulful surfer, scholar, and artist who offers us a compelling and hopeful vision for how things can be." - Ruairí McKiernan, bestselling author of Hitching for Hope"Easkey Britton’s story is one of resilience, strength and the nourishing power of the sea ... a moving tale of one woman’s exploration of her own self and her beloved blue sea" - "Easkey Britton has transferred the courage and dedication of a life spent surfing the world's wildest waves onto the written page to tell a fascinating story that is both an intensely personal reflection and a celebration of the sea." - Keith Duggan, award-winning journalist and bestselling author of books including Cliffs of Insanity"Reading this truly marvellous book made me feel vulnerable, uplifted and ... will leave an indelible mark on the memory." - Sir Tim Smit, Co-Founder of the Eden Project"This beautiful book is much more than a celebration of place. It is a powerful story of an incredible woman at the frontline of surfing. ... Easkey’s blue heritage runs deep through her bloodline, and she will draw us all closer – both inside our bodies and the bigger body of the world – to water as we flow through these pages." - Sam Bleakley, surfer, filmmaker and author of Mindful Thoughts for Surfers: Turning in to the Tides"This book is a love story of the exhilarating relationship between a deeply sensitive, courageous woman and the ocean ... With such an intimate personal account it also illustrates how each person can have their own rich and fulfilling relationship with the natural world." - Michael Depledge CBE FRCP, Emeritus Professor of Environment and Human Health"Easkey Britton's story is uniquely, authentically, wholly, powerfully, and untouchably her own. She tells us how to bring water – in all its forms – into our own lives as mother, muse, coach, confidant, healer, lover, sparing-partner, and best friend. I hope everyone listens." - Dr Wallace J Nichols, author of Blue Mind"Saltwater in the Blood is a compelling and moving read about the thrill, wonder and danger of surfing, and how Easkey’s relationship to the sea and surf has awoken in her a responsibility to life itself." - Alexandra Pope. co-author of Wild Power: discover the magic of the menstrual cycle and awaken the feminine path to power"Her journey as a surfer and as woman are an urgent reminder of the spiritual power of our ocean as a source of inspiration, humility, and connection that we all need in this moment of human and planetary crisis." - Persis Karim, poet, editor and Professor at San Francisco State University"We learn of a woman’s deep sensations from Easkey’s book. She is not coy. She says it how she feels, in water and on paper and in this world." - Pauline Bewick, Irish artist and author"In Saltwater in the Blood, Easkey invites us into her intimate relationship with the sea, and shows us how hearing its calls has given her new eyes, profound connections, and a fierce courage to release the wild woman soul that yearns to come out of hiding." - Captain Liz Clark, author of Swell

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Book SynopsisThe hare permeates our consciousness like no other creature. Despite facing ever increasing environmental pressures, the hare still retains its ability to both delight and confound in equal measure. Produced in conjunction with The Hare Preservation Trust, this book offers a unique insight into this most fascinating of creatures.

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Book SynopsisLike Jared Diamond''s Guns, Germs and Steel, Clive Ponting''s book studies the relationship between the environment and human history. It examines world civilisations from Sumeria to ancient Egypt, from Easter Island to the Roman Empire and it argues that human beings have repeatedly built societies that have grown and prospered by exploiting the Earth''s resources, only to expand to the point where those resources could no longer sustain the societies'' populations and cause subsequent collapse. This new edition of Clive Ponting''s international bestseller has been revised, expanded and updated. It provides not only a compelling story of how we have damaged the environment for thousands of years but also an up-to-the-minute assessment of the crisis facing the world today - and the problems that have to be addressed in the search for solutions.Trade ReviewIf there is a single book on the subject to engage the enthusiast, silence the cynic and enlighten the ignoramus, this is it * Observer *Ponting's re-evaluation of history is an important antidote to mental troglodytism. It also makes a welcome change from the scatter-gun apocalypse-mongering which has become standard fare in green literature. With luck and foresight, and more books like this, we may yet learn our lesson * Independent on Sunday *Pioneering...a book good enough to rival the best American products in the field... Clive Ponting has embraced a daunting task with commendable success * Times Literary Supplement *An ambitious and thought-provoking attempt to rewrite history from an ecological standpoint * Independent *Large, ambitious and often enthralling, it is a successful attempt to look at the unfolding of world history from an entirely new perspective * Literary Review *

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Book SynopsisGod is Green examines what the Bible has to say about humanity's relationship with and responsibility for the environment, and how Church traditions over the centuries have interpreted this. Ian Bradley argues that Christianity at its essence is a 'green faith' which has been distorted over the years. First published in 1990, this new edition of the book is revised for the contemporary state of our climate, and includes a chapter-by-chapter study guide for individuals and small groups.Trade Review"A landmark book ... should be the stuff of conversation in every congregation." -- John Bell

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Book SynopsisFrom Kate Greenaway Award-winning illustrator Grahame Baker-Smith, Wild is the Wind follows the extraordinary path of the wind around the globe.Cassi watches a little swift dive and swoop in the still air. Then a small breeze stirs the leaves in the trees, and as the wind grows bolder, a whiff of danger sends small creatures running for cover. Across the ocean, the wind awakes with a fury, whipping the waves, cresting each one with wild, white horses. This extraordinary sequel to the award-winning The Rhythm of the Rain takes readers on a journey along the path of the world's wind, through hurricanes, tornadoes, and gentle ocean breezes. All of this is witnessed by a tiny swift who relies on the winds to circumnavigate the globe.

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Book SynopsisIndigenous leader and activist Ailton Krenak reminds us that we must awaken from the comatose senselessness we have been immersed in since the beginning of the modern colonial project, where order, progress, development, consumerism, and capitalism have taken over our entire existence, leaving us only very partially alive, and, in fact, almost dead. To awaken from the coma of modernity is, for Krenak, to awaken to the possibility of becoming attuned to “the cosmic sense of life.” He points out that the COVID-19 pandemic affects all so-called “human” lives and that the time is ripe for us all to reflect on and undo the exclusivity and distinction that have characterized the concept of humanity throughout Western modernity.Trade ReviewSelected by Mongabay as one of 10 notable books on conservation and the environment published in 2023 “As Krenak contemplates the COVID-19 pandemic in the pithy Life Is Not Useful, he advocates powerfully for a shift away from the way life was before. As he sees it, humans’ detachment from nature and our obsession with extracting profits from the Earth have led to the crises we are facing today. Instead, he puts forth a vision that embraces the interconnected reliance on all life that shares this planet.”Mongabay “Ailton Krenak is a unique voice in contemporary thought and the only one who manages to turn the current crisis into a huge opportunity to rethink the life of humanity. He demonstrates that our political identity is not based on the separate ownership of land, but on the fact that we all share one and the same flesh, which is the same flesh from which planet Earth lives. Earth is not the space where languages and cultures differ and wage war against each other, but the institution that allows us to share dreams with all that lives.”Emanuele Coccia, author of Metamorphoses“A stinging critique of Western thought.”Earthbound Report“Krenak makes a potent anarchist statement, often with simple, sardonic humour … and his solutions are no less radical.”Latin American Review of Books“[A] thought-provoking critique of the individual and the prevailing global political-economic-social system. With his humorous sensitivity, Krenak invites us to reflect on the essence of life, which goes beyond the limited definition assigned to it.”International Journal of Environmental StudiesTable of ContentsAbout the author About this book Acknowledgements Introduction – Natalia Brizuela You Can’t Eat Money Dreams to Postpone the End of the World The Thing-Making Machine Tomorrow is Not for Sale Life is Not Useful

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 2022 Eric Zencey Prize in Ecological Economics Capitalism is broken. The relentless pursuit of more has delivered climate catastrophe, social inequality and financial instability – and left us ill-prepared for life in a global pandemic. Tim Jackson’s passionate and provocative book dares us to imagine a world beyond capitalism – a place where relationship and meaning take precedence over profits and power. Post Growth is both a manifesto for system change and an invitation to rekindle a deeper conversation about the nature of the human condition.Now available as an audiobook narrated by the author.Trade Review‘A Reminder that judging political success and national prosperity by the entirely faulty measure of GDP is short-changing the present and the future.’Natalie Bennett, The House Magazine‘fascinating’The BMJ Opinion‘With great sensitivity and wonderful insight, Tim Jackson shows us that there is life after the growth imperative – and it’s a richer, more humane form of life. With its blend of science, history and biographical detail, Post Growth was a delight to read and gave me much to think about.’Svend Brinkmann – Author of The Joy of Missing Out ‘Through the window of our pandemic lockdown Jackson sees both the sins of capitalism and the renewal of hope. An instructive and stimulating read!’Herman Daly – Author of Steady State Economics ‘Tim Jackson’s compelling postgrowth vision strikes at the heart of today’s greatest existential challenge and human predicament: either we continue to propagate a capitalistic growth paradigm that fosters inequality, climate and health crises or we build our lives and livelihoods around a holistic system providing what is truly meaningful.’Sandrine Dixson-Declève – Co-President, The Club of Rome‘Joyous… Post Growth is one of the best written economic tomes I have read in a long while.’Dollars and Sense‘Post Growth is perhaps the most imaginative book I’ve read on the topic of economic growth, a lyrical and thoughtful account of where capitalism fails and the many ways that things could be done better.’The Earthbound Project‘Written almost as much in poetry as in prose, it is offered as a string of vignettes and parables giving us insights into what’s wrong with the way our economy works and what we can do to change it.’Ecologist ‘This book demonstrates that changing the current economic paradigm is not a crazy dream, but a real – and absolutely essential – possibility. For all of us. Right now. Taking the world towards the sustainable development we need is a revolution waiting to happen, if we only allow it.’Enrico Giovannini – Former Chief Statistician, OECD ‘Tim Jackson appeals to humanity's incredible ingenuity by replacing the tunnel vision of mainstream economics with a tour d'horizon of how good lives for all are perfectly possible without costing the Earth.’Maja Göpel, The New Institute‘Post Growth can be read as a playbook of how to turn the categorical imperative back on its feet again, how to build a world where equal rights to production and consumption do not ruin the planet, and how to subordinate the economy to a broader reflection on its purpose.’Green European Journal‘Jackson writes beautifully’Green House‘Abounds with prescriptions for the “economy of tomorrow” that challenge the orthodoxies of today… intriguing.’The Guardian ‘Post growth is one of the most important ideas of the 21st century, and Tim Jackson one of its most powerful proponents. Don’t miss this brilliant new book.’Jason Hickel – Author of Less is More ‘An unapologetic, clear-eyed vision.’Kerry Kennedy – President of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights ‘A thrilling intellectual journey towards a post growth world.’Roman Krznaric – Author of The Good Ancestor ‘Some call Tim Jackson’s thesis about capitalism’s flaws, and proposed remedies, provocative. After two decades as a successful capitalist (or so they tell me) I don’t find it provocative at all, rather an existential imperative.’Jeremy Leggett – Founder of Solarcentury and SolarAid ‘Utterly inspiring … an urgent and eloquent plea for radical change.’Caroline Lucas – MP, Green Party ‘A tour de force, sinuous, disruptive – and a masterpiece of measured rage and love.’Jonathon Porritt – Author of Hope in Hell ‘Extraordinary, powerful and beautifully written – difficult to put down.’Mamphela Ramphele – Co-President, The Club of Rome ‘Economic wisdom wrapped up in poetry … A beautiful read.’Kate Raworth – Author of Doughnut Economics ‘Razor-sharp analysis and powerful storytelling’Johan Rockström – Professor of Earth Systems Science ‘An expansive, wise and uplifting work that will reorient the conversation. Highly recommended.’Juliet Schor – Author of After the Gig ‘Jackson is the great storyteller of economics – of what economies can and should be. In this book he draws on the stories of original thinkers near and far to show that post growth – a future beyond capitalism – is not just necessary for our planet, but also to sustain our human spirit.’Julia Steinberger – University of Lausanne ‘This is an important and urgent book. Tim Jackson exposes the cult of growth which is leading us down a path of human misery and destruction of the natural world. A book of questions, interwoven with stories and philosophy: our collective challenge is to create the answers.’Jo Swinson – Director, Partners for a New Economy ‘Tim Jackson offers us a book that is both honest and hopeful. It gently lets its stark messages unfold through writing that is often more like poetry than political prose. As rich in imagery as it is grounded with examples and clear explanations of why our economy is in urgent need of recalibration, this is a book that future generations will be glad was written.’Katherine Trebeck – Author of The Economics of Arrival ‘It is harder and harder to deny that we in the “developed” world are collectively prisoners of an addictive delusion – the myth of constantly increasing economic growth. In this brief but weighty book, Tim Jackson exposes this myth with unambiguous clarity, and asks whether we are able to seize the opportunities for tough self-questioning prompted by the current global crisis.’Rowan Williams – 104th Archbishop of Canterbury ‘Empowering and elegiac’Yanis Varoufakis – Author of Another NowTable of ContentsPrologue Chapter 1. The Myth of Growth Chapter 2. Who Killed Capitalism? Chapter 3. The Limited and the Limitless Chapter 4. The Nature of Prosperity Chapter 5. Of Love and Entropy Chapter 6. Economics as Storytelling Chapter 7. The Return to Work Chapter 8. A Canopy of Hope Chapter 9. The Art of Power Chapter 10. Dolphins in Venice Acknowledgements References Notes

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Book SynopsisIn The Edge of the Sea Rachel Carson introduces us to the 'strange and beautiful place' where the sea meets the land. She explores a tide pool, an inaccessible cave, and watches a lone crab on the shore at midnight. From these, and other, encounters she offers us not just a scientifically accurate study of the ecology of the seashore, but also a hauntingly beautiful account of the fragile balance of life found at the edge of the sea.The Edge of the Sea, like all her writing, sounds a prophetic alarm for the damage mankind is doing to the natural world, but also offers us inspiration: here is beauty, here is something worth saving.Trade ReviewThe timely reissue of a classic maritime trilogy shows that the "poet of the oceans" was far ahead of her time . . . What's striking is that Carson is a keen observer of the interconnectedness of things . . . Her sea series is not only fascinating for those with an interest in the prehistory of Silent Spring. There is much to marvel at in these pages. The Edge Of The Sea is a book to take down to the beach and rockpools - I will pack it in my own bag for the summer holidays * * Herald * *A brilliantly written argument that changed the course of history -- AL GORECatching the life breath of science on the still glass of poetry * * Time * *Praise for the Sea trilogy: This combination of science and scintillating prose provides fascinating insights into the mysteries of the tides . . . a masterpiece of ecological writing * * Guardian * *Rereading her natural histories, what stands out is how beautiful the writing is. Carson combined a scientist's ability to see with a novelist's ability to imagine * * New Yorker * *[Carson] is the poet laureate of the sea, but also of that "web of life", in which everything is connected to everything else * * London Review of Books * *Rachel Carson was one of the reasons why I became so conscious of the environment and so involved with environmental issues . . . Her picture hangs on my office wall among those of political leaders, presidents and prime ministers. It has been there for years, and it belongs there. Carson has had as much or more an effect on me than any of them, and perhaps all of them together -- AL GOREPraise for Silent Spring: Brilliantly written: clear, controlled and authoritative . . . one of the most effective books ever written . . . the impact is, in all senses, stunning * * Guardian * *Much of what Carson wrote to great controversy is now conventional wisdom. To read Silent Spring now is in part to understand how we got to where we are * * Wall Street Journal * *

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Book SynopsisAn exciting exploration of the new frontier of finance, to value the planet and protect what has too long been treated as free and taken for granted--the natural assets we need and love most In Pricing the Priceless: The Financial Transformation to Value the Planet, Solve the Climate Crisis, and Protect Our Most Precious Assets, renowned environmental strategist, speaker, world traveler and author Paula DiPerna brings a unique voice and optic to de-mystify and unveil today's most fascinating financial disruptionpricing the priceless to flip conventional ideas of how we value natural assets and why. She asks the provocative question long ignored: Why do we value the indispensable atmosphere at zero, but dispensable production in the trillions? She digs into alternatives, with real-life examples from around the globe of fascinating and pioneering financial innovationscontroversial and paradoxical, but essential. In the book, you'll travel from rainforests to Wall Street, Board Rooms to the Vatican, coral reefs to mangroves to China's carbon markets. Timely, adventurous, eclectic, and accessible, Pricing the Priceless brings alive the critical financial transformation that will determine future planetary health and social stability. With power, clarity and real-world experience, the author also examines: Fascinating new financial inventions and experimentsinsurance, bonds, markets, investment fundsall aimed at pricing what is precious and vital to human well-beingHow the great current intergenerational shift in wealth and attitudes is redefining investment trends and the idea of what constitutes wealth and returnHow climate change and other urgent environmental problems now require entirely new financial thinking to trigger solutionsHow once-radical ideas about measuring economic progress are now re-imagining the very purpose of capitalismWhy finance needs critical re-invention to remain credible in the face of increasing public skepticism of business-as-usual economic practice A can't-miss read for thought leaders, business executives, investors, activists, and entrepreneurs, Pricing the Priceless is a landmark that will shape the world and future, bridging the tangible and intangible to answer a critical question of rising economic and social inspiration: What is money for?Table of ContentsPreface vii 1 Michelangelo’s Finger: The Pope and the Atmosphere 1 2 Marooned: The Island of Wrong Things Measured 15 3 One of a Kind: The Gamble of Rarity and Price 31 4 Art in a Box: Pricelessness Saves Detroit 39 5 Mangroves and Money: All of Nature Is an Economic Machine 55 6 The Cosmic Penthouse: Carbon Pricing, Carbon Markets 69 7 Dare to Surmount: China Joins the Marathon 103 8 Wall Street to the Rescue? Nauru May Answer 121 9 Never Another Drop: The Flow of Water Markets 151 10 Wildlife and Wonderment: The Rhino Bond 177 11 Premiums to the Coral: Coral Reef Insurance 189 12 Forests as Infrastructure: The Forest Resilience Bond 197 13 Off Limits: The Value of Do Not Touch 213 14 Infinite Value: Return to Rome 241 References 247 Acknowledgments 253 Index 255

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Book SynopsisGerald Durrell, director and owner of Jersey Zoo, was internationally famous for his amusing books about collecting wild animals. The Overloaded Ark, his first, remains his funniest book. It describes an expedition to the remote territory of the Cameroons in West Africa, before independence.''A delightful book . . . You can feel his bush-shirt sticking to his back . . . Bagging a monitor, smoking out a Pangolin (scaly anteater), celebrating the capture of the rare Angwantibo (small lemur), bird liming for Giant Kingfishers on the warm, milky waters of Lake Soden: he communicates every detail of his experiences with just the right degree of zest.'' New Statesman

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE 2016 Charles Foster wanted to know what it was like to be a beast: a badger, an otter, a deer, a fox, a swift. What it was really like. And through knowing what it was like he wanted to get down and grapple with the beast in us all. So he tried it out; he lived life as a badger for six weeks, sleeping in a dirt hole and eating earthworms, he came face to face with shrimps as he lived like an otter and he spent hours curled up in a back garden in East London and rooting in bins like an urban fox. A passionate naturalist, Foster realises that every creature creates a different world in its brain and lives in that world. As humans, we share sensory outputs, lights, smells and sound, but trying to explore what it is actually like to live in another of these worlds, belonging to another species, is a fascinating and unique neuro-scientific challenge. For Foster it is also a literary challenge. Looking at what science can tell us about what happens in a fox's or badger's brain when it picks up a scent, he then uses this to imagine their world for us, to write it through their eyes or rather through the eyes of Charles the beast. An intimate look at the life of animals, neuroscience, psychology, nature writing, memoir and more, it is a journey of extraordinary thrills and surprises, containing wonderful moments of humour and joy, but also providing important lessons for all of us who share life on this precious planet.Trade ReviewTranscendentally eccentric nature writing of the first order. Charles Foster digs deep under the skin of other animals, uncovering gems of wisdom that our usually superficial gaze will otherwise miss -- Hugh WarwickGleefully lascivious in its physical curiosity, Being a Beast advocates for our highest animality by expanding our sensory intelligence. A flabbergasting, thunderstriking, stupendous, brilliant book -- Jay GriffithsThrilling, brilliant, bonkers... a strange kind of masterpiece: the song of a satyr, perhaps, or nature writing as extreme sport. * Financial Times *Charles Foster's chronicle of the sensory lives of beasts and his own forays into self re-wilding is like nothing you have ever read. Deeply serious and at times laugh-out-loud funny, this is an extraordinary book. -- Caspar HendersonUnimaginably different from any book you have ever read - an exploration of our deep kinship with animals that is thought-provoking, funny and full of adventure all at once, brilliantly written, and sparkling with ideas -- Iain McGilchristFoster is funny and profound and his empathic mission shows our kinship with other species -- Patrick Barkham * Guardian *Extraordinary... very funny... Foster is well read and writes beautifully. * The Sunday Times *A wild and whimsical memoir. * The Times *Takes nature writing to new levels... his work is a triumph. -- Kate Green * Country Life *Very funny... hones senses long neglected... Mr Foster is the real thing, going truly feral and in the process discovering a whole new world. It is not a midlife crisis so much as a lifelong passion. * Economist *Funny, exuberant and courageous, nudging closer and closer to how it might feel to enter the non-human world. * Guardian, readers' BOTY 2016 *

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Book SynopsisA radically thought-provoking account of a major shift in how we understand our Earth, not simply as an inanimate planet on which life evolved, but rather as a planet that came to life.''Poetic, engaging, lucid'' The Times Literary Supplement''Wide-ranging and thought-provoking'' The Guardian''Full of mind-bending conceptual twists, and wonderful characters'' Ed Yong, author of An Immense WorldThe notion of a living world is one of humanity's oldest beliefs. Though once scorned by many scientists, the concept of Earth as a vast interconnected living system has gained acceptance in recent decades. Life not only adapts to its surroundings it also shapes them in dramatic and enduring ways. Over billions of years, life transformed a lump of orbiting rock into our cosmic oasis, breathing oxygen into the atmosphere, concocting the modern oceans, and turning rock into fertile soil. Life is intertwined with Earth's capacity to regulate its climate and maintain balance.Through compelling narrative, evocative descriptions, and lucid explanations, in Becoming Earth Ferris Jabr shows us how Earth became the world we've known, how it is rapidly becoming a very different world, and how we will determine what kind of Earth our descendants inherit for millennia to come.''Fascinating, thought-provoking, and, ultimately, inspiring'' Elizabeth Kolbert, author of The Sixth Extinction, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction

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Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES NATURE BOOK OF THE YEAR*UPDATED EDITION FEATURING EXTRA MATERIAL*A nature diary by award-winning novelist, nature writer and hit podcaster Melissa Harrison, following her journey from urban south London to the rural Suffolk countryside.''A writer of great gifts.'' ROBERT MACFARLANE''The journal of a writer to compare to Thomas Hardy. Melissa Harrison is among our most celebrated nature writers.'' JOHN CAREY, THE TIMESA Londoner for over twenty years, moving from flat to Tube to air-conditioned office, Melissa Harrison knew what it was to be insulated from the seasons. Adopting a dog and going on daily walks helped reconnect her with the cycle of the year and the quiet richness of nature all around her: swifts nesting in a nearby church; ivy-leaved toadflax growing out of brick walls; the first blackbird''s song; an exhilarating glimpse of a hobby over Tooting Common.Moving from scrappy c

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Book SynopsisAs a heatwave hits Paris, the author's entire existence is disrupted and disoriented by the effects of climate change. All his normal reference points are destroyed. To escape the heat and his growing anxieties, he flees to the small Mediterranean island of Porquerolles. But even in this idyllic setting, can he escape the harsh realities of the Anthropocene? Written as a fictionalized travelogue based on the author's own experiences, this inquiry into the issues raised by the climate crisis will be of interest to everyone concerned about the increasingly dire situation in which we find ourselves on our climate-damaged planet.Trade Review"If there is a book which can mobilize us for the urgent ecological engagement, it is Land Sickness. It combines in a unique way the aesthetic pleasure of casual reading with the deepest existential engagement."Slavoj Zizek"This book is perhaps the first of a long series: a Bildungsroman, except that it is not about a self that adjusts to the social world, but about a self that no longer knows what to do with a natural world that exhausts it. Hence the hybrid genre of affects and theories."Bruno Latour "How to recover the self in and after the Anthropocene – this remarkable little book will work like an inspiring manual for those contemplating that task."Dipesh Chakrabarty"Nikolaj Schultz has given us a movingly rendered meditation on the moral dead ends we encounter as we attempt to navigate our way through the disorienting world of the Anthropocene. A unique and often tormented blend of personal struggle and ecological commentary that leaves the reader in a state of beautiful dread."Clive Hamilton“In beautiful prose that makes everyday moments seem profound, Schultz describes his life as a series of climate-related decisions… an ecological essay that raises important questions about what it means to live in a time of growing catastrophe.”Foreword Reviews (starred review)“Nikolaj Schultz’s Land Sickness chronicles his semi-fictionalised travelogue of his experience of climate change. He brilliantly meditates on the inescapability of the Anthropocene, the intimacy of the experience of climate breakdown, and planetary interconnection. Land Sickness is an urgent book about the many facets of our understanding of and interaction with our environment. As the late Bruno Latour told me: It is important to read Nikolaj Schultz.”Hans Ulrich Obrist"Nikolaj Schultz is the coming star of sociology"Die ZeitTable of ContentsAcknowledgements Problems Beings Generations Transmissions Oceans Islands Freedoms Landscapes Waters Controversies Struggles Land Sickness Horizons

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Book SynopsisIf environmental protection is costly, how much should we spend on pollution control? Is it worth reducing pollution to zero, or should we accept some level of pollution because of the economic benefits associated with it? How can we assess the benefits that people get from a less-polluted atmosphere?In broad terms, environmental economics looks at how economic activity and policy affect the environment in which we live. Some production generates pollution, such as power station emissions causing acid rain and contributing to global warming, but household consumption decisions also affect the environment, where more consumption can mean more waste sent to polluting incinerators. However, pollution is not an inevitable consequence of economic activity - environmental policies can require polluting firms to clean up their emissions, and can encourage people to change their behaviour, through environmental taxes on polluting goods, for example. Generally, though, these measures will involve some costs, such as installing pollution control equipment. So there''s a trade-off: a cleaner environment, but economic costs. In recent years, many economists have argued for greater use of incentive in the form of pollution charges and emissions trading rather than more traditional direct regulation of polluters. In this Very Short Introduction, Stephen Smith discusses environmental issues including pollution control, reducing environmental damage, and global climate change policies, answering questions about how we should balance environmental and economic considerations, and what form government policies should take. Including many illustrative case studies and examples he shows that this is an exciting field of economics, and one that is at the heart of many public debates and controversies.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. The economy and the environment ; 2. The economic theory of efficient pollution control ; 3. Environmental policy: instrument choice ; 4. Economic information and values in environmental policy decisions ; 5. The economics of climate change ; Further Reading ; References ; Index

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Book SynopsisThe economic and political situation of cities has shifted in recent years in light ofrapid growth amidst infrastructure decline, the suburbanization of poverty and inner city revitalization.At the same time, the way that data are used to understand urban systems has changed dramatically. Urban Analyticsoffers a field-defining look at thechallenges and opportunities of using new and emerging data to study contemporary and future cities through methods including GIS, Remote Sensing, Big Data and Geodemographics. Written in an accessible style and packed with illustrations and interviews from key urban analysts, this is a groundbreaking new textbook for students of urban planning, urban design, geography, and the information sciences.Trade ReviewThis is a comprehensive and timely consolidation of current thinking about urban analytics. The book is fizzing with new ideas, and brimming with practical examples of the science of doing. Compulsive student reading. -- Paul LongleyUrban analytics is fast emerging as the core set of tools employed to deal with problems of big data, urban simulation, and demographics. This book is essential reading to all those involved in this newly emergent field, providing a new arsenal of analytic tools to make sense of how cities are being restructured. -- Michael BattyUrban Analytics neatly interweaves an introduction to this emerging field, with an accessible discussion of enduring themes and new approaches in quantitative geography. An engaging text that will appeal to students in a range of disciplines. -- David O′SullivanThis excellent starter text captures the excitement and enthusiasm of a new kind of urban research: one that exploits the vast new data resources that are becoming available, from social media, crowdsourcing, and sensor networks; and makes use of the unprecedented power of today′s computer technology. It fills an important gap, and will be an essential text for students in a wide range of disciplines, from civil, infrastructure, and transportation engineering to geography, planning, and urban studies. -- Michael GoodchildUrban analytics has come of age! This textbook by three leading scholars in data-driven and computational urban science is needed and welcome. It is a fantastic resource for educating the next generation of urban scholars. -- Harvey J. MillerUrban Analytics is a great introductory text for getting familiar with logics and perspectives characterising the analysis, interpretation and representation of urban data. It is a highly valuable work for urban scholars who are familiar with qualitative approaches, but would like to gain a deeper understanding of the ways data and computational techniques allow us to understand and gain meaningful knowledge of cities and urban phenomena. -- Alberto VanoloUrban analytics is integral to city infrastructure, and it is hugely important that people understand the implication and uses of City data. This book accessibly explains the underlying concepts of urban analytics for students and interested professionals. I believe this book will be very helpful, and will recommend it for my students and (business) partners in city data projects. -- Nanda PiersmaTable of ContentsQuestioning the City through Urban Analytics Sensing the City Urban Data Infrastructure Visualizing the City Differences within Cities Explaining the City Generative Urban Systems Cities as Networks and Flows The Future of Urban Analytics

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Book SynopsisUnder what conditions could ecology, instead of being one cluster of movements among others, organise politics around an agenda and a set of beliefs? Can ecology aspire to define the political horizon in the way that liberalism, socialism, conservatism and other political ideologies have done at various times and places? What can ecology learn from history about how new political movements emerge, and how they win the struggle for ideas long before they translate their ideas into parties and elections? In this short text, consisting of seventy-six talking points, Bruno Latour and Nikolaj Schultz argue that if the ecological movement is to gain ideological consistency and autonomy it must offer a political narrative that recognises, embraces and effectively represents its project in terms of social conflict. Political ecology must accept that it brings along division. It must provide a convincing cartography of the conflicts it generates and, based on this, it must try to define a common horizon of collective action. In order to represent and describe these conflicts, Latour and Schultz propose to reuse the old notions of ‘class’ and ‘class struggle’, albeit infused with a new meaning in line with the ecological concerns of our New Climate Regime. Advancing the idea of a new ecological class, assembled by its collective interests in fighting the logic of production and safeguarding our planet’s conditions of habitability, they ask: how can a proud and self-aware ecological class emerge and take effective action to shape our collective future?Trade Review"Elusive and magnificent by turns.... There's nothing anyone can tell us about the politics of climate change that we don't already think we know, and this is a problem. All the more reason, as Schultz and Latour see it, to build a new class movement – quite possibly the last of its kind."—Jeremy Harding, London Review of Books "sharp-witted, refreshing, and deeply convincing"—Modern Times Review "this readable little book includes a number of relevant questions and insights"—The Ecologist“An insightful and timely political ‘memo’ addressed to all sensitive humans.”—Counterpunch“This short book contains just 76 paragraphs, but each one packs a punch. Written with style and wit”—The Revelator Praise for the French edition: "A visionary ecology…in this book, which is as incisive as it is inspiring, Bruno Latour and Nikolaj Schultz assign a political dimension to ecology."—La Croix "A guidebook for terrestrials... a book which will no doubt proudly revive the political struggle."—Le Monde "An arresting and incisive text."—Télérama "This Memo could inspire a whole new generation."—La Vie "A stimulating essay which is as concise as it is prescient, which helps us to rethink contemporary ecology."—Blast "Interesting and deserving of being widely discussed."—L'anticapitaliste "Ecologists from around the world, jump into action!"—Nonfiction "A new and stimulating book... its punchy prose is a tonic which will line the spirit with goodwill and give rise to new affective dimensions."—L'ADN "Better than Marx."—L'AntiÉditiorial "This book must be passed round and read urgently."—COMBAT Praise for the German edition: "The authors reach an important climax in their search for a positive ecology, and many of their discussion points are worthy of reflection."—Neue Zürcher Zeitung "Latour and Schultz's book On the Emergence of an Ecological Class - a Memo is a manifesto and guide, and one of the most important books of our time, clarifying and showing us the way forward.—Der Tagesspiegel "This short text is the pinnacle of recently-deceased philosopher Bruno Latour's political-ecological project, which encompassed many years' work."—Frankfurter Rundschau "This ecological manifesto never loses sight of the need for literary edification."—Berliner Zeitung “Latour and Schutz provide a thoughtful intervention into the discussion about the necessity of system change in the face of climate change.”—Social Forces“[S]hort but ambitious. . . . raises important insights and provides a clear framework for mobilizing collective action around ecological issues.”—Environmental ValuesTable of ContentsTable of contents:I: Class struggles and classification struggles II: A prodigious extension of materialism III: The great turnaround IV: A class that's legitimate again V: A misalignment of affects VI: A different sense of history in a different cosmos VII: The ecological class is potentially in the majority VIII: The indispensable and too often abandoned battle of ideas IX: Winning power, but what kind? X: Filling the emptiness of the public space from below

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