Shrinking the Earth —— The Rise and Decline of Natural Abundance

D. Worster's book presents an excellent holistic analysis of natural and societal driving forces which interactions basically caused the recent latent global environmental and societal crises. Worster's ideas reflects results of his long term research in the field of environmental and economic history of not only West of North America and its change from wilderness into "cultural landscape". His books is challenging all human beings think about current situation of mankind, that needs to change both ways of living in co-operation with nature and ways of production.

The book is in three long essays. Together it is a well written explanation of the relationship between the history of America's development and the current understanding of resource limits. It describes the intersection of America's political-economy and the fact that we are now reaching the limits to growth. Worster goes into the history of the publication of that book, and much further: He explains in very clear terms why we (not just Americans, but all humans) are past the point of increasing abundance. I think the first third is one of the best written summaries of systems ecology for the non-expert, and once you get through it, you will not be able to stop to see where it ends—in our current predicament of a growth dependent (addicted?) corporate capitalist political-economy, beholden to an ideology based on American (or human) exceptionalism. This conceit is going to lead us to a lot of suffering. Already is. It would be good if more people read this book, but it appears the publisher and/or the author didn't care to do the "push" needed to get it into the public's attention. Edit: Amazon says I'm a "verified purchaser" of audio edition. Inaccurate: I bought a hard cover book, new remaindered. In fact, I've bought a few to give to people.

D. Worster's book presents an excellent holistic analysis of natural and societal driving forces which interactions basically caused the recent latent global environmental and societal crises. Worster's ideas reflects results of his long term research in the field of environmental and economic history of not only West of North America and its change from wilderness into "cultural landscape". His books is challenging all human beings think about current situation of mankind, that needs to change both ways of living in co-operation with nature and ways of production.

The book is in three long essays. Together it is a well written explanation of the relationship between the history of America's development and the current understanding of resource limits. It describes the intersection of America's political-economy and the fact that we are now reaching the limits to growth. Worster goes into the history of the publication of that book, and much further: He explains in very clear terms why we (not just Americans, but all humans) are past the point of increasing abundance.I think the first third is one of the best written summaries of systems ecology for the non-expert, and once you get through it, you will not be able to stop to see where it ends—in our current predicament of a growth dependent (addicted?) corporate capitalist political-economy, beholden to an ideology based on American (or human) exceptionalism. This conceit is going to lead us to a lot of suffering. Already is.It would be good if more people read this book, but it appears the publisher and/or the author didn't care to do the "push" needed to get it into the public's attention.Edit: Amazon says I'm a "verified purchaser" of audio edition. Inaccurate: I bought a hard cover book, new remaindered. In fact, I've bought a few to give to people.