Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change

Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change
Average customer rating:

Eloquent But Only Notes

This is the University of Washington common book for 2007-8

An Extraordinary Work: Important and Readable

Some very misleading reviews here

Climate has never been "stable"

Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change
Elizabeth Kolbert
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1596911255
Release Date: 2006-03-07

Book Description

An argument for the urgent danger of global warming in a book that is sure to be as influential as Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring.

Known for her insightful and thought-provoking journalism, New Yorker writer Elizabeth Kolbert now tackles the controversial subject of global warming. Americans have been warned since the late nineteen-seventies that the buildup of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere threatens to melt the polar ice sheets and irreversibly change our climate. With little done since then to alter this dangerous course, now is the moment to salvage our future. By the end of the century, the world will likely be hotter than it’s been in the last two million years, and the sweeping consequences of this change will determine the future of life on earth for generations to come.

In writing that is both clear and unbiased, Kolbert approaches this monumental problem from every angle. She travels to the Arctic, interviews researchers and environmentalists, explains the science and the studies, draws frightening parallels to lost ancient civilizations, unpacks the politics, and presents the personal tales of those who are being affected most—the people who make their homes near the poles and, in an eerie foreshadowing, are watching their worlds disappear. Growing out of a groundbreaking three-part series for the New Yorker, Field Notes from a Catastrophe brings the environment into the consciousness of the American people and asks what, if anything, can be done, and how we can save our planet.

Customer Reviews:

Eloquent But Only Notes.......2007-10-09

The title of this book is apt: Field Notes. Whether the word Catastrophe is equally apt, or merely good salesmanship, can be left undecided for the moment. Chapter by chapter, Ms Kolbert has written honestly and earnestly. Chapter 2, for instance, recounts the historical development of the concern over global warming, clearly and fairly, in a mere nine pages. Chapter 3 outlines the recent studies of glaciers, and the possible implications of those studies, with equal brevity and clarity. Chapter 1 sets a passionate tone for the whole book, confronting the fearful sense of global warming at the level of villagers whose lives are already impacted; I have kayaked many times in the Seward Peninsula region, over a span of 25 years, and I've personally felt the real urgency that Ms. Kolbert reports. Each chapter of the book is in fact an essay unto itself. Ms. Kolbert is a front-line journalist, not a climatologist. That is the source of her stylistic clarity, obviously, and of her daring in reporting on the crisis at multiple levels. It also makes her vulnerable to the dogmatic deniers of anthropogenic climate change, as is colorfully exhibited in the several ranting one-star reviews on this page.

This is the University of Washington common book for 2007-8.......2007-10-04

The University of Washington has selected this book as its "Common Book" for the 2007-2008 academic year. That means each of the UW's 10,000+ incoming freshman this year have received a copy of the book and are reading it.

An Extraordinary Work: Important and Readable.......2007-09-23

`Field Notes From a Catastrophe' is Elizabeth Kolbert's masterpiece of conciseness and clarity explaining current climate change science and the political obstacles (read the US, Republicans, and Bush Administration in ascending order) to getting serious about attacking the problem. Originally published in 2005, the paperback version has an afterword written in 2006.

Kolbert takes a journalist's approach to explaining the climate change phenomenon (the book began as a series in the New Yorker). She takes the reader to Shishmaref, Alaska an island village rapidly becoming an untenable place to live due to climate-induced sea ice changes, to the North Slope, to the great Greenland ice shield and she brings the story down to a human scale.

Kolbert also leads the reader through the science of global warming making understandable seemingly arcane topics like "dangerous anthropogenic interference" (DAI), which is basically the point where something truly major goes haywire. Kolbert brings the joy of learning to the reader, until one ponders the potential consequences of what she lays out for us. Perhaps most disturbing is the evidence she marshals that the climate has already changed. For example, the climate has warmed sufficiently to allow numerous butterfly species to migrate to new previously too cold locations and to cause the extinction of certain frog species.

Scientists do not, of course, understand everything about climate change (indeed, it is in the very nature of science that an endpoint of total knowledge is never achieved). Those political and economic forces (primarily in the United States) that benefit from the status quo latch on to the uncertainties to create doubt among the public and forestall action. Her interviews with Bush administration officials strike an odd note - they stonewall with robotic incantations. While Europe and most of industrialized world has acted, the US has dithered, delayed, and denied.

Kolbert explains why scientists conclude that it is virtually certain that under the current `business as usual' approach, greenhouse gas concentrations will reach a level that causes massive coastal flooding, large scale extinctions, and crop failures leading to starvation (DAI). These outcomes will not be evenly distributed and are likely to fall heaviest on the poorest countries. Scientists do not, however, know what level of greenhouse gas concentration will cause these impacts. The Bush administration uses that uncertainty as a reason to do essentially nothing and Congress too has failed to force any action.

Kolbert's book inspires the reader to search out even more current information (NOAA's Arctic Change web site is one good source). And the news is alarming. This stuff is not just a tree hugger's paranoid delusion: global heating is happening, it is happening now, and it is getting worse faster than anticipated.

Kolbert's book is a work of journalism (and given the rapidly changing reality, journalism is probably the best source of information) that informs on both the science and the politics of climate change without stridently hectoring the reader. Kolbert presents the facts. The reader would have to be a dim bulb indeed not to get the picture.

Absolutely the very highest recommendation. Kolbert's Field Notes From a Catastrophe deserves more than 5 stars.

Some very misleading reviews here.......2007-08-09

Reviewer T. Ferrell says "The author comes from an assumption that climate was once stable and has recently become unstable. She states this directly several times and it is the overall impression she intentionally leaves."

I'm not sure if the reviewer didn't actually read the book or is deliberately trying to smear it, but Kolbert states many times that the climate has changed in the past.

This is clearly written sober account of global warming and the effects it is having, and will have, on the environment. An excellent, concise read.

Climate has never been "stable".......2007-07-04

While the book was well written as prose, it was intellectually myopic. The author comes from an assumption that climate was once stable and has recently become unstable. She states this directly several times and it is the overall impression she intentionally leaves. Certainly climate change has an effect on people, flora and fauna, but that does not mean that you ignore the fact that there are winners with climate change as well as losers. Example, as the globe warms agriculture moves north expanding into areas previously too frigid to support farming. No mention of this?

But it is not that she just focuses just on the losers. She glosses over issues that might complicate her simple thesis that man is responsible for climate change as "not understood." This is the explanation she gives for example when discussing how atmospheric CO2 was historically low during the ice ages and was high during periods of warming. This is "unknown." She simply ignores the fact that the worlds oceans hold most of the planets CO2 both directly as an absorbed gas, its concentration being directly related temperature. She also ignores the carbon bank in phytoplankton. I believe she does this because it would bring into question her simple thesis. What warmed or cooled the worlds oceans before man was on the scene.
This is a problem for me because a wider view of climate change would reveal the true issues. At one point in time the earth was a snowball entirely covered with ice. At another point in our past the oceans were much higher and the poles were nearly devoid of ice. If global climate has always been in flux do we now propose that man should control the world's climate? If so, what is the best climate? Is it the best thing to have a sizeable portion of the worlds surface are covered in ice or too cold to support agriculture? Who decides? If man does control the weather is the only way to do it to cut back on fossil fuel useage? The author appears to believe so. Does the entity who controls climate take responsibilty for the weather and its effects? A freeze occurs in a temperate agricultural region. Is this now someone's fault?
It's very easy to look who loses with climate change. It is much more difficult to consider the bigger picture. I was not impressed by this book.

The 2030 Spike: Countdown to Global Catastrophe

Average customer rating:

Not as pessimistic as the title suggests

The 2030 Spike: Countdown to Global Catastrophe
Colin Mason
Manufacturer: Earthscan Publications Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1844070182

Book Description

The clock is relentlessly ticking...

Our world teeters on a knife-edge between a peaceful and prosperous future for all, and a dark winter of death and destruction that threatens to smother the light of civilization.

Within 30 years, in the 2030 decade, six powerful "drivers" will converge with unprecedented force in a statistical spike that could tear humanity apart and plunge the world into a new Dark Age. Depleted fuel supplies, massive population growth, poverty, global climate change, famine, growing water shortages and international lawlessness are on a crash course, with potentially catastrophic consequences.

In the face of both doomsaying and denial over the state of our world, Colin Mason cuts through the rhetoric and reams of often conflicting data to muster the evidence to illustrate a broad picture of the world as it is, and of our possible futures. Ultimately his message is clear: we must act decisively, collectively and immediately to alter the trajectory of humanity away from catastrophe.

Offering over 100 priorities for immediate action, "The 2030 Spike" serves as a guidebook for humanity through the trecherous minefields and wastelands ahead to a bright, peaceful and prosperous future in which all humans have the opportunity to thrive and build a better civilization.

This book is powerful and essential reading for all people concerned with the future of humanity and planet earth.

Customer Reviews:

Not as pessimistic as the title suggests.......2005-02-23

The title of this book is much more pessimistic than its content. It does catalogue in great detail the range of threats to human society, as well as the failings of the current world order, and advance the thesis that a series of trends are converging towards a major 'crunch' about 2030. However, much of the book is devoted to pointing out that the resources, the technology and the expertise are available to manage most if not all of these issues if only we could get our priorities right. The author, who is a former Senator in the Australian Parliament, puts forward two axioms against which he tests proposals for managing towards a sustainable world.
The 26 chapters cover an enormous range of issues, centering on six drivers that the author identifies, but covering health and education, the family, religion, money and other subjects as well. This provides valuable breadth and understanding of interconnections, but at some expense in terms of depth of analysis of particular issues.
Most of the issues that the author addresses are also covered by many other authors. The value of this book is that it is relatively short, presents the issues clearly, and offers directions which, even if not 'the answer', provide a useful starting point for dialogue and development.

Earthquake Resurrection: Supernatural Catalyst for the Coming Global Catastrophe

Average customer rating:

A premise that digs in and gets serious.
Ties up some loose ends in prophetic writings
Add This to Your Bookshelf
It makes sense of Revelation in a way no one can miss!
Premise so good I wish I had thought of it!

Earthquake Resurrection: Supernatural Catalyst for the Coming Global Catastrophe
David W. Lowe
Manufacturer: Lulu.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1411639707

Book Description

EARTHQUAKE RESURRECTION presents a model for future events that will challenge the traditional interpretation of the prophecies of the Bible. Discover a shocking link between the resurrection of the dead and earthquakes which has momentous implications for a near-future global catastrophe which, according to Jesus and the apostle Paul, many will not escape. Reviews: "You must get this printed. It's superior to anything we have ever read on the resurrection. Every minister in the world should read it!" - Beulah, Leslie, AR "Your book deserves the attention of every serious student of Bible prophecy." - Rev. Gail Ott, Vancouver, WA "Your study opened up more of the Bible to me than I had ever known." - Stephen, Shoreview, MN "This changes everything! Prophecy teachers are going to have to change what they are teaching because of this book." - Terrence, Brooklyn, NY

Customer Reviews:

A premise that digs in and gets serious........2007-08-06

Having studied Biblical Prophecy for well over thirty years, and read just about every contemporary work on the subject (and many pre 20th century ones as well), it seems unlikely that anyone could (or would) have the ability and insight to rethink the well established and widely held position of traditional Biblical eschatology.

There is no shortage of available material for insight or interest of the end times. "Last days" novels and nonfiction have been a hot topic since the publication of Hal Lindsey's "Late Great Planet Earth," a book that introduced an entire generation to the veracity of Biblical prophecy.
It had been said, "If you can't understand the correlation between Biblical prophecy and the every day news by chapter eleven, you most likely never will." Hal was right back in 1970, and the New York Time recognized "Late Great" as the No. 1 non-fiction bestseller of the decade."

Biblical prophecy uniquely sets its own standard: 100% accuracy and nothing less. The evangelical community has essentially followed a similar linear summary with division in minor areas of technical detail.

David Lowe demonstrates an exceptional familiarity and facility with both historic and prophetic Scripture with meticulous attention to the significance of every detail in every sense. The compilation of accumulated examples is a remarkable and intensive effort in and of itself.

With impressive documentation and parallelism, obscure references are captured for use in comparative text and developed using the standard that pattern characterizes prediction and the future finds its definition in the past.

With the use of these comparisons and measurements, Mr. Lowe then assembles these elements and astoundingly produces a comprehensive and fascinating model, while never compromising the integrity of the text.

18 months after my first reading of "Earthquake Resurrection" it seems to be becoming apparent that prophetic events are escalating and the tenets of David Lowe's presentation increasingly realistic and logical.

"Earthquake Resurrection" has boldly provided fresh and intriguing insight and is exceptionally intriguing and compelling.

How about an audio version? It would be of such benefit for so many otherwise unable to appreciate the insights on the pages of "Earthquake Resurrection."

Thank you and great job, David!

Ties up some loose ends in prophetic writings.......2007-07-26

Upside: Prophetically there were some very fresh and new insights that were well laid out scripturally. I have been studying biblical prophecy for many years...this book put some pieces in place, for example, who are the 144,000, the 24 elders, the rider on the white horse. All explanations were more insightful and more easily understood than anything I have read anywhere else.

Downside: Theology of man's salvation in the book is somewhat Arminian/Charismatic with dogmatic assumptions concerning the sovereign power of man's free will without any scriptural context. Explanation of the Olive Tree was less than edifying, implying that we Gentiles in Christ have Jewish Roots. The mystery of the Church is better understood by reading earlier authors such as William R. Newell.

Add This to Your Bookshelf.......2006-06-02

At a time when the most influential books on end times prophecy are found in the fiction aisle of your local bookstore, and those books spawn a mini-industry of spinoffs, movies, and, soon, video games, it is telling that the most original thinking and writing on interpreting biblical prophecy comes from authors who are publishing independently. Whether this is because they prefer to retain control over their ideas or because they weren't able to interest Tyndale House, Zondervan, or Nelson, I don't know. I strongly suggest, however, that anyone interested in putting the theology of Left Behind to the test look up Red Moon Rising by Peter D. Goodgame, The Nephilim and the Pyramid of the Apocalypse by Patrick Heron, or--if fiction is your preference--The Facade by Dr. Michael S. Heiser.

To this list, let me add Earthquake Resurrection by David W. Lowe.

In Earthquake Resurrection, Lowe presents a thoughtful study of the timeline of the apocalypse--with a twist. Choosing to build his thesis on a new foundation rather than choosing from the traditional pre-, mid-, or post-tribulation models, or even the newer "pre-wrath" construct, Lowe offers a well-reasoned argument for what he calls a "Pre-70th Week" rapture of believers in Jesus Christ.

Lowe makes a case for the first five seals of the book of Revelation being open today and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse already loose upon the Earth. Interestingly, he identifies the rider on the white horse not as the Antichrist, as do many students of eschatology, but as the spirit of conquering in the name of Christ; i.e., the Roman Catholic Church throughout most of the last 1,600 years (and, I would add, the streak of Dominionism or "Kingdom Now" theology that appears to have gripped modern American Christianity).

The twist Lowe presents is this: He suggests, based on the account of Jesus' resurrection preserved in the gospel of Matthew and the prophecy of the two witnesses in the Book of Revelation, that the energy released by the prophesied resurrection of millions into immortal, "glorified" bodies will be the catalyst that triggers the global cataclysm prophets said would accompany the "great and terrible Day of the Lord". Among his evidence is an interesting side trip through the history of and debate surrounding the Shroud of Turin.

Earthquake Resurrection is well organized and economically written, and Lowe presents a helpful timeline chart at the beginning of each chapter to help the reader assemble the narrative into a cohesive picture of the coming apocalypse. He doesn't try to speculate, avoiding the temptation to tie political predictions to specific prophecies. He simply lays out the evidence and draws logical conclusions.

All in all, Earthquake Resurrection is a valuable addition to the library of anyone interested in a serious study of end times prophecy.

It makes sense of Revelation in a way no one can miss!.......2006-03-15

To make a long story short, I loved this book!

I've been studying Bible prophecy regarding the end times for a while, and there were always loose ends that would leave more questions than answers. I believe this author was given a word of knowledge to clearly describe what could happen at the time of the rapture of the church.

Premise so good I wish I had thought of it!.......2006-01-18

The back cover of a new book by David Lowe says that a model for future events that could challenge the traditional interpretation of Biblical prophecy exists. Earthquake Resurrection presents this thesis by looking at "natural" catastrophe in a way not seen before in prophecy books.

But let me back up.

Doesn't it feel sometimes like catastrophe has a mind of its own, intentionally saving itself for the most inopportune time? Take for instance the other day. There I was, enjoying a little CHRISTmas time with the family, bouncing the grandbaby on my knee and heading into the new year feeling just fine, when out of the blue the manager of the conference grounds where I'd been conducting charity reconstruction over the last seven years calls to let me know that the side of the mountain [not too far from Three Sisters mountain range in Oregon where an ancient volcano is awakening] had fallen onto the property, burying some of the assets, vehicles, and a building.

So... just like that, the vacation was over, time to go back to work, raise some more money, build morale among the troops, forget the holidays.

But as I was preparing to make my way back to the camp, I received an email from author David Lowe, wanting to know if I had reviewed his book, Earthquake Resurrection. I explained to David that his title--together with a pile of others I was supposed to be reviewing--was sitting on a "review" counter back at the office and that the Jefferson County Sheriff--a BIG country boy you don't mess with, a guy we refer to around here as Robocop--wasn't letting anybody near the building, given the instability of the slope.

David understood the situation, and emailed me a PDF version of the book so that in my spare time [ha!] I could began reading it.

I agreed, but soon after, was not sure I had made the right decision. The little burp on the side of my mountain was feeling small in comparison to what Lowe was forecasting, and the earth changes along the Three Sisters volcanic range nearby was taking on a portentous feel in light of his research. My thoughts drifted to the ominous Yellowstone supervolcano system, ruptures of the New Madrid and San Andreas fault zones, Mount St. Helen's behaving erratically, Mauna Loa growling, Cumbre Vieja shaking off the coast of Africa, Mount Belinda erupting on one side of the world while simultaneously Mount Augustine was going off at the other pole, and I wondered, what's up?

David had an answer, and It troubled me. The earth is reacting to, or perhaps preparing for, the opening of the Sixth Seal of the Book of Revelation, following the first five seals, which, according to Lowe, have already opened. Thus earthquakes, such as have never been seen before, or ever will again, are about to transpire.

This is where Lowe really gets going. And I have to admit, as a twenty-five year veteran of theological review, I had never contemplated the interesting premise Lowe eventually puts forth. Frankly, I wish I had invented the hypothesis. I'm tempted to steal it anyway, to report it as my own, it's that creative.

The "Rapture of the Church," Lowe says--an advent that some people believe will mark the disappearance of a large group of Christians worldwide during a single and unexpected harpazo--will unleash global earthquake activity and related catastrophic weather events as were prophesied in the Bible. This will compliment scientific reasoning because when humans are "resurrected" or changed from mortal to immortal, the restructuring metamorphoses of the body at the atomic and subatomic level unleashes nuclear power. The explanation for such phenomenon is understood within science, whereas the biblical pattern for the theory is redundantly recorded in the scriptures during such times as the resurrection of Matthew 27:51-52, again when Christ Himself arose, and during the resurrection of the two witnesses of Revelation 11.

Other equally thought-provoking and original ideas continue throughout Lowe's excellently researched book, and the author's writing style is clever and easy to follow--a truly insightful argument that in the end possesses broad eschatological and historical significance.

Even if you disagree with Lowe's "rapture" theme, you'll find persuasive reasons to prepare for an imminent event, one that is certain to bring down much more than the side of the mountain behind my campground.

Thomas Horn, Senior Raiders News Update.com reviewer

The Empty Tank: Oil, Gas, Hot Air, and the Coming Global Financial Catastrophe

Average customer rating:

Poor "facts" and citations cause this to lack credibility
Interesting points, but poorly written and emotional
Excellent review, well balanced view of Energy Issues we face
Fact-Fille, Well Reasoned!
Great Geology, Terrible Economics and Politics

The Empty Tank: Oil, Gas, Hot Air, and the Coming Global Financial Catastrophe
Jeremy Leggett
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1400065275
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Book Description

In The Empty Tank, Jeremy Leggett, an internationally renowned geologist and energy entrepreneur who spent the 1980s working for Big Oil, sounds the alarm about an unprecedented crisis.

The oil topping point–the day half of all the world’s oil is used up–will be reached, by many calculations, sometime soon. In fact, it may already be upon us. When the financial markets realize what’s happening, an economic crash and soaring energy prices will result. The entire global marketplace we all inhabit will crack and crumble.

Oil companies and governments don’t want you to know this. They have been covering up depletion, while stoking addiction and holding back alternatives. Leggett shows how major energy producers have been exposed providing false information about climate change and underground reserves.

He describes how governments collude with private enterprise and one another to keep the global economy hooked on oil. And he explains the science behind oil extraction, demonstrating with unimpeachable expertise why the well is indeed running dry a lot faster than we think.

Written with verve and eloquence, The Empty Tank explains how we became addicted to oil and why that addiction is leading us toward disaster. Yet Leggett also points the way forward. All the technology we need to get off the road to disaster is already at hand. A new Manhattan Project for energy can save us if we can wake up and confront the problem directly, as this important book urges us to do.

"Among the shelf full of books on the oil situation that have been published in the last year or so, (this) is far and away the best."
-Lester Brown, President of the Earth Policy Institute

What’s it all about? ... tough titles made simple by David Shukman
THE EMPTY TANK by Jeremy Leggett

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?

OIL, gas, hot air and the global energy crisis, according to the explanation on the front cover. Delving into the nightmare scenario of mankind sleepwalking to global disaster, this book focuses on two related dangers: how we’ll run out of oil far sooner than we think and how burning what’s left of it will warm our planet to a catastrophic level. The central contention is that the oil industry is in a state of denial about the size of its reserves. The scandal over Shell’s distortion of its real figures is said to be the tip of the iceberg. And the conclusion is stark: that we’re all using the black stuff at a far faster rate than geologists are finding new deposits, and that as soon as the truth gets out there’ll be panic in the markets, soaring prices and a mega-crash. It’s scary.

SO IS IT READABLE?

YES, though towards the end some sections lapse into lists of points. But the writing is always clear and conveys complicated but important technicalities in very accessible terms.

DAVID SHUKMAN is environment & science correspondent for BBC News
Daily Mail, 18 November 2005

Customer Reviews:

Poor "facts" and citations cause this to lack credibility.......2006-03-14

In the first chapter, Mr. Leggett cites two "facts" which don't stand up to any reasonable scrutiny.

First, he asserts that raising the fuel effeciency of light cars and trucks by a mere 2.7 MPG would eliminate the U.S.'s need for Middle Eastern oil imports, which he estimates at 5 million barrels per day (BPD). Given that he cites the total U.S. oil demand at 20 million BPD (which seems to agree with internet sources on recent U.S. demand) -- that means saving a quarter of the oil we consume. But FAR from all of that oil is useb by cars and light trucks. Diesel fuel, heating oil, jet fuel, and the heaviest component used commonly for asphalt are all examples of these other uses. So, in round numbers, he is stating that raising the fuel economy of such vehicles by under 3 MPG will save perhaps a third of such oil they burn. Yet the average MPG of such vehicles is stated at well over 20 MPG. Thus, in round numbers, one would expect a savings of more like under 2 million BPD. He does have a citation for this "fact", making me wonder about all of his citations.

Secondly, he states on the same page as the assertion above that there are SUV's that get only 4 MPG. This is simply ludicrous. On the www.fueleconomy.gov website, the worst SUV (Jeep Grand Cherokee) is cited at 12 MPG City, and the worst car of all (16 cylinder with an 8 litre engine) is cited at 8 MPG City. I noted he doesn't cite this "statistic" - little wonder.

If Mr. Leggett isn't going to bother to check out (or proofread) basic "facts" that the layman can discern, such as these examples above, while trying to give background information -- how is the reader to trust the more technical/geological information we're supposed to rely on him not to distort because (as he's fond of repeating) he is a geologist with experience in the oil industry?

So, I would recommend the reader look elsewhere for a more realistic, better researched, and better documented "fair and balanced" look at this issue.

Interesting points, but poorly written and emotional.......2006-01-10

The topic of peak oil is receiving attention lately, and this book does its part to explain the story. The author's arguements for the early timing of the peak are not wholly convincing, as too much pertinent data is not available to clearly see the picture (as he notes). On the whole the book is written in very colloquial language, and uses an emotional style and language that works against building credibility for the author. Overall there are many interesting points here, but a serious edit is required to bring the quality of the writing up to a standard one would expect when discussing a scientific topic. There are definitely a few nuggets to follow up on if you can slog through the book.

Excellent review, well balanced view of Energy Issues we face.......2006-01-02

As an investor who continue to research this area, I found the book very concise and easy to read without the need for a technical background. A good summary of many related subjects in one book. I share the author's views on depletion and the long term advantages of renewables and its required support and adoption. However, I found his imminent doomsday scenario of a 1929 style depression triggered by 'an empty tank' to be without supporting analysis. If this is a 'wake up' call for industry and society to act, I am all for it.

Fact-Fille, Well Reasoned!.......2005-12-28

Leggett begins by reminding us that oil is vital to almost everything we do. The world currently consumes about 29 billion barrels/year, and U.S. officials estimate this will rise to 43 billion by 2025. With this increase, the U.S. will find itself more tightly tied to mid-East rulers - yet, at least one estimate is that raising CAFE requirements 2.7 mpg would eliminate the need for Saudi and Iranian oil. Instead, we have allowed SUVs to be largely exempted from efficiency requirements, resulting in a DECREASE in mpg in the last decade.

One expert suggests that the U.S. Armed Forces are increasingly being transformed into a global oil-protection force; the U.S. recently invaded oil producer #15 because its ruler was a tyrant using deadly force against his own people, while ignoring #1, #2, #4, #6, #10, #12, #13, and #14 - perhaps the real reason is that producer #15 is also #3 in reserves.

Leggett, a Cambridge PhD in geology, has no doubt that a peak in oil production is coming - the only question is "when?" The most optimistic (U.S. government and oil companies) projections predict the peak will occur in 2030, the least optimistic (leading independent geologists) see this occurring much sooner - 2005. The optimistic rely in part on relief via Alberta's oil sands and Wyoming's oil shale. However, even the most optimistic oil sands estimates foresee about 3 million barrels/day by 2012 (only 3% of total demand), while pessimists are doubtful that enough water and natural gas (for heating the oil) can be utilized to achieve this. Similarly, optimists see 2 million barrels/day from Wyoming oil shale by 2011, while pessimists doubt the environment can support even that.

Another source of optimism is mid-East countries' claims of ability to easily ramp-up production. Leggett writes, however, that even taking them at their word (and there are reasons not to), this would not cover increased demand by 2011 (assuming 1.5%/year increase), or today (assuming a 3.5%/year increase - that of China and the U.S. already).

The one topic presented that I did not understand involves converting coal to gasoline - developed and utilized by Nazi Germany during WWII. Leggett states that China is producing this, and expected total costs are $15/barrel - certainly a bargain at today's prices, but Leggett does not treat this as a potential solution to oil shortages. (It would still produce CO2.)

As for natural gas - Leggettt says 40% of U.S. reserved have been used, 70% of reserves lie within Russia and the mid-East, and U.S. demand is expected to grow 50% by 2025.

Leggett cites a few instances of oil companies threatening individuals and organizations with loss of support for publishing predictions of near-term shortages - the likely reason being immediate and drastic losses in their stock values.

And then there is the accompanying problem of global warming. The insurance industry represents about 10% of the global economy and is at high risk of bankruptcy via superstorms and drought-related fires. The media, however, unintentionally downplay the issue by providing equal time to those claiming "no problem" - despite the growing evidence in support. For example, the ten warmest years in history have all occurred since 1990, and each year since 1997 has fallen into that category. Worse yet, the CO2 rise may be accelerating, per measurements in 2003 and 2004 at the premier site in Hawaii.

Leggett believes we CAN replace oil, natural gas, and coal with renewable energy, but NOT before the shortfall first takes effect. He also cites Lovins that it would be economical to do so - costing $180 billion in the next decade, and saving $130 billion/year by 2025. He is concerned, however, that we may only go part-way, and also increase coal utilization - increasing the severity of global warming.

Reading "The Empty Tank" was a pleasure - despite its important warnings.

Great Geology, Terrible Economics and Politics.......2005-12-17

The first third of the book does a great job of estimating carbon fuel production and consumption in the world. The book should have ended there and been published as a technical pamphlet (for which the author appears to qualified to discuss). The remainder of the book contains the authors non-scientific opinions about global warming, Middle Eastern politics and his obvious dislike of the United States. He implies that the world economy is dependent on carbon fuels, not because they are cheap and plentiful, but because the world was duped throughout the 20th century by large multi-national corporations. The author footnotes frequently, citing such notable sources as filmamker Michael Moore or New York Times op-ed pieces as if they were academic journal articles. All that the author says may be correct, but his credability falls short once he steps beyond the rocks.

Snowball Earth: The Story of a Maverick Scientist and His Theory of the Global Catastrophe That Spawned Life As We Know It

Average customer rating:

engrossing science story
It's informative and fun to read, but the author needs to change her attitude on how to report on science!!
Theory yes, data kind of
Excellent, but not very in-depth.
A Snowball in Hell

Snowball Earth: The Story of a Maverick Scientist and His Theory of the Global Catastrophe That Spawned Life As We Know It
Gabrielle Walker
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

Rivers | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Weather | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

When Life Nearly Died: The Greatest Mass Extinction of All Time
Catastrophes and Lesser Calamities: The Causes of Mass Extinctions
Life on a Young Planet: The First Three Billion Years of Evolution on Earth (Princeton Science Library)
The Two-Mile Time Machine: Ice Cores, Abrupt Climate Change, and Our Future
Extinction: How Life on Earth Nearly Ended 250 Million Years Ago

ASIN: 1400051258
Release Date: 2004-02-24

Book Description

Did the Earth once undergo a super ice age, one that froze the entire planet from the poles to the equator? In Snowball Earth, gifted writer Gabrielle Walker has crafted an intriguing global adventure story, following maverick scientist Paul Hoffman’s quest to prove a theory so audacious and profound that it is shaking the world of earth sciences to its core.

In lyrical prose that brings each remote and alluring locale vividly to life, Walker takes us on a thrilling natural history expedition to witness firsthand the supporting evidence Hoffman has pieced together. That evidence, he argues, shows that 700 million years ago the Earth did indeed freeze over completely, becoming a giant “snowball,” in the worst climatic catastrophe in history. Even more startling is his assertion that, instead of ending life on Earth, this global deep freeze was the trigger for the Cambrian Explosion, the hitherto unexplained moment in geological time when a glorious profusion of complex life forms first emerged from the primordial ooze.

In a story full of intellectual intrigue, we follow the irascible but brilliant Hoffman and a supporting cast of intrepid geologists as they scour the planet, uncovering clue after surprising clue. We travel to a primeval lagoon at Shark Bay in western Australia, where dolphins cavort with swimmers every morning at seven and “living rocks” sprout out of the water like broccoli heads; to the desolate and forbidding ice fields of a tiny Arctic archipelago seven hundred miles north of Norway; to the surprising fossil beds that decorate Newfoundland’s foggy and windswept coastline; and on to the superheated salt pans of California’s Death Valley.

Through the contours of these rich and varied landscapes Walker teaches us to read the traces of geological time with expert eyes, and we marvel at the stunning feats of resilience and renewal our remarkable planet is capable of. Snowball Earth is science writing at its most gripping and enlightening.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

engrossing science story.......2007-04-10

This is a book about a remarkable theory: that several times in its ancient history, the earth was literally a dirty snowball. Gabrielle Walker provides a highly readable account of the story and personalities behind this revolutionary idea. SNOWBALL EARTH is aimed at the curious layman, not the specialist. Even so, the author does an impressive job explaining the evidence for the theory without distorting the essentials or condescending to the reader.

One of the best things about SNOWBALL EARTH is its colorful cast of characters. Too many science writers ignore the human element or depict researchers as passionless data processors wrapped in lab coats. Refreshingly, Walker eschews this approach and offers intimate and unvarnished glimpses of these people in the field or interacting with peers. Her reporting shows her subjects to be a diverse lot. Some are kind-hearted, almost angelic beings; others are aloof and argumentative. Most seem a complex mix of good and bad, like the rest of us. What they all have in common, however, is a burning need to solve the riddle of the earth's mysterious past. The author deserves high marks for adding a psychological twist to this fascinating tale of scientific achievement.

It's informative and fun to read, but the author needs to change her attitude on how to report on science!!.......2007-03-23

So, while debate on the Snowball Earth goes on and gets more and more sophisticated in academic hallways and at conference venues, we start to get the popularized versions for the laypublic! At least that means geology can be fun.... Good news for getting grants!
After reading this nice book, I'm at a loss whether giving it one star or five... (So we make it three and that's it! Solved...) It really makes for a good read, it's gripping in pace, clear in the narrative, entertaining in the many little stories that flow into the big one in the end.. And Gabrielle Walker knows how to write, for sure. In the end one has a feeling that not only the core, but also the various facets, of the Snowball hypothesis have been addressed and explained a little... Good job then!

And that's the five stars... But now more about the one star. Not because I want to be nasty, but because addressing the problems can be more important than lingering on the good sides sometimes... Well, I mean, Miss Walker has won enough prizes and accolades for her science journalism, she doesn't need little anonymous me too into that chorus??
Well... The disappointing part of the book lies exactly in its being entertaining!! I found too much emphasis on the people, the stories and anecdotes about individual scientists, and too little hard science. Too many romantic digressions on landscapes and memories, not one single diagram or hand-drawing to accompany concepts that might remain obscure to the layreader if left only to words.. Because she definitely didn't spend much words in trying to explain the basic principles at the foundations of the science she's talking about! There are no fewer than 5 pages about the author's recollections (!) of getting lost in the Namibian bush... Not one single page to explain the general workings of Earth's climate system... (Which is, after all, the main point of the whole book??)
The layreader may end up confused while trying to pick up bits of science from between the novelistic parts, and reconstruct the puzzle for him- or herself. Well, if this was intended to be a popularizing essay on the subject, then it's a major issue I think...

In addition... Gabrielle Walker dispassionately sides for those proposing and supporting the Snowball stuff, and too quickly "writes past" the critics. She declares herself a Snowball groupie right from the very first line, which doesn't promise good in terms of objectivity, does it... Well, science is done with data and evidence, and there's too much attachment to certain positions on the part of the author to feel sure she carefully evaluated all the ideas in an impartial way while recounting the whole story. This is also, in the end, why the book reads so pleasantly. But assuming an emotional position about a topic, and especially about those who argue about it, isn't the best start to commit oneself as an objective reviewer..

Last, but not least! Although admittedly it sounds more like just a personal note... I am getting quite fed up with this thing about Earth scientists being scared of breaking the "uniformitarian" taboo! And even more fed up when this simplistic assumption is introduced for the millionth time with the banalized account of how ideas developed on the dinosaurs-meteorite controversy. Which is still far from being totally solved, by the way, even if the media people like to think otherwise.. We do not hold fast to ancient concepts about the development of the Earth, and we don't need to be shaken out of our disbelief by the rhetoric and the passion of adventurous pioneers into new, extraordinary branches of geology... We only need sensible collections of evidence, accompanied by just as sensible sets of explanations... Then yes, you have acceptance of a new theory by the scientific community. It can be that simple...
Which means, for instance, that the recent objections raised by Nick Eyles from Toronto to the Snowball bandwagon, based on very basic and important principles of sedimentary geology, count more than how deeply Hoffman and mates "believe" into their working hypotheses... Facts and reasoning can be enough to justify informed skepticism even in the face of how new fantastic ideas would make our world seem a lot more fun to study and tell about...

So, yes, in spite of feeling offended when called just a "tourist" in this big geological controversy by Hoffman (pag. 143 of the hardback edition), Miss Walker has to face the fact of still being actually just a tourist here. At least as long as she doesn't develop the right approach to analyze this kind of controversies. She's not one of us... And you can feel it only too well in the book after all!
(And it would help in her career as a science essayist if she learned the fundamental difference between "hypothesis" and "theory"... Because in these days of rampant ignorance and counterscientific movement, especially in certain big countries in the West, the layreader could use clarification on how scientists actually think... Would favor the acceptance of a few important concepts that science advanced about our world and lives, but that are still mired down into the swamps of religion, pseudoscience and plain old misunderstanding...)
Sounds bad, but like I said in the start, I actually enjoyed the book very much and recommend it heartily for all those who want to learn about this interesting geological debate. Just watch out for the points I mentioned above.....

Theory yes, data kind of.......2007-03-18

As previous reviewers state, this is more about the story of the development of the theory and the interaction among scientists during this development. This book can be appreciated by the layman or scientist. I downgraded the evaluation from 5 to four stars because there is no data other than verbal explanations. Not a graph, chart, table, illustration, or even a photograph. The author visited some of the field sites discused in the book, along with the scientist whose research covered the site, but not even one photo.

Excellent, but not very in-depth........2005-06-23

I truly enjoyed this book. It revealed the scientific theory more in the form of a story than just a book of factual information pertinent to the theory.

One need not have any knowledge of or even much interest in geology to enjoy this book. The basic outline of Snowball Earth is that there is extensive geological evidence that there was a global freeze-over about 700 million years ago that ended the precambrian era of unicellular "slime", and possibly caused or affected the following cambrian explosion.

This book is very much a story of Paul Hoffman and his friends and colleagues, and I would not recommend it for someone looking for an in-depth explanation of the snowball theory.

A Snowball in Hell.......2005-04-29

Who among us is not interested in the history of our own blue-white planet and the origin of life, even if it is only through creation myths?

Author, Gabrielle Walker earned her Ph.D. in chemistry at Cambridge University and spent seven years as a features editor at "New Scientist." The latter experience definitely had a hand in molding her breezy, yet clear and conscientious style. She follows her intrepid geologists to the ends of the Earth like an eager cub reporter in some 1930s B-movie, peppering them with questions, almost getting trampled by an African elephant in the Namibian bush, beset by freezing fog in the Kalahari Desert, clambering down the windswept, godforsaken rocks of Mistaken Point in Newfoundland.

This book is a combination travel guide to some of the least habitable places on earth, biographical sketches of the scientists who developed and tested the 'Snowball Earth' theory, and an introduction to the painstaking science behind the newest, most audacious 'deep time' history of our planet.

Before we get to 'Snowball Earth,' let me give you a flavor of Walker's running travelogue. Here she is speaking of Mistaken Point: "Nobody could love these barren lands, not even their mother. They are dreary and damp, their plants the color of overcooked spinach and rusty nails; when the wind is not buffeting them or rain beating them down, they are shrouded in fog. The pale, thin caribou wander over them like lost souls."

Now, on to the theory as expounded by this book. Several times in the history of Earth, most recently 700 million years ago, our planet froze completely over, possibly because all of the continents had migrated close to the Equator. This deep-freeze may have ended the multi-billion-year reign of single-cell slime and given a kick-start to the Cambrian explosion of complex life. Snowball Earth was finally melted by a build-up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, courtesy of volcanic eruptions which turned our planet into a hellish, hurricane-ripped green-house. Eventually the excess carbon dioxide was absorbed back into the oceans and the planetary crust. Multi-cellular life reveled in the first decent climate it had ever experienced, not realizing that meteor strikes and volcanic eruptions would occasionally wipe out up to 90% of its evolved species.

Could we get a repeat of Snowball Earth? Sure. As a matter of fact, the continents seem to be sliding toward the Equator again, which will allow ice to build up at the Poles and advance toward Earth's bulging midline. Will this happen during our lifetime? Nah. As Gabrielle Walker so vividly expresses it, the continental plates move at roughly the same speed our fingernails grow.

The geologists, paleontologists, and their science form the core of this marvelously written book. Walker does a meticulous job of relating both the scientific and the human side of the 'Snowball Earth' controversy. Her incisive portraits of the scientific movers and shakers, most especially the fiercely competitive Paul Hoffman, will stick in your mind long after you forget about drop stones, tidal rhythmites, and magnetic reversals in the Flinders ice rocks.

The Invisible People: How the U.S. Has Slept Through the Global AIDS Pandemic, the Greatest Humanitarian Catastrophe of Our Time

Average customer rating:

Urgent news on AIDS consequences but who hears?
A Shocking Reality!
An Emergency That No One Responds To
Opens your mind and your heart
8,000 deaths per day. Main cause: ignorance and quiesence.

The Invisible People: How the U.S. Has Slept Through the Global AIDS Pandemic, the Greatest Humanitarian Catastrophe of Our Time
Greg Behrman
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

AIDS | Disorders & Diseases | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Health Policy | Administration & Policy | Medicine | Subjects | Books

AIDS & HIV | Diseases | Medicine | Subjects | Books

History | Special Topics | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Black Death: AIDS in Africa
AIDS in the Twenty-First Century: Disease and Globalization Fully Revised and Updated Edition
"Letting them Die": Why HIV/ AIDS Prevention Programs Fail (African Issues)
Global AIDS: Myths and Facts, Tools for Fighting the AIDS Pandemic
Moving Mountains: The Race to Treat Global AIDS

ASIN: 0743257553

Amazon.com

Any writer attempting to tackle the AIDS pandemic faces a demanding task. Now spanning decades and covering the globe, it has claimed a staggering number of lives (more than 40 million people are currently infected with HIV and 8,500 die of AIDS each day). That's more than most of us can grasp. The plague's heroes and villains aren't celebrated or demonized like those in a conventional war. For AIDS, there is no FDR or Hitler; there are just the victims of an inconceivable holocaust. Greg Behrman employs an almost cinematic perspective to address the catastrophe in his fast-moving history, cutting to new locations and characters to capture the epic nature of the global AIDS struggle. A vivid cast of characters populates these pages, ranging from U.S. presidents to activists, physicians, diplomats, and rock stars (U2's Bono emerges as one of the most pragmatic and effective combatants). What's heartbreaking is that, despite the best work of many (and, to a degree, because of the tepid or obstructive efforts of others), the disease remains a mighty foe. Both moral and moderate in tone, Behrman focuses on American anti-AIDS efforts, believing the United States' mighty wealth at the end of the 20th century and its own experiences with the epidemic gave it a unique capability and responsibility to lead the fight the fight in Africa and elswewhere. The American effort, he's forced to conclude, has been "inglorious." --Steven Stolder

Book Description

The Invisible People is a revealing and at times shocking look inside the United States's response to one of the greatest catastrophes the world has ever known -- the global AIDS crisis. A true story of politics, bureaucracy, disease, internecine warfare, and negligence, it illustrates that while the pandemic constitutes a profound threat to U.S. economic and security interests, at every turn the United States has failed to act in the face of this pernicious menace.

During the past twenty years, more than 65 million people across the globe have become infected with HIV. Already 25 million around the world have died -- more than all of the battle deaths in the twentieth century combined. By decade's end there will be an estimated 25 million AIDS orphans. If trends continue, by 2025, 250 million global HIV-AIDS cases are a distinct possibility.

Beyond the ineffable human toll, the pandemic is reshaping the social, economic, and geopolitical dimensions of our world. Eviscerating national economies, creating an entire generation of orphans, and destroying military capacity, the disease is generating pressures that will lead to instability and possibly even state failure and collapse in sub-Saharan Africa. Poised to explode in Eastern Europe, Russia, India, and China, AIDS will have devastating and destabilizing effects of untold proportions that will reverberate throughout the global economy and the international political order.

In this gripping account that draws on more than two hundred interviews with key political insiders, policy makers, and thinkers, Greg Behrman chronicles the red tape, colossal blunders, monumental egos, power plays, and human pain and suffering that comprise America's woeful response to the AIDS crisis. Behrman's unprecedented access takes you inside the halls of power from seminal White House meetings to tumultuous turf battles at World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, heated debates in the United Nations, and chilling discoveries at the Centers for Disease Control. Behrman also brings us into the field to meet the people who live in the midst of AIDS devastation in places like a school yard in Namibia, the red-light district in Bombay, and an orphanage in South Africa.

Intensely researched and vividly detailed, The Invisible People is a groundbreaking and compellingly readable account of the appalling destruction caused by more than two decades of American abdication in the face of the defining humanitarian catastrophe of our time.

Customer Reviews:

Urgent news on AIDS consequences but who hears?.......2005-03-24

Here's a pop quiz. What is AIDS? Some replies - An illness. Treatable. Starts with HIV. Used to be a terrifying death sentence, but now it's under control.

All true. But in this book, author Greg Behrman has some different responses to the same question: "What is AIDS?" Here are his answers: a cause of global terrorism; a time bomb; an unanswered moral challenge.

These are all shocking words. What makes them so is a horrifying contrast - the disease called AIDS is a treatable illness, and it is also a death sentence. How can this be? The answer is two words: money and geography. If you live in the USA and the developed world, it's highly unlikely you'll die from the disease. If you live in Africa or India, you're doomed. In order to understand this frightening paradox, Greg Behrman has written a masterful and heartfelt book, a history with the facts laid bare.

At school or for pleasure, most of us have read histories - of the Civil War, and other important events. We read about events that are done with, where the consequences of actions undertaken are known, where decisions and indecisions can be analyzed. It's a very different feeling to read - and, I imagine, to write - a history in the middle of the events you are describing. This is the huge task that Greg Behrman undertakes in a brilliant summary of the history of HIV/AIDS and what it means for the safety and the future of the USA and the world.

Greg Behrman fiercely challenges the world's response to the AIDS epidemic - all that suffering that is so far away, so removed from our everyday lives. It's too hard to do anything about, so why not just ignore it? Behrman lays out a harsh and frightening overview. He is a brilliant, young policy researcher and analyst who sounds a warning that AIDS - "the greatest humanitarian catastrophe of our time" is also a national security threat to the USA. The AIDS epidemic is a time bomb because it can destabilize continents and destroy countries.

However, on the evidence, he's going to have a hard time making his point, at least as long as Africa is seen as the main area scourged by AIDS. The disease isn't incurable - it just needs wealth and access to drugs. The ruling elites in Africa will get treatment, and the poor will suffer and die. Africans are already victims of the miseries of war, poverty and disease; very little is being done for them by the international community and even less by their own governments, with a couple of exceptions.

Africa gets all the publicity because the continent is too weak to hide its sick and dying from the international community. The real danger lies in Russia, and to a lesser extent South East Asia. That is where instability can lead to terrorism and the collapse of economies. Russia, China and other semi-developed countries will continue to lie about their AIDS statistics because, like Africa, they can't do much to help the infected. It needs a very well developed government infrastructure to deliver health care to people, and there is neither the will nor the money to do it. In the future, countries with increasing wealth, like China and India, will face the crisis and solve it. The weak countries will continue to cry out for the world's assistance. In this book, Greg Behrman constantly makes the point that the USA has a moral obligation to assist - we are wealthy, powerful and able, and it is unconscionable to look away.

Certainly, the tragic need is heartbreaking and huge. Three out of every hundred households in South Africa is headed by an orphaned child, taking care of other, even younger children. Almost a million children have lost their mothers to AIDS, and the numbers are rising. Zimbabwe, South Africa's northerly neighbor, is undergoing an ecological crisis because all the forests are being cut down to make coffins for AIDS victims.

In response to information like this, people want to help. But how to have an effect? On the smaller, familial level, a family in Kirkwood here in St. Louis, has set up One World Family (www.oneworldfamily.us) to improve the quality of life of children affected by the disease. The assistance is often very basic - food and shelter - since the children lack everything. On a larger scale, the FreePlay Foundation (www.freeplayfoundation.org) has developed the Lifeline radio, which plays non-stop using wind-up energy and solar power and is the first radio ever produced solely for humanitarian use. The foundation gives child-headed households these radios, which provide advice and reassurance to the frightened and lonely children, huddled together, starving in the dark.
So there is hope, but not much. It will have to do.

A Shocking Reality!.......2004-12-27

How and why did the United States fail in letting AIDS get by us? After twenty years of such a tragic pandemic that kills 8,500 people daily worldwide, and infects 14,000 daily, one would think the United States would have taken a more aggressive approach in attacking this disease in its early stages. How did we let HIV/AIDS get to this point? This is the U.S.A! We should be able to fight a successful battle against AIDS. Instead, we are losing it. Plus, 65 million people worldwide have been affected by it.

I applaud Greg Behrman for exposing the real facts about the Global AIDS Pandemic. He is factual and his story instills in the reader anger and frustration that our government failed in the AIDS pandemic. We are in the midst of the worst pandemic our world has ever seen, and STILL our government and people aren't doing enough to stop the spread of this insidious disease. Is it because we don't like to think about it? Maybe there's just too much apathy. Well, we can't afford to stand by and let complacency take over. Too many lives have been lost... many more lives will be lost throughout the world in the next few years. AIDS doesn't discriminate...It affects young and old, men and women, democrats and republicans, babies and grandparents, affluent and indigent, gay and straight.

Mr. Behrman does an excellent job in explaining how our government failed to address this disease in the early 1980's and throughout the past twenty years. President Reagan was reticent to mention the word AIDS until 1987 after thousands of Americans had died of AIDS, and thousands more had succumbed to this disease in other countries. But can we put the blame solely on President Reagan? Probably not. His advisors questioned whether the Lord brought down this plague. AND also whether it was God's punishment!! With people like this at the helm, how could our government attack this epidemic aggressively? People were dying, but no one cared or noticed. According to Behrman, Jerry Falwell preached, "AIDS is God's punishment.." in a 1983 television sermon. Now does this really sound Christian or help in reducing the stigma of HIV/AIDS? How can we let a disease like AIDS which can be prevented, wipe out thousands of people daily? (including innocent babies, etc.) As Behrman points out, the disease is already rampant in Africa, and escalating to India, Russia, and China. What will happen to these economies? What will happen to the workers, teachers, doctors, etc.? What will happen to the millions of orphans? (At present 15 million)

Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, realized the serious threat of AIDS and found President Reagan eager to learn and do more about AIDS, but advisors, according to Behrman, advised him against discussing AIDS in public.

"The Invisible People" is a book filled with passion and straight, shocking facts. It depicts various accounts of the United States' lack of action in one of the worst pandemics our world has ever encountered. Today, the projections for future HIV infections throughout the world are staggering and incomprehensible; but they are real!

What will our children and grandchildren ask when we are gone? Maybe, "Why didn't they do something to stop this dreaded disease?" Let's not let this happen to future generations. We will be judged on how we responded to AIDS. We must come together as a UNITED country, (Democrats and Republicans) and find a way to stop the spread of this GLOBAL Pandemic. Thank you Greg Behrman for waking this country up to the greatest humanitarian catastrophe of our time.

An Emergency That No One Responds To.......2004-12-25

This was the most difficult book I read all year, of many that I read, bored at sea and often bored with the book in hand. Difficult because it poses a damning question about America and its policy priorities. Difficult because it carefully, throughly reveals to the reader with a fair eye how poorly the US (and world) response to the AIDS epidemic has been. There are villians and heroes (many heroes in fact), tragic figures and inspiring ones, but what remains throughout is the compassion the author gives them all. No one is villified by criticism in this book, their actions (and reasoning) speak louder than words, for better or worse. Difficult because it is just so damn heartbreaking and galling that we failed so miserably for 20 years.
I don't like to see the US fail in anything, but I am afraid that we are failing and failing miserably in a war we are tepid about fighting. For this epidemic not to rip apart Russia, India and China the way it is ripping Africa apart now, more and more people will need to read this astonishing, revealing story of how the US nearly lost the war on AIDS before George W. Bush even started it in January 2003, so that we can learn from our past mistakes and not make them again. We can only hope Pres. Bush is learning from those mistakes so the massive amount of capital he is infusing into the fight (and more later) is not wasted. A must for anyone interested in international affairs, medicine, society (both in America and in the greater world), economics, history, politics and just about any other field that has any connection to this increasingly interconnected world.

Opens your mind and your heart.......2004-08-21

No one can question Mr. Behrman's command of this subject as the reader walks through colorful personal accounts of the United States' action and lack of action in regards to the global AIDS epidemic over the last 20 years. But what this book does so well is provide a human element to each of the stories that allows the reader to connect to the plight of the activist and, more importantly, the devastation felt by so many mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers who innocently and unnecessarily fall victim to this pandemic.

"The Invisible People" is a well-crafted narrative that forces the reader to recognize that we can no longer passively isolate ourselves into two camps, "affected" and "not affected." We must stand outstretched between the two as we strive to redefine one camp, "no risk of being affected." An amazing feat by Mr. Behrman.

This work stands as an incredible tribute to the victims of the AIDS epidemic; do your part and read it today.

8,000 deaths per day. Main cause: ignorance and quiesence........2004-07-27

The Preface of this book alone will shock most readers, even those--including myself--who, prior to reading this book, THINK they know about the HIV/AIDS pandemic. For example, currently there are over 8,000 AIDS deaths every day, totaling approximately 25 million so far--more than the ALL the deaths of ALL the wars of the twentieth century--COMBINED.

The primary theme throughout Invisible People is how at each critical juncture the ignorance and inaction of political leaders has encouraged the virus to thrive and spread, unnecessarily infecting and killing millions.

I am not the first nor the last to say that history will one day show that the HIV/AIDS pandemic will be the defining health and humanitarian issue--if not the single most important issue--of our time. Our descendants will no doubt look back and wonder why so little was done so late in the face of such a horrible tragedy.

While the shear amount of information is at times daunting, Behrman skillfully weaves a story of the pandemic and its activists, scientists, politicians, and victims that reads like a novel.

Body Count: Fixing the Blame for the Global AIDS Catastrophe

Average customer rating:

Body Count: Fixing the Blame for the Global AIDS Catastrophe
Peter Gill
Manufacturer: Thunder's Mouth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

AIDS | Disorders & Diseases | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

AIDS & HIV | Diseases | Medicine | Subjects | Books

General | Medicine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1560259434

Book Description

Twenty-five years on, with twenty million dead and another forty million infected, AIDS is the world’s worst epidemic. But the catastrophe could have been prevented. Body Count explains how millions could have been saved and many million more infections could have been prevented if the world had responded properly to the crisis.

To get this story, Peter Gill has traveled the world and interviewed dozens of the key players, including C. Everett Koop, Colin Powell, Sandy Thurman (the Clinton "AIDS czar"), Larry Kramer — and the Bush Administration's own Randall Tobias, the Bush chief AIDS official. Including both personal accounts and individual profiles, as well as analyses of insitutional efforts, Body Count is a harrowing read, and one of the most important books of the year.

Global Catastrophes (Very Short Introductions)

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A sample of what's in store for us humans...

Global Catastrophes (Very Short Introductions)
Bill McGuire
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books

History of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

Chaos: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
Global Warming: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
Psychiatry, A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
Dreaming: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
Consciousness: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

ASIN: 0192804936

Book Description

Life on earth will come to an end. It's just a matter of when. iGlobal Catastrophes: A Very Short Introduction/i focuses on the many potential catastrophes facing our planet and our species in the future, and looks at both the probability of these events happening and our chances of survival. Coverage extends from discussion of the likely consequences of the current global warming to the inevitable destruction of the earth in the far future, when it is enveloped by our giant, bloated sun. In between, other 'end of the world scenarios' will be examined, including the New Ice Age, asteroid and comet impact, supervolcanoes, and mega-tsunami.

Customer Reviews:

A sample of what's in store for us humans..........2006-04-23

Many take unceasing infinite progress for granted. After all, hasn't humanity survived and gradually bettered its place on earth for the last 4,000 years? Though this remains arguably true, "civilization", as we call it, in geologic time has barely breached the infantile stage. A mere 4,000 years means practically nothing to the powerful forces that shape our living space. The miniscule 1k or less human brain strains inexorably to fathom a span of 4 billion or even 1.2 million years. But what it can see from this height reveals a race of doily fragility. A race that often gets beaten and pummeled by the very rock that gives it its life. In other words, the earth and the universe have given us some pretty good whoopings in the past. And there's plenty of evidence that more await us on the horizon.

This small book delivers a great introduction to just what could lie in store. Its original title, "The End of the World: A Very Short Introduction", probably smacked a little too much of despair. The change made sense, because this book does not spew misery and hopelessness. It actually states that our race will very likely survive numerous nasty fulminations (though admittedly in greatly decreased numbers), because we've survived them in the past. Still, the threat of human extinction always looms to some degree.

Four chapters (with accompanying "facts to fret over") focus on four naturally-induced disasters: global warming, global cooling, internal disruptions, and asteroid strikes. But preceding this, an introductory chapter on the workings and origins of the earth jump starts the discussion. Those with no background in geology or cosmology will learn much, such as the formation of the earth from accretion disks and the foundation of plate techtonics. The earth began as a nasty place where no known life could have survived. Eventually things cooled down, but bits of the nastiness remained. And we continue to deal with these today in the form of natural disasters.

Anyone who wants to know just how complex the debate over global warming can get should read chapter 2. The author starts with the premise that humans unarguably do contribute to global warming and that the majority of scientists agree on this. He presents a litany of evidence for this, and then lists the consequences: rising sea levels, droughts, more intense storms, more El Ni?o events, falling water supplies, and even cooling. Some evidence exists that suggests rising global temperatures may hasten the onset of the next Ice Age (discussed in chapter 3). So, paradoxically, warming might lead to cooling. A "little ice age" occurred between the thirteenth and nineteenth centuries, exposing some of the natural cycles the earth goes through. Then "the year without a summer" occurred in 1816 (probably brought on by a large volcanic eruption). So the author does not deny that the earth's temperature fluctuates throughout time, but he does claim that our "experiment" with excessive industrially produced carbon dioxide emissions "messes with" the entire system. This "messing" has led to higher and higher temperatures over the last two hundred years. And if we don't stop, things will just get worse.

Chapter 4 takes on "the enemy within", or volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis. Volcanoes play a vital role in the earth's continuing formation, but they can also cause massive loss of life. Though volcanic activity takes place frequently, super eruptions thankfully remain very rare. Using the logarithmic VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale, the author compares relatively minor eruptions (with VEIs between 0 and 2) to superblasts that cause devastation (VEIs 3 and up). The last VEI 7 eruption occurred in 1815 (in Sumbawa, Indonesia). And a very dangerous VEI 8 blast happened 74,000 years ago at Toba in Sumatra (now a lake). Some think that this blast may have come close to obliterating the human race. Also, deadly VEI 8s have occurred at the present location of Yellowstone National Park a million or so years ago. These pretty much wiped out most everything on the North American continent. No one really knows if Toba or Yellowstone might fulminate again. Just as disturbing, a large mass of earth at Cumbre Vieja (in the Canary Islands) sits waiting to collapse and bring on mammoth tsunamis. But when? Plus, earthquakes in heavily populated areas (the author tells the grisly tale of the 1923 Tokyo-Yokohama earthquakes) continue to threaten millions of lives. And 2004's hugely destructive Indian Ocean tsunami (brought on by deep ocean earthquakes) told us all how much destruction large waves can deliver.

The final chapter brings up a now familiar doomsday scenario: the end of the world via asteriod or comet impact. Around 1000 near earth asteriods (NEAs) exist, but scientists have not yet identified them all. But do these objects hit the earth only periodically or do they come in waves? Either way, examples such as Chicxulub (now thought to have obliterated the dinosaurs), Tunguska, and Meteor Crater speak for themselves: The right impact in the right place would unleash horrific destruction. Not only that, the dust kicked up by such an impact could block out the sun for years or decades. Luckily these only seem to occur once in a great while (on the order of millions of year cycles).

Such is the world and universe that we live in. It's dangerous. Nonetheless, people have pulled through terrible unimaginable catastrophes in the past. And in spite of these we still inhabit this place. But more will undoubtedly arrive in one form or another. Not only that, human life on planet earth will inevitably come to an end. In about 5 billion years the sun will supernova. We'd best not stick around for that.

Though some may find the contents of this book depressing and deflating, it nonetheless conveys essential knowledge for long-term human survival on this planet. After all, the more we know about the potential pitfalls the more we can avoid or mitigate them. Shutting one's eyes to the harsh realities will only worsen the situation and foster illusions of guaranteed infinitude and invincibility. Conversely, opening one's eyes may inspire well-directed action.

This book provides a great introduction for anyone to the topic of natural global disasters. The reading level stays accessible throughout and the content may end up changing the way readers think about their place in the world.

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Reviewed by Tom Morton
Feminist and Spooky
This One Will Stay With You, For a Long time
Can't Stop Thinking About this Story
You feel like you're there

The Song of an Emerald Dove
Xanna Vinson
Manufacturer: Harvest Shadows Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Metaphysical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Urgent Message From Mother: Gather The Women, Save The World
Catastrophobia: The Truth Behind Earth Changes

ASIN: 097417405X
Release Date: 2005-08-01

Product Description

The Song of an Emerald Dove is a suspenseful story that, at times, draws from the headlines. More than twenty years ago, Yvonne Hampton began receiving channeled messages that told of an impending doomsday. For personal reasons she concealed them. Then one day, ten years later, she finds both the opportunity and the courage to reveal them.

Customer Reviews:

Reviewed by Tom Morton.......2007-03-26

Ok, at the risk of sounding inane, The Song of an Emerald Dove, by Xanna Vinson, is a bewitching tale of modern-day Wiccans. Too strong? How about spellbinding? Charming? I could go on...but I'll spare you my craftiness.

If one has the mental fortitude to withstand a slightly-too-lengthy set-up, Dove is a wonderful read about heroes (complete with capes, though not the same kind super-heroes sport) who just want to serve their Goddess, saving Earth in the process. The Ladies of the world realize, through the guidance of their High Priestess, that they must somehow stop a global disaster from annihilating most of the world's populace. By tying in actual events that occurred in recent years, i.e. the Unibomber, the Twin Towers, the USS Cole, etc, to the coven's mission, the actual threat can be felt by the reader.

The main characters of this short novel are women from all walks of life, who have to deal with real issues; jobs, relationships, aging, etc. Vinson does a great job of fleshing out these women to make them seem as real as the girl next door, as well as that girl's mother and grandmother! Followers of the Wiccan path will also be pleased to note the fine detail that the author puts into the ritual scenes, without making them seem cheap or cheesy.

The single issue that I had with this book was with the introduction of the military presence. Whose side were they on? It felt like Vinson needed an antagonist so she went with the old standby, only with a new twist. Secret military projects are always a bonus in my estimation, especially ones that hold a ring of truth to them, but the tie-in to the main plot of the story falls a bit short.

Overall, I would recommend Dove as an interesting read, resplendent with beautiful imagery and a heartfelt message of Peace on Earth. Not just for humanity's sake, but for that of Mother Earth as well.

Feminist and Spooky.......2006-10-17

I had high hopes for reading this book, but it disappointed in many ways. The characters were cardboard cutouts, so that it was hard to tell them apart (even with the cheat-sheet at the back of the book) and even by the end of the book I didn't care enough about them to care about what happened to them. The author goes into too much detail about things that don't matter, like what people are having for dinner and what comes to them in their junkmail, and spends not nearly enough time and effort building interesting and believeable characters.

All of which I could have forgiven if the "message" of the book had been worth it. However, a big part of the message was that Mother Earth is in trouble and the reason She is in trouble is that men always mess things up over and over again, so that a few certain special select women are then called to fix things up over and over again. This time around, they form a group who do remote viewing in order to find out what is wrong and fix it, during which they apparently come to the notice of the government, who also has their remote viewing brigade.

Sadly, male characters were definitely given even more short-shrift in this book than the female ones, when they weren't being castigated altogether. The writing was clumsy at times and could have used a good edit or two. Overall, not a good book and one that seems to be feminist in all the wrong directions.

This One Will Stay With You, For a Long time.......2006-04-14

Beyond the suspense, the well crafted narrrative,and character development,the events that unfold stay on your mind...maybe never to leave. The characters, especially the main character, leaves an imprint that feels at once familiar and at the same time, life-altering........

This is one to read and keep ..to circulate extra copies of...to share..to act upon and to get others to act upon..

Don't wait...snatch this one up and get reading!

Can't Stop Thinking About this Story.......2005-10-14

I borrowed "The Song of an Emerald Dove" and read it in two days -- which my friend says has to be a record! I didn't really think that I would have a single thing in common with a group of New England witches! Turns out, I feel like we were living parallel lives. I bought my own copy.

The women in this story lead normal lives, hold down jobs, and raise children -- except for one minor detail. They are all witches. Not the ridiculous nose-wrinkling ones from early television and definitely not the hook-nosed ones in the Halloween displays. They are decent, caring women who are trying their damnedest to save the planet -- and that's not as far-fetched as you'd think -- not today!

Granted that it took a while to feel comfortable being drawn into the rituals in this book, but I have to say that once I got used to it -- it felt good! These women have gotten psychic messages that the world is being threatened. They are as dubious as I was, but that soon changed.

In a world where more and more television and film introduces us to after-death contacts, magic, and the supernatural, I think this book deserves a look-see by anyone who enjoys good writing, a well-handled plot, and hard-won victories. I want to see more stories from Xanna Vinson.

And while I'm at it, let me tell you to also pick up Dr. Jean Bolen's newest book, "Urgent Message from Mother." Look it up here on Amazon and you'll see what I'm driving at. "Dove" makes you feel good about women feeling empowered. "Message" shows you how to do it yourself!

But you're going to have to buy your own -- I'm never parting with either of them!

You feel like you're there.......2005-10-05

Vinson is a master at description. You feel like you're there and that helps you get drawn into the mysterious happenings and visions in her small circle of friends. Why are they getting these visions? What are they supposed to do with them? Why do they seem to be related to some of the headlines they're seeing -- WE're seeing? Great read.

Catastrophe? A New Theory As To The Cause of Global Warming

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Catastrophe? A New Theory As To The Cause of Global Warming
Keith, Foster
Manufacturer: Sagax Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0953240738

Book Description

"One of the most important books to be published on Global Warming, this is the first to challenge the (almost) universally held view that Climate Change is entirely due to man`s activity. It also challenges the belief that Global Warming is a reversible trend and details a hitherto almost unremarked phenomenon which, it is conjectured, is the true cause of climate change. The book Catastrophe? - A New Theory As To The Cause of Global Warming foretells the collapse of human society and the demise of this civilization. It also gives a direct insight into the mechanisms of increasingly rapid Climate Change and details the effect of the changes in these on human behaviour. Are we doomed? This book can inform your opinion."

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