The End of Nature

The End of Nature
Cropped tightly, the words "The END" "OF NATURE" above a yellow bird with blue beak, lying on a bed of leaves, apparently dead, and under that the words "McKibben may well already have taken his place next to Rachel Carson and Silent Spring. —Baltimore Sun", followed by large "BILL MCKIBBEN" "WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY THE AUTHOR", followed by "Author of The Age of Missing Information
Author Bill McKibben
Publisher Anchor
Publication date
 1989
ISBN 0-8129-7608-8

The End of Nature is a book written by Bill McKibben, published by Anchor in 1989.[1] It has been called the first book on global warming written for a general audience.[2] McKibben had thought that simply stating the problem would provoke people to action.[2]

Premise

He describes nature as a force previously independent of human beings, but which is now directly affected by the actions of people.[1]

"If the waves crash up against the beach, eroding dunes and destroying homes, it is not the awesome power of Mother Nature. It is the awesome power of Mother Nature as altered by the awesome power of man, who has overpowered in a century the processes that have been slowly evolving and changing of their own accord since the earth was born."[3]

He offers two paths forward: "The Defiant Reflex" or a "more humble" way of living.[4]

Criticism

Spy Magazine estimated that the publication of the book involved the death of 3,200 trees, partly due to the first printing of 50,000 copies with 226 pages each.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 Regnier, Eva (April 13, 1990). "McKibben'sd End of Nature illustrates problems of artificial nature". The Tech. 110 (19). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved May 18, 2010.
  2. 1 2 Skirble, Roseanne (April 19, 2010). "Environmental Writer Turns Words into Action". VOA News. Voice of America. Archived from the original on May 16, 2010. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
  3. ↑ McKibben, p. 51
  4. ↑ Peringer, Christine (May 1990). "Review: The End of Nature". Peace and Environment News. Ottawa Peace and Environment Resource Centre. Archived from the original on May 4, 2010. Retrieved May 20, 2010.
  5. ↑ LLC, Sussex Publishers (1989-12-01). Spy. Sussex Publishers, LLC.
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