Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37212 in Books
• Published on: 2001-12-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

Customer Reviews

The ultimate "wake-up call" for mankind!
If you, like me, often worry about the destruction of the Earth's ecosystems and therefore its ability to support life in the very near future (i.e. the 21st century), then you should definitely read this book.

Thom Hartmann expertly takes the reader step by step through all the problems that civilisation has created for itself over the last 7,000 years.

The chapter titled "How Can Things Look So Good Yet Be So Bad?" brilliantly draws a comparison between a software company whose directors spend all of its investors capital to live a short life of great luxury (short term gain for the few) only to collapse within a year because it ran out of funds (long term suffering for the many).

I think the message is summed up elegantly by an American Indian saying:-

We don't inherit the Earth from our Fathers, we borrow it from our children.

a journey to awaken your slumbering soul...
Ever felt twinges of unease at the way we merrily strip our planet of it's vital resources? Do you wonder how we are going to cope with increases in population, or what we will do when the oil resources run out? This book addresses vital questions such as these, and Thom draws on a plethora of research to back up his views.

Thom takes us on a journey, looking at why we came to be facing the crisis we are in today. He looks at ancient tribes and compares tribal attitudes towards the planet (respecting nature) with our current western attitude (dominating nature). We need to respect the earth, to treat it with care. This book is a call to AWARENESS, and the realisation that, every act we do no matter how small, is important, as we are all connected.

Yes, this book will make you both depressed and angry at our actions. Yet in the second half of the book, Thom looks at practical things we can do, from small acts of kindness, turning off the TV, or joining/beginning an intentional community, amongst others. There is also a list of suggested reading at the end of the book, in addition to the footnotes throughout.

Buy this book, and buy copies for your friends! As Neale Donald Walsch says in the Afterword in this book: "You have just read one of the most important books you will ever read in your life."

Will this book change your life? That depends on you. If you believe in the message in this book, you will never view things in quite the same way again.

I also recommend 'The Prophet's Way', also by Thom Hartmann, in addition to this book.

Hard Hitting Wake Up Call !.
One of the most profound and important books I have ever read !.If you care about our planet and our children's future, READ THIS BOOK.Thom Hartmann backs up what he is saying throughout with a huge range of fact and examples. You will be shocked,saddened and angered, hopefully to the point that 'YOU' will be motivated to start contributing to doing 'something about it', no matter how small.
Above all you will have your eyes and mind opened to the seriousness of the situation we are really in, but the clock is ticking. Buy this book not only for yourself, but your friends and family as well, it will be one of the greatest gifts you could ever give them.