Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #94734 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 576 pages

Laurence Phelan, Independent on Sunday
Lively, readable, provocative and occasionally inspiring.

The Sunday Times, CULTURE section
You would be hard-pressed to find a more...readable digest of the
concerns we have to face this century.

Baroness Susan Greenfield, Director of the Royal Institution of Great Britain
On rare occasions a special book introduces a vital new idea into public consciousness. This is one of those books

Customer Reviews

an exceptionally important new book
This book should be required reading for everyone. It is easy to read and simple to understand. The author explains how we are plundering and ruining our beautiful planet which will have dire consdquences for our children and grandchildren. He does not lecture but merely informs without judgment.

The resources of our planet are finite. The book explains what they are, how we are using them carelessly and without responsibility and how we might put things right. There are no international laws to protect our environment. We need to put some in place which all countries will adhere to. When enough people request this of their leaders, things will start to change.

Evry thinking person on the planet knows that we are digging our own grave if we continue to ruin our beautiful natural world. We all need to take responsiblity for our own actions in any way we can, no matter how small. We need to be informed so that we can make the best decisions for the future. This wonderful book gives you all the basic information you need to begin to think differently about the world and to gradually change the way you live.

The planet is here for us to look after and nurture. No one of us is born 'entitled'. Every individual must take responsibility for agreeing change for only by a mass transition in human consciousness and resolve, will we be able to put in place the right solutions to give us a naturally sustainable future.

Read this book - and make a start on changing the way you think about the earth and all her beauty.

Essential reading - exceptionally thought-provoking
This book has been a revelation. It is remarkably well-written and argues cogently for a pro-active management of our planet and its resources. It has something of interest to all. It is broad-ranging, comprehensive, accessible and truly inspirational.

As a teacher, I would strongly recommend James Martin to any student preparing for A-levels or degree studies in Geography, Philosophy, Cultural studies, Environmental Studies, Business Studies and many other disciplines.

As a concerned member of the human race, I would hope that this book finds its way onto the desks of CEOs of multinational companies as well as presidents and prime ministers.

This book should determine the politics and economics of the next century. The book deals with the dangers we face as we navigate the 21st Century; global warming, terrorism, religious extremism, water-shortage, power-supply for an increasingly technology-dependent society.

If the warnings contained within are ignored we head towards a very dangerous period with little chance of survival; if heeded, we will equip ourselves with the right tools (economic, environmental, social and political) to improve our chances.

Good book, but a bit repetative and contradictory
Overall, its a good read, the first few chapters really highlight the problems facing the planet and proposes some good solutions. I hope those in power read it.

The second half of the book declines in quality (hence 4 and not 5 stars), not only does it repeat in detail items which were nicely summarised earlier in the book, but the author can't seem to make up his mind. We're told that super intelligent computers will revolutionise the world without taking over humanity, as they'll always lack human emotion and appreciation of the arts, we're then told soon after that the human brain, complete with all human thought processes, will be completely digitised to fit on a chip accessable to computers! Sadly thats just one of many such contradictions.

The Author sees technology through massively rose tinted spectacles (i'd advise him to watch the Terminator series of movies) and vigorously asserts timelines for every improvement, each of which are implied to be uncorruptable. The book misses many negative historical precendents and seems to be divorced from reality in places. If history is any yard stick to go by most of timetable for the 'improvements' will certainly be incorrect, as were the estimates for widespread nuclear fusion power, men on Mars, etc (pick almost anything from a previous decade), and politics will ensure any such 'improvements' are perverted.

It's a book that delivers hope and despair in equal measure, but should be read by all to widen the debate about what kind of planet we want our children to inherit.