The World Without Us by Alan Weisman
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Book Reviews of The World Without Us
Book Review: An interesting essay
Summary: 3 Stars
Alan Weisman's book is an extension of a previous essay article, and unfortunately, that is how it often reads. The chapters (and sections within chapters) jump from subject to subject and through different time lines without real feeling for order or reason. The statements he makes are backed up by well researched evidence and via discussion with some very interesting characters but sometimes, one gets lost in trying to figure out what the point is of each section, rather than go with the flow.
However, he does make some very interesting and important points in regards to human impact and the fact that there are large numbers of species and populations that will not even notice that we are gone. He does also point out the fact that some of our inventions are likely to still be hanging around for mellenia and beyond.
Overall it is an interesting read, though I feel that if it was written by someone with more of a science background rather than journalistic, than it would have made for excellent reading.
Book Review: Not what I was expecting
Summary: 3 Stars
I read this book expecting an entertaining look at how our legacy would decay if we disappeared, a sad but poignant look at how long it would take World Heritage Sites to crumble and infrastructure to implode. These typical post-apocalyptic images are addressed, but briefly. Most of the book is about humanity's negative impact on nature and the author's hope that it will rebound once we destroy ourselves (this seems a certainty, and almost a wish, for Mr. Weisman). Instead of The World Without Us, a better title would have been How The World Has Been Made a Terrible Place By Us. I'm not saying that a moral lesson on high living isn't in order for members of the petro-culture, just that anyone reading this book is probably already aware of and chastened by our impact on nature. I think he could have reached a wider audience by dwelling more on the sad parts of our leaving the Earth, and less on preaching that our extinction is something to anticipate gladly.Book Review: I Should Have Just Read The Essay
Summary: 3 Stars
The World Without us is a fascinating concept book. Looking at how the earth would reclaim the urban sprawl is utterly compelling and fairly depressing. Through exploring this concept the book also deals with deep environmental issues and how we attempt to control the forces of nature in order to exist on the planet.
All this is utterly engaging for a while, and then it just gets old. The book was based on an essay and that's where I think it would be strongest. The book feels bloated and overly fleshed out. Midway through I felt I had gotten everything I would get out of the book, and when I finished I realized I had.
Still a worth wile read if the concept is one which engages you, although I wish I had just read the essay.
Book Review: BEWARE OF AMAZON SHIPPING!
Summary: 3 Stars
Haven't read the book yet, but the way Amazon sent it was awful!
I submitted an order for this book and an order for canned goods. They arrived together in one box. The book had just been tossed in with the cans and you can imagine what shape the book was in. I had assumed the book would have been boxed or wrapped separately, even if they put it into the larger box of canned items. Makes you wonder what kind of idiots work in their shipping department and what kind of supervision is in place at Amazon. In the future I will never order a book WITH any other item.
Book Review: For Anyone Still not Voting Green
Summary: 3 Stars
Unfortunately, the book doesn't quite live up to the title, with its productively shocking sense of inevitability; but it's important a book with this title came out about now, because you really have to say, looking at the world, that we probably don't have the guts or the sense of duty to try and stop this money-grubbing system raping the planet. And that means we'll be gone soon.