audiobook Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth-Century World (The Global Century Series) by J. R. McNeill in History

Review

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Thomas Midgley's epitaphBy Stephen BalbachSub-titled "An Environmental History of the 20th Century"; this is a sober and objective survey of environmental changes over the past 100 years. I was concerned this would be an emotional appeal or judgmental polemic from the left - but not the case; it is academic and professional history from an environmental perspective (the environment; not "environmental movement"). It's encyclopedic in scope and style.I would not call this an "entertaining" read (although some of the facts really fire the synapses); but it is deeply rewarding as a broad survey of a very large and complex problem. The chapters and sub-sections are arranged in a logical outline making it possible to read the chapters in any order.The main idea of the title "something new under the sun" is that humans have so fundamentally changed the environment that things really are very different now than they have ever been historically. To regard our current conditions of energy availability; access to water; unending economic growth - as enduring and normal appears to be an interesting gamble given the facts.Some interesting trivia: humans did not become the dominate primate until about 8;000 BC with the rise of agriculture (baboons outnumbered humans before then). About one-fifth of all humans that ever lived did so in the 20th century. In sheer energy terms; if all modern technology and energy sources were not available; the average American would need about 70 human slaves to maintain the current standard of living (each American "directs" 70 energy-slave equivalents). Each year; humans move more earth and soil than glaciers; wind erosion; mountain building (plate tectonic uplift); and volcanoes combined. Probably the single most damaging biological organism in earths history was the human primate Thomas Midgley Jr from Beaver Falls; Pennsylvania born in 1889. He invented Freon (which destroys the Ozone layer); and also leaded gasoline; which has polluted most of the worlds soil lasting thousands of years (all of us carry elevated lead levels because of it and will continue to do so for centuries to come; leading to birth defects; lowered IQs; etc..). Midgley contracted Polio at age 51 and invented a system or ropes and pulleys to move his crippled body off the bed - he became tangled and was strangled to death in 1944 by his own invention; before learning how damaging his inventions were.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Great ReadBy Tina ZhangI bought this for my class. This book contains so much great information that I will have to re read it again and again to do the knowledge justice.There are things I already know before I read this book; but it connected dots together to reveal something completely new. For the vast majority of this book I didn't know before; the author skillfully organized them together to present a vivid and gripping tale of how human changed the environment; directly/indirectly; intentionally/accidentally; under technology; culture and politics impacts.The read provoked sadness; frustration; fear and many other emotions and it is one of the best books I read. Highly recommend for anyone who wants a stimulating learning experience to understand men and nature.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Easy to read and full of history everyone should knowBy Arvella B. OliverThis book may be the best historical survey I've ever read. (And with an M.A. in history; I've read a few!) I got this book to complement my hard science slogging on global warming; and found so much more than I hoped for or ever imagined! McNeil's book provides the historical background and the human context for all the graphs and numbers in the science texts. If you're looking for one book to give you a focused overview of just how much human civilization has accomplished; good and bad; in the last 100 years; this is it.The organization of the book is excellent. McNeil sources everything; ends each chapter with an excellent summary; and wraps it all up with his own thoughtful commentary on climate change. He uses an inspired mix of the small detail (birds dying mid-flight) and the enormous concept (the Aswan dam affected the entire Mediterranean ecosystem). He describes chains of cause and effect and makes connections other historians and scientists seem to miss. The chapters dealing with agriculture are; I think; particularly relevant to our everyday lives; but students in nearly every subject will find this book useful. My husband is a family physician; and has read the sections on public health; my neighbor is a biologist with the USGS; and is reading the chapter on dams and irrigation.