5 comments about Streetwise Paris Map - Laminated City Street Map of Paris, France - with integrated metro map including lines and stations.

1. People stopped us and asked if they could use our map because it looked so much better then theirs, and it was!!!!!!!!!! Won't go anywhere without one of these!!!!!!!!!



2. This map was by my side the whole 10 days in Paris and I pulled it out constantly! I love the lamination and heavy duty construction. The only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars is because the most northern, southern & eastern sections of Paris seem to be missing from the map. I would prefer the map to have the whole complete city, including a tiny piece of the outskirts because there were times when I traveled to the outer edges of Paris and the map couldn't help me. But, I will say that the detail on this map is excellent! It was the only map we saw that had every little tiny street name on it which is very important in a crowded place like Paris. I highly recommend it!



3. We use Streetwise maps whenever possible when we travel and find them to be the best we've run across. I love the fact that they are sturdy and laminated and don't fall apart. They are clear and accurate. The Paris map has the Metro/RER insert which is handy when you want to travel light and don't need all the information of the full route maps.
   
   You can't go wrong.



4. This is about as complete a map as I think you can find. I tend to use a lot of maps, but always found myself going back to this one whenever we needed to navigate somewhere. We just got back from Paris, and I was able to find every single street I ever looked for on this map. I found the maps of the Metro stops easier to read on this map than the official Metro map.
   
   The only drawbacks - the layout is a bit odd. They chose to center the center of the city, which makes sense, but for the North part you have to flip over, and for the South part, you have to flip over. Just a little unusual. Also, there are no Bus markers, if you were looking for that.



5. While the content of the map was great, the size and lamination would not allow it to fit into my purse. Actually ended up carrying the paper brochure map around from the hotel the whole trip, which also allowed for circling destinations easier.

5 comments about Silent Spring.

1. Joni Mitchell perhaps most aptly summarizes the driving idea of Silent Spring in her song "Big Yellow Taxi": "Hey farmer farmer / Put away that DDT now / Give me spots on my apples / But leave me the birds and the bees. Please!" While both the book and the song are a bit outdated in the United States as DDT was banned in 1972, it's still an interesting analysis of insecticides/herbicides, societies relationship with science, and the effects a capitalistic driven culture has on the environment. Likewise, the interaction of the natural web and human's impact on it is greatly emphasized. Something I've always found interesting about Carson and her book was the publics (often misogynistic) reaction to her as being "hysterical" and my favorite quote from a board member of the Federal Pest Control Review Board: "I thought she was a spinster. What's she so worried about genetics for?"



2. I thought that "Silent Spring" would be an interesting book to read. After all, is supposedly launched the modern environmental movement. However, after reading about 80 pages into the book I started to feel like I was reading the same thing over and over again: pesticides and herbicides are bad and should not be applied to the side of the road. OK, I get the point. I then flipped to page 250 or so, and do you know what I saw? More discussion of how pesticides and herbicides are bad!
   
   Maybe back at that time it was not a self-evident truth that it is a bad thing to go around spraying shit all over the side of the road. But even then, you would think that a disucssion of this matter could be confined to 100 pages or less. A final issue is that the book does not seem to possess a modern understanding of certain subjects (since when do hydrologists refer to groundwater as "underground rivers"?). Although this is not the fault of the book, I do not know why anyone other than a science historian would want to spend much time on it.
   
   Oh Yeah, this book also killed millions of people. The banning of DDT probably led to millions of deaths from malaria. Even today, about 2 million people die from it every year.



3. Perhaps her cause was just in writing this book, but her short-sighted ignorance of the repercussions was inexcusable. Because of the ban on DDT which largely resulted from Silent Spring, the WHO has estimated that around 20 MILLION children have died of malaria.
   
   DDT was, & still is, one of the very best insecticides to control mosquitoes, the sole transporter of this deadly disease. Best of all, DDT is very NON-toxic to humans.
   
   The need for DDT is so urgent that even the Sierra Club is justifying it's use inside houses in malaria stricken locations of Africa, South America, & Asia.
   
   Way to go Rachel. Save the Birds, Kill the Children...Wake Up People!!



4. An amazing woman and book: the beginning of the us taking responsibility for pollution thanks to this book.



5. While Rachel's theories were ahead of her time 40 years ago, many now believe DDT is not the toxin/poison that her book helped label the chemical as. One thing is for SURE: malaria kills millions, including children, in Africa each and every year. DDT could prevent those deaths at a very affordable cost. Malaria in Africa -- one of those unseen ripples in the pond....

5 comments about The Prize : The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power.

1. I just finished the Prize after 4 months and it was a great read. The chapters on WWII were outstanding. What America wouldn't give to be back in the days of $40 barrel of oil again! I now have a greater understanding of the Middle East and the history of politics there. Highly recommend this well deserving Pulitzer winner.



2. As a third generation oilman, this book, while now dated by about eighteen years, gives the reader one of the best oil and gas history books ever written. It was the last book that my father, a wiildcatter for over forty years, read before his death and he too was amazed how Mr. Yergin was able to take such enormous amount of information and distill it down into a narrative as if one were there during the major events that shaped the petroleum industry. If only the so-called envirnomentalists would lift a finger and read books like this, their credibilty as to the subject matter would rise dramatically. What is striking about this particular history book on the petroleum industry, is how Mr. Yergin does a tremendous job in informing the reader how petroleum actually brought human society into what we now call the "modern age" and how the industry truly affected almost every event over the last 150 years, from scientific advancements to world wars. I would put this book into the category of required reading for anyone entering the oil and gas business right up there with "The Greatest Gamblers" written almost a half century ago by Ruth Sheldon Knowles.



3. Yergin's opus is a compelling read but the plot falls apart in the paperback version - literally! The pages start to separate from the binding before you're 100 pages into your read. If your goal in purchasing a paperback is transportability the loss of entire sections actually makes the book a bit easier to carry around, but don't plan on lending it after you're done.



4. Daniel Yergin made is his name as an oil industry analyst by writing this book. As far as I am aware, this book is the best history of the oil industry ever written.
   
   It is comprehensive and begins prior to the start of the modern oil industry, discusses the U.S. oil industry when U.S. oil production on U.S. soil was a major player in global oil. It then proceeds to the rise of middle east production, the formation of ARAMCO (Saudi American Oil Company), and winds its way to the modern dominance of the oil and gas fields in and about the Persian Gulf. You may need to check for an updated edition - if there is one - or supplement this book with the history of the oil industry within the last ten years. This supplementation is just a function of when this book was published. The book has not been superceded in its field.
   
   This is required reading for any student of the global oil industry.



5. Mr. Yergin undoubtedly deserved the Pulitzer Prize for this masterpiece on the history of oil industry. He succeeded in covering about a century and a half of discoveries and developments providing accurate information on historical events, national and international politics and key players, achieving to write a reference book on the subject.
   Certainly no author whomsoever can be impartial - and throughout the reading one may well notice that Mr. Yergin is writing from a North-American standpoint. However, partiality is subtile and does not jeopardise his work's strict conformity to facts. Actually, it is only now and then - as in the case of Mossadegh and Nasser - that one might notice that the author could have stepped forward into a less contained critique of Washington's inertia and refrained from a more stark appraisal of Western European role.
   Nonetheless, Mr. Yergin is probably the best historian of the subject, faithful to facts, besides being able to imprint a light and entertaining style into his narrative.

5 comments about The Deniers: The World Renowned Scientists Who Stood Up Against Global Warming Hysteria, Political Persecution, and Fraud**And those who are too fearful to do so.

1. This is an objective and very informative review of salient global warming issues. While the book stands alone on it's own merits, the various specific topics covered are easily verifiable by the interested reader who wants to understand on a deeper level. Each issue is honestly discussed without the emotional drive so often found in global warming advocates.
   
   The Deniers is an example of how the global warming debate should proceed: data based and without ideological agenda. I recommend this book to anyone who actually wants to know what the issues are and who desires to make their own conclusions regarding climate change.



2. A well researched study of some of the renowned scientists who do not support Gore's hysterical propaganda, and why.The Deniers: The World Renowned Scientists Who Stood Up Against Global Warming Hysteria, Political Persecution, and Fraud**And those who are too fearful to do so



3. The Deniers was an excellent review of another or hidden side of the global warming or climate change issue. It highlights the research being done by others in field that we would otherwise not hear from. This outstanding climate change understanding has been relegated as irrelavent by the IPCC "managed information" community for political reasons. "The Deniers" are asking and answering questions that need to be raised and deserve answers, with the intent of understanding the cause and effect of the broad range climate change influencers or phenomena. Solomon's work suggests that it is not as simple as the IPCC/others wants us to believe. Duh!
   
   More importantly, what is frightening about all of this is that the IPCC, sanctioned and supported by global liberal media and political interests, is successfully driving their "human caused global warming with dire consequences" program and weeding out the other qualified thinkers that are developing a more complete picture of what is happening to our climate. The latter provides future options with more reasonable and balanced strategies. The IPCC and Democratic platform's purpose of control/allocation of energy, would likely cripple our national development and economy.



4. I have never thought that being "alarmist" over global warming is a good idea, and see no reason to begin that trend now. And, some dissent among scientists is reasonable on any subject, especially one that could have implications for the entire world population. However, to properly show that there is dissent within the scientific community, it is essential to compare apples to apples, which was done well in some places in the book, but which failed to happen in others.
   
   I agree that the hockey stick is gone as a useful tool, but questioned it all along. I am always very leery of any sort of graph that uses statistics as a measurement...they are just too easy to adjust. Lengthen the time frame and you get one picture, shorten it and you get another. It is also easy to dismiss the work of Stern, who is an extremist and has few followers in the climate change debate that I am aware of.
   
   There are places in the book where I noted problems. To contradict current glacier science, the author produced a nuclear physicist who has worked on some glacier issues. The key is, however, that he is not a specialist in glacier science. That is roughly equivalent to going to your internist when you are having heart attack. He may know some of the science, but is hardly the expert that you would want.
   
   Finally, I think it is important to look at the author's biases. As a foe of nuclear energy, it is in his best interests to deny the problem exists. If global warming does exists, it will require, almost certainly, the use of nuclear power to bring an end to coal and oil usage. Overall, the book was a good read despite some problems and I think it has a place on the shelf of anyone who is concerned about the problem of global warming, be it man made or natural.



5. In this eye-opening book on global warming issues, the author presents some of the scientific arguments of those scientists who are known as "deniers" of global warming. However, what becomes very clear in short order is that they are not deniers at all. In fact they freely admit that the earth has indeed warmed over the past decades/centuries. Their main point of contention, as clearly elaborated upon in this book, is that the science is not that simple and not at all settled, as many of their adversaries in this matter profess. The author's approach is to give a brief resume of the selected scientists and quote their respective scientific views. From their resumes, it is clear that these scientists are world class in their scientific fields with extremely impressive credentials and numerous peer-reviewed research publications to their names. They are scientific specialists in disciplines that are directly related to the environmental concerns under debate. Based on their extensive work, they believe that it is much too early to sound the alarm on climate change and that, most likely, the observed warming is mainly natural - possibly the continuation of a process that began at the end of the last ice age. The writing style is clear, friendly, engaging and very accessible. The many quotes from the scientists are very clear and authoritative yet free of unnecessary scientific jargon; they express their views in a plain English that any reader can understand, whatever his/her background. Consequently, this is a book that can be enjoyed by anyone. If anything, this book makes clear that scientists on both sides of this issue should get together to objectively discuss the scientific evidence and their respective interpretations with the ultimate objective of, hopefully, reaching some sort of consensus that world leaders can more reliably work with, as deemed necessary.

5 comments about The World Without Us.

1. As a confessed lover of post-apocalyptic fiction, I was instantly sold on the concept of this book...someone did the research, talked to the scientists, and is theorizing about what would *really* happen in the 'world without us.' How would our cities fare; how would the rainforests and deserts be reclaimed; how long would the Pyramids, Mt. Rushmore, and the Great Wall of China last; when would tectonic activity plow even our nuclear waste into the core of the Earth?
   
   Unfortunately, despite some very interesting teasers and an obviously large volume of research, that is not what this book is about. This book is a warning...chapter after chapter containing description of the "damage" that humans are doing to the Earth, with a decided one-sided style that made me feel chastised for the better part of this book's 275 pages. This sort of information has its place...and I am even in agreement with the sentiment...but this book left me feeling tricked.
   
   I still gave two stars because there are indeed some very interesting thought experiments and case studies into the 'world without us'...including nature's reclamation of Chernobyl and the abandoned city of Varosha on Cyprus, the rapid downfall of New York City in the absence of proper maintenance, and isolated Pacific islands recovering from long-absent human activity. Many of the examples above, such as Mt. Rushmore, the Pyramids, and nuclear waste were given some service. It was because of these juicy bits that I continued to the end...but those looking to check on the reality of "I Am Legend" or "Battlefield Earth" are sure to be disappointed.



2. The World Without Us is a journey of discovery that shows us what the Earth may be like after mankind disappears, for whatever reason, and nature is allowed to take over without barriers or man made order being forced onto it each and every day. What will happen to our pets? What would happen to our cities? What would happen to all our stuff? The plastic bags? The steel cars? The power plants? The atomic missiles?
   Well, nature would do its best to break it all down, to clean it up, to absorb it and change it into something useful. That's what would happen. Poisons would be washed away, cats would go wild and trees would grow in such numbers that soon the forests would cover much of the Earth.
   Is this book a warning? There are warnings within the pages, sure. Is it a suggestion on how future generations could change the way we live and, in the end, save both ourselves and the planet Earth? Yes, it is. And maybe we should listen. Because there is no turning back. Even if we stopped doing all the stupid things we do RIGHT now, it would take thousands, if not millions, of years for the damage we have done to be undone.
   A great general resource for those of us who enjoy seeing all the links in the web of life. And hope that one day we may start knotting the threads back together.



3. I have extensively reviewed this book for another publication, and I have to agree with all those who noted a certain "bait-and-switch" tactic employed by Weisman. There is not as much science in this book as a fully worked-out thought experiment should contain. It reads not so much as a tale of the world without us as it does a lamentation over what we have done to the world.
   
   I give it two stars on the Amazon rating system because Weisman is indeed capable of some emotionally resonant writing. I would recommend the chapters on Cappadocia and the Korean Demilitarized Zone as coming closest to justifying the price of admission. My complete review can be read at southern literary messenger (all one word) dot com. It's in issue #1, and it's called Declinism Declined.



4. I really enjoyed the book and unlike some reviewers, did not feel like I was being chastised but rather, I felt more informed. I had never heard of the tiny polyethylene beads/granules before this book but discovered them in several liquid soaps we buy, even ones that touted "natural" essences. The book also includes a lot of history--how things were; such as how New York numerous brooks and streams, what plants/trees were native, and typically seques into how thing might revert back to that state or which newer species might survive. I found the history just as interesting as what the world might look like if humans were suddenly gone.



5. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started to read "The World Without Us." Its premise is intriguing--what would happen if an unspecified global catastrophe, such as a highly selective disease, completely wiped out the human race but left unscathed the buildings, roadways, cities, bridges, factories, shopping malls and other cultural and technological artifacts of civilization? How long would it take for the slow but inexorable forces of rot, decay and erosion to eradicate all evidence of the existence of homo sapiens on the Earth? What effect would the vanishing of the human race have on the other fauna and flora with which we now share our ecosystem?
   
   I thought "The Earth Without Us" would be rather dry. One of the things I expected to find was an analysis of how a typical city would decay over time. Without humans around to repair them, for example, roofs would soon begin to leak, letting in rain, snow and dirt. Then the interiors would become habitats for rats, birds, feral dogs and cats and other creatures. Then the mortar between bricks would crumble, and exterior walls would fail. Steel bridges would rust away and crumble, etc., etc. I didn't see how author Alan Weisman could sustain such an analysis for a few hundred pages without becoming repetitive and boring. Well, there IS such an analysis, but it is neither repetitive nor boring. There is MUCH more to "The World Without Us."
   
   It is actually nothing less than a superb, wide-ranging, single-volume evaluation of the myriad effects that humans have had on the Earth over the millennia, and of the ways in which natural processes might eliminate those effects in the far future (if ever). It is a highly readable, lively, scientifically accurate ecological primer that explains, in terms that anyone can understand, the environmental issues that often capture today's headlines--ozone depletion, PCBs, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), nonbiodegradable plastics, global warming, and a host of others. "The World Without Us" is also an eloquent wake-up call. For example, the chapter "Hot Legacy" explores what would happen to commercial nuclear power plants and their waste-storage facilities if humans were no longer around to tend them. Imagine the Soviet Chernobyl disaster repeated 441 times--the number of nuclear power plants in the world. This chapter should be required reading for anyone who thinks that building more nuclear power plants is the answer to the world's energy problems.
   
   I cannot recommend "The Earth Without Us" too highly. I doubt that it can convert diehard anti-environmentalists--nor do I think that is its purpose. But it is an immensely valuable and informative resource for those who believe that humans HAVE adversely affected the earth, and who think it may not be too late to do something about it. A "must read" for every thoughtful homo sapien.

5 comments about Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series).

1. This book claims to tell you how to 'garden when it counts' and specifically mentions gardening during times of economic hardship (i.e. Peak Oil). Yet, it's not nearly as comprehensive or as down-and-dirty survivalist as I had hoped. I wanted simple to follow, bullet point format, but the book did not deliver.
   
   Sometimes the narrative left me behind and I didn't follow. Gardeners in general (not just this book) tend to gloss over details as if we're just supposed to know. For example, the fertigation section of the book doesn't have a really good definitive statement of what the heck fertigation is. Nor do I recall any specifications being provided on the size of the hole or how you make the hole in the first place. Good definitive (and idiot proof) topic sentences would've been a huge help.
   
   Also, it was frustrating for a book that purported to teach gardening for hard times to say it's not worth it to garden in clay soil or rocky soil. I would've thought there would be a focus on things that can be done to maximize growth in all conditions. This is Gardening When It Counts, not Gardening In Ideal Conditions.
   
   That and gardening is more expensive than I thought. Especially as the author notes that once oil prices go up so will the cost of all the fertilizers he advises you will need. Can I afford to garden when it counts? I'm not sure.
   
   Plus, unless you can buy seeds at least every other year, you are S.O.L. (which I would've hoped there would've been more discussion on alternatives, perhaps some discussion of exchanging seeds with local gardeners etc...)
   
   In addition the author recommends at least 2700 square feet of garden space times two (so you can rotate your crops). This is not practical for most of suburbia.
   
   Again, back to my point that this book is not supposed to be about Gardening In Ideal Conditions With Unlimited Funds And Space, but it often seems to take that tack.
   
   There are some positives.There is no question that the author is a master gardener so whatever info you do glean from the book is solid. Composting is covered in great detail. There are some excellent nuggets of information that make the book worth a read (the seed company recommendations were much appreciated). However, you will not learn everything you need to know in this book alone and I question whether it truly does offer any good advice on how to garden when it counts for the average person in the average house.
   



2. A previous reviewer was being nice in describing the author's writing style As 'grandfatherly'.
   
   Personally, my grandfather never talked to me like I was an idiot, and did not pat himself on the back every other sentence. While the book is intended to help the novice gardener, the tone made it a difficult book to read. The author spends a great deal of time ridiculing other garden writers (John Jeavons in particular) that he refers to as Everyone Else. While describing these authors as foolish slaves to production quantity (apparently Everyone Else include every person who believes in raised bed, intensive gardening), Steve Solomom extolls the virtues of planting in rows and giving plants 'room to grow'. He provides his example of not one, but TWO 2400sq ft garden beds - one lies fallow each year with a green manure while the other is planted. Steve also seems to loathe clay soil, so much so that he doesn't even bother giving any advice on how to improve it. He basically says clay is the worst, nutrient-sucking soil (like a battery that eats nutrients) and that even when adding lots of organic matter, it will still hurt your crop production. So instead of recommending a realistic and effective means to address this soil type, the author recommends paying someone to haul in a truckload of topsoil to create the ideal garden bed. That's what he did (spending $1200 in the process), and of course he has beautiful results. Seeing as how I am reading the book to learn how to garden 'in hard times', and I do live on clay soil, I had to look past this ridiculous recommendation to get to the good information in the book.
   
   The book does contain very good information that covers many aspects of how to treat a garden if you are to truly rely on its production. He provides an inexpensive recipe for a complete organic fertilizer (noting that today's chemical concoctions of potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus are creating vegetables that do not give maximum nutritive value - garbage in is garbage out). He also explains the importance of seed quality and provides information on how to obtain the ideal variety for your area.
   
   While I did find a lot of good information, Steve Soloman's writing style made this book torturous to read.



3. This is a good resource for a new gardener desiring to make the most of his/her time gardening. The book helps identify the type of garden you have and how to make the most of it or how to improve it to the garden you want. A quick read and good resource to keep handy



4. This is the perfect book for people like me with no gardening grandpa at their side.
   Nobody ever told me that a garden hoe must be sharpened before first use....
   And how to start a garden if you have a patch of grass land - I never knew how to do it right or where to start.
   This book is great for basic beginners in veggie gardening. Advanced gardeners may be shocked a little about the very few and basic tools: hoe, shovel, wheelbarrow, rake, knife and file.
   But the book was written for "hard times" and than it's good to know you can do your veggie garden with just these basic tools, without all the fancy and expensive stuff around.
   
   Very remarkable is the chapter about seeds and plants from the garden centers, it opened my eyes that most of the failures of the last years weren't really mine but from the bad stuff I bought without knowing it was that bad (it looked good when I bought it....)
   
   So I want to say "THANK YOU, Mr. Solomon" for sharing your experience with us.
   Your advices gave me back the joy of gardening and the very first time in 20 years I'm running a satisfying veggie garden without any problems.
   Thank you. ;-)



5. This book is excellent. It is my new gardening bible. I've been through all the intensive gardening books, and they all stressed me out with the intensity of the work that was required to get them started and keep them up. The whole philosophy here really makes sense to me. I felt like I could go ahead, get things started, without having to have so much in place. After all, this is about growing with the minimum amount of inputs.

5 comments about Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life.

1. I absolutely loved this book. Prepare to be inspried by Sophies no-nonsense approach to going green. I also love that she doesn't sugar coat things - some aspect of going green aren't easy, but well worth it in the long run.



2. A friend of mine got this book for me and I love it. Yes some of the beauty products she suggests are a little pricey but she always gives a couple of affordable options as well, and you can always do your own research and find other things on the websites she mentions (she can't list every product out there, it would take up the whole book).
   
   Really good book.



3. This book has so many wonderful ideas on how to go green. It also made me really think about my life and my contribution to our amazing planet. We can all do so much to help and NOW is the time! I hope you will read this book and implement several of its ideas. I already have...and I know that I am making a difference. YOU can, too.



4. This is the best book i have bought in a long time.. Very insightful and life changing.



5. I wanted to like this book, I really did. I found it to be very cute, but a bit of a puff piece.
   
   There's alot of tid bits of information, but nothing substantial. Some information is conflicting - on one page Sophie says she avoids microwaves and doesn't want it altering the molecules in her food. Yet, on another page, she writes that the microwave is the most eco-friendly way to cook, as it uses the least amount of energy.
   
   And yoga sun salutations and exercise instructions don't belong in a green guide. They just don't!
   
   I also purchased Easy Green Living by Renee Loux and found it to be much more substantial and informative - like a mini encyclopedia on what you need to do to live green.

5 comments about Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things.

1. There has a lot of good ideas for our earth.
   Something you never think about it.
   Trust me, you must read it "cradle to cradle"!



2. This book is a compilation of research from two renowned professionals- biologist and architect- who seek to make us aware of what our senses are exposed to due to the use of and effects of toxic/chemical substances, unsustainable measures and detrimental environmental processes in the production of basically everything down to our basic survival need items. A persuasive voice calls for action against and change in current methods of production and localization of the same with no weak fundamentals. After reading this book I pictured myself stranded in an island [earth] with just what I needed to survive or even more;actually having caught the attention of a rescue team but unfortunately and surprisengly still dying right when the rescue team came due to the poor quality of materials/substances in my survival kit! Then you wonder if that's possible; if -assuming a non-stress life-you can still die while trying to eat healthy, excercising, etc. only because of the effects of the bad chemicals inherit in the very things you need to lead such a life what should be done? Certainly the authors desire that we be aware [very detailed information and examples are given], cautious [effects/cons, statistics revealed per example], demand better products [possibilities/solutions already in prog



3. Terrific book. Easy to read and the topic is absolutely relevant to the times. This should be required reading in Architectural schools, Engineering schools, Technical schools, Scientific studies and in our middle and high schools for sure but also in any studies done on the environment. The ideas put forth in this book are only the beginning I am sure but I believe they offer the only salvation for our beleaguered Earth. What a pair these two authors make. I look forward to anything they may have to say in the future.



4. this book introduces one to a new way of making things and eliminating the worry about pollution and garbage. It should be read by every manufacturer, politician, teacher, parent... in short by everyone who lives on this planet!!!!!
   it shows the right approach to production and consumption ....cradle to cradle, where waste becomes food or is comletely reused by the industry without leaving toxins behind. A fabulous and quite obviously a doable concept. Therefore animals, plants, water, air and soil can recover from the effects of our past practices.



5. This was a great introduction to so many key, elementary principles in sustainable thinking/living/product design. I learned a lot! I hope enough people are informed and inspired by it to create the kind of real change that is being discussed in this book in terms of truly ecological product designs in everyday things (e.g., cars, homes, and other "products" that incorporate biomimicry, etc).

5 comments about Climate Confusion: How Global Warming Hysteria Leads to Bad Science, Pandering Politicians and Misguided Policies that Hurt the Poor.

1. I have read several books on this subject. This one is by far the best. It is clear, easy for the non-climatologist, well balanced and humorous. It is also brief. The chapters on weather and climate are lucidly presented although they might take reading twice over, since this book is not intended for scientists. The politics of climate research are well presented and important in understanding the bias in funding researchers in this field. I highly recommend this book and have already told many others to read it!
   As a physician, I believe our wealth should be directed to such global problems as HIV, sanitation, poverty, malaria, tuberculosis, lack of electricity and refrigeration and not the illusive possible man-made contribution to trivial global temperature change. The author, I believe, shares my distress at the global warming pseudoscience and hysteria. Let's wake up to oft, repeated, big lie of man as evildoer and direct our efforts toward problems that are present here and now and that we can remedy with certainty, with all our wisdom, with all our wealth.



2. This book does an excellent job of covering the science behind the global warming scare. It also provides understanding of the human motives behind the issue such as the desire to "go along to get along" and the fear of losing funding or standing if you honestly go against the politically correct view of climate change.



3. It is a pleasure to read a book by a distinguished scientist who has the ability to see and put things in perspective. Dr. Spencer shows convincingly how recent global warming fits in the natural cycles of changing climate, and that human activity is not likely to add much to the natural warming. Most important, he shows that climate is enormously complicated and that we do not know nearly enough about it to make the dogmatic statements favored by politicians and environmentalists. In the foreseeable future there can be no established consensus.



4. Professor Roy Spence's book "Climate Confusion" (2008 191-page hardback) is a compact study about how "man made global warming is based as much on faith as it is upon knowledge". His meteorologically founded discussion convinces that science has not, yet, settled the news media's climate change dilemma.
   
   With nine chapters Spence suggests how weather works, how the globe warms and cools, why scientists are often biased, how politics informs the global warming debate, some "dumb global warming solutions", and much more. His energetic and entertaining writing style makes Spence's broad scientific analysis interesting and informative. His humor, whit, and meteorological background illuminate various contemporary climate change/global warming philosophies and mythologies. The weather warning here- don't believe everything you hear about global warming!
   
   This book teaches but it has a downside (keeping it from earning the fifth star). Spence offers little, or no, resourcing. There are no footnote nor endnotes in this text. Perhaps, Dr. Roy wants the book portrayed as a novel, (always the result of no resourcing). Give us locations for further research, professor.
   
   The book's subtitle embraces its principle point. Spence's credible science presents viable alternatives and responses for global warming. Citing the Sun as Earth's warming source, Spence believes (and proves) that climate change is only marginally affected by humanity. Such hard scientific conclusions make this book worth its purchase price.
   
   This book is recommended to everyone interested in human made global warming, North American meteorology, and doing good science.



5. Just finished "Climate Confusion". Kudos to Dr. Spencer! It was even better than I'd hoped, and heaven knows it is sorely needed now to even partially offset the tidal wave of contrary Global Warming Alarmist diatribe currently flooding the media. Hopefully it will be read by some on the other side of the controversy, or fence-straddlers, and just maybe some will more critically examine the nature of the activist onslaught. Although the subject is quite serious and so treated, the book was very lightly written, easy to read, and gave me more than a few chuckles.
   
   The brief explanation of the basic climate processes influencing weather patterns of our globe was simple, short, succinct (and totally free of any mind-boggling equations that scare folks off), and should be relatively easy for anyone of average intelligence to comprehend.
   
   Similarly, the characterization of the vastness, and almost unbelievably (and largely not at all understood) complex, and sometimes apparently chaotic, and diverse processes making up our global weather systems was extremely well done. As was the discussions of: the total incapacity of the best and fastest of our computer systems to come close to modeling a tiny fraction of the global weather; the painfully minute volume of CO2 we put into the atmosphere compared to the total atmospheric volume; the difficulty and questionable nature of obtaining historical climatological data; and the total lack of any other completed similar modeling problem against which our erstwhile climate "modelers" can compare/calibrate their "comprehensive" computer models. (How these unquestionable facts can fail to give pause to our GCM modelers and other Global Warming activists is completely beyond my comprehension).
   
   Of course, this is partially explained by another of the well-made points in the book - that is the existence of the vicious, incestuous circle (well-oiled by Federal funds - many Billions of $) of: Environmentalists ("Noble", passionate & single-minded) / GCM modelers [& meteorologists] (human, greedy, job-security concerned, & anxious to "make a real difference") / media types and movie stars (hopeless, looking for publicity and "sexy" news) / legislators (also virtually hopeless, with their fingers in the wind, but with their hands on the money spigots) / and finally, The Public (totally overwhelmed by the other 4 groups). This was well done, and is partially understandable, but only to a degree.
   
   Another well-made thesis of the book is the real impact (and very limited effectiveness) of punitive CO2 reduction measures (such as the Kyoto Protocol, which we, in the US, continue to beat ourselves over the head about, since the Senate, for once wisely, totally disavowed it) on the real global economy. This impact will far and away adversely impact the poverty stricken masses of the world far more than it will hurt us, largely middle-class denizens of the US and other developed nations. For us it will mean a little less steak and shorter vacations - for them, it is life or death, literally. (This point will not be conceded by the environmental elite.) The analogy to the Annual deaths of a million or so Africans, and severe disabilities to many more due to malaria, which could easily be controlled by the simple and inexpensive expedient of DDT spraying, forbidden to them due to developed nations forcing them to ban it under pain of "trade sanctions", is eye-opening and shocking. As Dr. Spencer says, this situation is totally unsupportable. And this, while our environmentalist heroes continue to pat themselves on the back about their successful victory over this horrid substance. Something is very wrong with this picture.
   
   I have some minor criticism of the book. Not over anything the author missed, or got wrong or avoided, but for perhaps not being harsh enough with some of the main players in this on-going farce. In my opinion, the GCM modelers were let off a bit too easy. To me, they're the worst offenders in this scientific debacle. I understand the rationale Dr. Spencer gives for their failings (they're human; they want to make a difference; the money/research grants are only there for those who toe the party line; they do [quietly] state the limitations and assumptions underlying their work). But I'm sorry, this is not enough excuse, in my view, to over-dramatize their hypotheses and to let the media even more greatly do so. It shows a high level of scientific arrogance. They are intelligent adults and should show more honesty and morality in characterizing their work. While the environmentalists are even more guilty, they are probably even more a lost cause. Also, I think the good Dr. was a bit too easy on his former agency, NASA. I do appreciate that they have done, and continue to do, a lot of good. But that does not excuse overstating their "Global Warming" case.
   
   The author has done a real service to us all - Skeptics, True Believers, and Fence Sitters alike, for writing and seeing this book published, and bringing at least a little balance to the ongoing debate.

5 comments about The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals.

1. Pollan creates a very informative and interesting book that us simple folk can enjoy and learn from.



2. Omnivore's Dilemma traces our food back to its sources - and in many cases finds corn of all things! The author discusses industrial food production and the primary food chains from their sources to our kitchens. He covers processed foods, mainstream industrial farming, and organic foods. He also addresses how animals are treated - pretty scary. The information in the book is important and eye opening. The poignant take home message for me is that what we eat is so fundamental to life yet we leave it in the hands of others to grow, produce, and deliver to us. This book encourages a consciousness of where food comes from and persuades the reader to look for local organically grown foods or grow some themselves. I recommend this book along with another life-changing book, THE 3:00 PM SECRET: Live Slim and Strong, Live Your Dreams



3. When I opened this book, I expected something along the lines of the social history of food...but what I got was something much better!
   
   Pollan's writing, always self-effacing, humorous and insightful, became the perfect and certainly never preachy vehicle for a painless exploration of exactly what's on my plate and how it got there. Politics, animal rights, organic foods, economics and even mushroom-hunting all make an appearance amid farm machinery and well-cooked, tasty meals. Marvelous!
   
   His always-witty first-hand observations of the increasingly tragic state of affairs in American (and perhaps World) farming were not only informative but thought provoking. Visits to the grocery story will never be the same.
   
   I strongly recommend this book to anybody who has never set foot on a farm, to those who (like me) grew up surrounded by cows and corn, and to those who simply like to cook and eat...and would like to keep eating.
   
   We owe it to ourselves and our world to understand that our foodchains do not begin with the supermarket.



4. I could barely put this book down! The writing style is casual and gets a bit wordy and technical sometimes, but it's so worth it! All the information is really necessary to open our eyes about factory farms, our food supply and who's in charge of it!(I'm still shocked about all the conflicts of interest! YIKES!) I've seriously changed my eating habits! Read this book, I highly recommend it!



5. I have to admit that I did not finish this book. I got to the part where the author talks about really feeling his he-man roots and enjoys killing an animal. From a person who grew up inside a hunting culture, I can only say that from my perspective, he gets it all wrong. His conclusions are based upon an educated adult outside the hunting community and he assumes that hunting is "naturally" enjoyable. I can only say that my upbringing shows me that it is a terrible and terrifying experience to boys and that it is only peer pressure that causes them to start to like it in order to be part of the "adult" group. And then, they perpetrate this horror on their own children, and the whole sadistic cycle begins again. Please don't bother with his over educated conclusions, I think he just wants people to think he is "manly".