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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/248787.The_World_Without_Us?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_review" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="The World Without Us" border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41XG6tSOFrL._SL160_.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/248787.The_World_Without_Us?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">The World Without Us</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/79216.Alan_Weisman">Alan Weisman</a> 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/14198398?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review"><h3>My review</h3></a>
 rating: 4 of 5 stars In the acknowledgments to The World Without Us, the author confesses his indecision as to which of the sciences to study led to his career as a journalist. Having a similar predilection, I enjoyed the broad scope of this feat of speculative journalism immensely. But every strength also contains a flaw. This book delves into too much information too shallowly for the reader to have a complete academic perspective of what the earth might be like sans homo sapiens. However, as the author suggests, complete analysis would have meant a colossus of a book. This book is a highly-readable abbreviated version of Weisman's research. The author not only critiques the human influence on the fragile but resilient ecosystems in which we live, but presents studies of our lasting contributions to posterity; bronze sculptures, polymers, dioxins, and nuclear waste. He does so without commenting on the moral repercussions of these actions although he does so with a twinge of sadness for what has already been irretrievably lost. One of the more interesting aspects of the book is that the author goes into a brief history of humans paleontological record, providing different theories as to the extinction of megafauna in North America. This chapter introduces a running theme in the book: human competence and innovation can be destructive as well as instructive for our future, whether that future be for our children or for some other version of primordial Pangaea. This book stimulated a preponderance of thoughtful actions on my part, and a desire to research further into what individual actions can achieve results. Just as I enjoy a diversity of academic topics, I enjoy the beauty and diversity of life. While change may be inevitable, the impact we make on the earth can be lessened perhaps until the ramification of out impact can be analyzed with more certainty and solutions which prevent overt contamination and eradication can be invented. I recommend this book to anybody interested in the transformative as well as the educational aspects of science. 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/742166?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">View all my reviews.</a>

Kate's review
rating:

In the acknowledgments to The World Without Us, the author confesses his indecision as to which of the sciences to study led to his career as a journalist. Having a similar predilection, I enjoyed the broad scope of this feat of speculative journalism immensely. But every strength also contains a flaw. This book delves into too much information too shallowly for the reader to have a complete academic perspective of what the earth might be like sans homo sapiens. However, as the author suggests, complete analysis would have meant a colossus of a book. This book is a highly-readable abbreviated version of Weisman's research.

The author not only critiques the human influence on the fragile but resilient ecosystems in which we live, but presents studies of our lasting contributions to posterity; bronze sculptures, polymers, dioxins, and nuclear waste. He does so without commenting on the moral repercussions of these actions although he does so with a twinge of sadness for what has already...more In the acknowledgments to The World Without Us, the author confesses his indecision as to which of the sciences to study led to his career as a journalist. Having a similar predilection, I enjoyed the broad scope of this feat of speculative journalism immensely. But every strength also contains a flaw. This book delves into too much information too shallowly for the reader to have a complete academic perspective of what the earth might be like sans homo sapiens. However, as the author suggests, complete analysis would have meant a colossus of a book. This book is a highly-readable abbreviated version of Weisman's research.

The author not only critiques the human influence on the fragile but resilient ecosystems in which we live, but presents studies of our lasting contributions to posterity; bronze sculptures, polymers, dioxins, and nuclear waste. He does so without commenting on the moral repercussions of these actions although he does so with a twinge of sadness for what has already been irretrievably lost.

One of the more interesting aspects of the book is that the author goes into a brief history of humans paleontological record, providing different theories as to the extinction of megafauna in North America. This chapter introduces a running theme in the book: human competence and innovation can be destructive as well as instructive for our future, whether that future be for our children or for some other version of primordial Pangaea.

This book stimulated a preponderance of thoughtful actions on my part, and a desire to research further into what individual actions can achieve results. Just as I enjoy a diversity of academic topics, I enjoy the beauty and diversity of life. While change may be inevitable, the impact we make on the earth can be lessened perhaps until the ramification of out impact can be analyzed with more certainty and solutions which prevent overt contamination and eradication can be invented.

I recommend this book to anybody interested in the transformative as well as the educational aspects of science. ...less

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message 1: by Darcie

02/04/2008 09:47AM

I will have to put this on my "To Be Read" list!