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The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World
by
What if Atlantis wasn't a myth but an early precursor to a new age of great flooding? Across the globe, scientists and civilians alike are noticing rapidly rising sea levels and higher and higher tides pushing more water directly into the places we live, from our most vibrant, historic cities to our last remaining traditional coastal villages. With each crack in the great
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Hardcover, 352 pages
Published
October 24th 2017
by Little, Brown and Company
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Start your review of The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World
Jun 30, 2019
carol.
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
everyone, particularly young people, Floridians, coasties and Trumpsters
For too long the national climate debate has centered on "is it real?" and "is it man-made?" How this occurred is likely the subject of another book, but what Goodell has done here is expose how thousands of powerful people (but only thousands! They need support!) are currently working to mitigate the effects of climate change while simultaneously reassuring the public there is absolutely no need to panic or change. Ah, politics. Can you inspire change without fear?
The book is a curious blend of ...more
The book is a curious blend of ...more
I read The Water Will Come under hazy yellow skies, with the scent of woodsmoke hanging heavy in hot air, my car dusted with a light coating of ash. It took effort to breathe, the air thick and sickly. Forest fires all around me: searing British Columbia to the north, racing through the Cascades Mountains to the east, Olympics to the west, Oregon to the south.
We endure damp and dreary winters for the glory that is summer in the Pacific Northwest; months of blue skies, gentle warmth and ...more
We endure damp and dreary winters for the glory that is summer in the Pacific Northwest; months of blue skies, gentle warmth and ...more
The water will come. Anyone who has ever lived near water knows that water will find its way in if it has a mind to. This book is largely about rising sea levels caused by climate change and melting glaciers and its impact on our society, for the truth is our climate is changing and causing unusual weather patterns and problems around the world.
Personal experiences: Our midwest home has been flooded twice by creek water in the last ten years after torrential rain storms. And while we were in ...more
Personal experiences: Our midwest home has been flooded twice by creek water in the last ten years after torrential rain storms. And while we were in ...more
The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World was a riveting look at global warming by journalist Jeff Goodell and its manifestations throughout the world, primarily focusing on Miami, New York City, New Orleans, and Venice as well as many other countries, including the Marshall Islands. Goodell not only discusses the effects of global warming but also the rapidly rising seal levels and higher and higher tides as well as the effects of rising
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Jeff Goodell traveled the world to report on how rising sea levels are impacting human society across the globe. His new book The Water Will Come takes readers to shrinking Alaskan glaciers with President Obama and into the flood-prone homes of impoverished people living in Lagos, Nigeria.
"By that time, I'll be dead, so what does it matter?" Quote from a Florida real estate developer, The Water Will Come
I long wondered how bad it would get before people broke down and changed how we live and do ...more
"By that time, I'll be dead, so what does it matter?" Quote from a Florida real estate developer, The Water Will Come
I long wondered how bad it would get before people broke down and changed how we live and do ...more
Thoughts soon.
This is a journalist's book posing as serious writing. The potential for coastal flooding caused by rapidly rising sea levels is genuine and acute.This is a superficial look at the problem, unnecessarily padded with character sketches of some of the politicians, engineers, scientists and activists involved. Their lives may be more or less interesting, but their individual stories are nearly irrelevant to the issues the book half-heartedly addresses. This is a topic worthy of a more serious and
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It's October and in theory I should be reading something scary. Then again, this is pretty scary. Jeff Goodell, a journalist and a climate expert, creates a hauntingly vivid picture of a very wet world to come. Traveling the world, visiting coastal cities across the globe that can potentially become the next Atlantis, he talks to experts and locals to gain a well rounded perspective of the threats they are facing and the realities of their lives. This isn't a mere alarmist reporting, it's a
...more
I just returned from a Christmas break in the South Bay part of Los Angeles where multimillion-dollar houses have been built along the strand next to the beach. I was curious why no one seems to be concerned about sea level rise. On the East Coast, and southern Florida in particular, the sea is already encroaching with every storm and high tide.
Jeff Goodell's book, The Water Will Come, provides some answers. He describes how many parts of Florida were swamplands before they were drained and ...more
Jeff Goodell's book, The Water Will Come, provides some answers. He describes how many parts of Florida were swamplands before they were drained and ...more
A very easy read that focuses on the upcoming consequences of sea level rise and does not attempt to convince with hard science. If you're not convinced now, no book will do it. Many elegant and poignant parts that wrenched my soul.
From Obama to Marshal Island Royalty, the villains and heroes of Miami, Dutch architects and die hard New Jersey coastal residents, Goodell has gathered the screaming voices of the climate change zeitgeist.
Well organized, informative, and entertaining - this is a must read.
![Tyler J [They/He] Gray](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1570181254p2/6296289.jpg)
Very readable, well written, and packed with information. It shows how much work went into making this book and making sure nothing was left out, while making it accessible at the same time.
It's horrifying what is happening to our planet. People are already suffering. Evidence for climate change is everywhere, just open your eyes. This book will show you. I already believed in climate change and knew it's a problem, but I had no idea just how much. How places like Miami, Nigeria, Venice, are ...more
It's horrifying what is happening to our planet. People are already suffering. Evidence for climate change is everywhere, just open your eyes. This book will show you. I already believed in climate change and knew it's a problem, but I had no idea just how much. How places like Miami, Nigeria, Venice, are ...more
I didn't like this book for a number of reasons. Even though it did offer some interesting facts and food for thought like contaminated water and how it affects Miami citizens, the Architectural problem of Venice and floating houses of Laos as a solution for poor drowning regions, I fond the style and structure of the book incredibly BORING, weird and underdeveloped. Seriously, when I bought this book I thought to myself" Yes! This is something really epic! Like a dystopian tragedy but based on
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The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World by Jeff Goodell
“The Water Will Come” is a very good book that realistically depicts the future we are creating for our children and grandchildren. Contributing editor at Rolling Stone and the author of five books including the award-winning Audacious Quest to Fix Earth’s Climate takes the reader on a dive into the rising water levels of our planet. This insightful 332-page book includes the following twelve ...more
“The Water Will Come” is a very good book that realistically depicts the future we are creating for our children and grandchildren. Contributing editor at Rolling Stone and the author of five books including the award-winning Audacious Quest to Fix Earth’s Climate takes the reader on a dive into the rising water levels of our planet. This insightful 332-page book includes the following twelve ...more
This is, as you'd expect, a pretty discouraging book. Goodell does keep it interesting, covering sea rise related issues from a variety of angles and interviewing experts in coastal cities on topics ranging from sea rise resistant architecture, septic tank related problems, challenges facing military bases and installations, flood insurance and the obligations of governments to those who rebuild in high risk areas, etc. Occasionally he suggests small areas of hopefulness, such as architects with
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Thanks to Little, Brown and Company via NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It has not influenced my thoughts or opinions about this book.
Throughout this book, Goodell explores geographic regions and innovative technologies to see what can be done to reduce the impact of rising water. Ultimately, there are some questions that emerge:
- How can we depoliticize climate change and show the real and impending impact on human civilization?
- How will governments address ...more
Throughout this book, Goodell explores geographic regions and innovative technologies to see what can be done to reduce the impact of rising water. Ultimately, there are some questions that emerge:
- How can we depoliticize climate change and show the real and impending impact on human civilization?
- How will governments address ...more
Well, that was scary. As a person who lives in FL and within 5 miles of the shore, this is horrifying. During the hurricane season of 2017, I was talking to my dad after Irma barely missed a direct hit on us in the Tampa Bay area saying some of the exact things outlined in this book, and I quote: "FL is f*cked, we need to get out of here."
And I'm completely fine leaving the godforsaken land of FL, in fact, I want to. But I'll tell you one thing, it's hard to just pack up your life and move ...more
And I'm completely fine leaving the godforsaken land of FL, in fact, I want to. But I'll tell you one thing, it's hard to just pack up your life and move ...more
67th book for 2017.
A disappointingly superficial account of an important topic.
Each chapter seems to involve Goodell meeting some important person who isn't aware/doesn't care about sea-level rise, and at some point Goodell will be wading through water at some high-tide here or there (New York, Miami, Venice etc). There was way too much emphasis on Miami and not enough of a global perspective.
If you haven't read any other book on global warming this book would be OK, but there are much better ...more
A disappointingly superficial account of an important topic.
Each chapter seems to involve Goodell meeting some important person who isn't aware/doesn't care about sea-level rise, and at some point Goodell will be wading through water at some high-tide here or there (New York, Miami, Venice etc). There was way too much emphasis on Miami and not enough of a global perspective.
If you haven't read any other book on global warming this book would be OK, but there are much better ...more
The Austin Public Library just recommended this to me so I am leaning into my tinfoil hat
A cross between eye-opening and frightening. I know about the sea water rising but it has not really clicked yet, all the urgency. The book, which is very easy to read, with examples of what people (including politicians, scientists, military, urban planners) all over the world are doing (or not) about this incoming apocalypse. Would love to have more Southern representation though.
Anyway, the science stuff is easy to digest so no worries about that part. What worries me is that even during the ...more
Anyway, the science stuff is easy to digest so no worries about that part. What worries me is that even during the ...more
Started well, with a real feel of depth and importance. Gradually segued into character sketches and mood pieces betraying it's journalistic origins. I would have liked a little more on the knock on effects of sea level rise, something to open the eyes of people who don't live on the coast and think it won't affect them.
A good read with scary clarity in places, but could have been so much more.
A good read with scary clarity in places, but could have been so much more.
Enjoyed this one a lot more than I thought I would - talks about a terrifying subject without getting preachy or panicky, but at the same time talks with urgency about what needs to be addressed now.
The Water Will Come is a heavy book to read. When I finally put it down, France is being hit by the worst heat wave in recorded history and Greenland ice sheet is facing yet another big year of melting.
The subtitle says "Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World", but the focus is the first half: rising seas and sinking cities. 70% of the book talks only about American cities and politics, which is a little disappointing.
Main cities and places covered in the book:
-- ...more
The subtitle says "Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World", but the focus is the first half: rising seas and sinking cities. 70% of the book talks only about American cities and politics, which is a little disappointing.
Main cities and places covered in the book:
-- ...more
So disturbing. He spells it all out using a few examples: Miami, Greater NY area, Venice, Lagos. Seasteading by the uber rich - I keep wondering what is the End Game for these oligarchs who do nothing to promote solutions for the earth's problems and in fact, actively work against those who are trying to address climate change and environmental justice. What do they think will happen as seas rise, coastlines are inundated and become uninhabitable and millions (billions?) of climate refugees are
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Review: THE WATER WILL COME by Jeff Goodell
An articulate and thoroughly-considered explication of sea level rise, THE WATER WILL COME is scientific journalism as it ought to be, explaining science, geological history and engineering in an understandable fashion. Mr. Goodell never resorts to scare tactics; his understated and factual approach to climate change, global warming, melting of ice sheets, and consequent inescapable rise of sea level is frightening in itself, and should serve as a ...more
An articulate and thoroughly-considered explication of sea level rise, THE WATER WILL COME is scientific journalism as it ought to be, explaining science, geological history and engineering in an understandable fashion. Mr. Goodell never resorts to scare tactics; his understated and factual approach to climate change, global warming, melting of ice sheets, and consequent inescapable rise of sea level is frightening in itself, and should serve as a ...more
![laurel [suspected bibliophile]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1546974316p2/7494844.jpg)
A well-researched and thought out book on climate change, particularly as it relates to the upcoming rising sea levels--a future that is not a probably, but a definite shall.
Instead of being complete doom and gloom about the future of the world (it is going to suck, particularly for the poor, marginalized communities living in endangered areas), Goodell acknowledges that there are ways humanity and global leaders can mitigate the damage.
Not stop the effects of global warming, but perhaps slow it ...more
Instead of being complete doom and gloom about the future of the world (it is going to suck, particularly for the poor, marginalized communities living in endangered areas), Goodell acknowledges that there are ways humanity and global leaders can mitigate the damage.
Not stop the effects of global warming, but perhaps slow it ...more
This book starts out with a post-apocalyptic vision of what our world would be like if we let the water levels rise further. Let me tell you one thing: it's not looking good.
Jeff Goodell is a long-time contributor to the Rolling Stones magazine and has been writing about environmental issues for a while now. In The Water Will Come he focusses on the manifestations of the rising seas and what that means for the cities and civilisations that it will affect.
He's looking at cities like Miami, New ...more
Jeff Goodell is a long-time contributor to the Rolling Stones magazine and has been writing about environmental issues for a while now. In The Water Will Come he focusses on the manifestations of the rising seas and what that means for the cities and civilisations that it will affect.
He's looking at cities like Miami, New ...more
Jul 14, 2019
Claudia Putnam
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
journalistic-synthetic-non-fiction,
science
I've always thought there were a few things not really worth the fight they demand. Invasive “weeds,” barriers against climate migrants, philandering husbands, and seawalls.
Among many other things, if you live along a coastline, specifically one that has EVER been affected by a hurricane, or tidal flooding for that matter, including miles upriver of an estuary, disabuse yourself of any notion that this flooding will not become more of a problem in your lifetime. That it might not in fact ...more
Among many other things, if you live along a coastline, specifically one that has EVER been affected by a hurricane, or tidal flooding for that matter, including miles upriver of an estuary, disabuse yourself of any notion that this flooding will not become more of a problem in your lifetime. That it might not in fact ...more
080120: every year in february i visit my mom’s hometown of waimea, kauai, where she and dad now have a condo. on the beach. so far we have had no tsunamis or hurricanes to wipe out the town, though the last two hurricanes did some damage. this is nothing compared to the future in this book, for the town is mostly less than two metres above sea level... even in the kindest projected rise it will be gone in hundred years or less...
i also recognize the desire for people who want to stay in ...more
i also recognize the desire for people who want to stay in ...more
An excellent overview of the rising damp
The author does a pretty good job of cramming an enormous subject into an average-sized book. I shudder to think of how many megatons of data and anecdotes he needed to leave out of this story, skipping lightly over all the different specific problems faced by all those different countries, many of whom will be coming to us for help as the crisis builds. I did come away with a sense of the global impact and struggled not to shut the book early so I could ...more
The author does a pretty good job of cramming an enormous subject into an average-sized book. I shudder to think of how many megatons of data and anecdotes he needed to leave out of this story, skipping lightly over all the different specific problems faced by all those different countries, many of whom will be coming to us for help as the crisis builds. I did come away with a sense of the global impact and struggled not to shut the book early so I could ...more
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| Non Fiction Book ...: March/April 2019 - The Water Will Come (inc. Q&A with Jeff Goodell) | 110 | 55 | Jun 29, 2019 08:00AM |
Readers also enjoyed
Jeff Goodell's latest book The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World was published by Little, Brown in 2017. It was picked as one of the 50 best non-fiction books of the year by The Washington Post as well as a New York Times Critics' Top Book of 2017.
His previous books include How to Cool the Planet: Geoengineering and the Audacious Quest to Fix ...more
His previous books include How to Cool the Planet: Geoengineering and the Audacious Quest to Fix ...more
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“When I asked the mayor if flood insurance rates had gone up after Sandy, he said, “Not really.” This is how disaster relief works in America. There are lots of incentives to rebuild but few incentives to rebuild differently, much less to rethink the long-term future of cities and towns along the coast.”
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“the climate is warming, the world’s great ice sheets are melting, and the water is rising. This is not a speculative idea, or the hypothesis of a few wacky scientists, or a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese. Sea-level rise is one of the central facts of our time, as real as gravity. It will reshape our world in ways most of us can only dimly imagine.”
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