From the Bookshelf of Deep State Radio Book Group…

The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming

David Wallace-Wells

Start date: May 1, 2019

Finish date: July 1, 2019

Discussion: Previously Read

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Previously Read

* The Great Successor: The Divinely Perfect Destiny of Brilliant Comrade Kim Jong Un by Anna Fifield
By deleted member · 1 post · 18 views

last updated Sep 27, 2019 07:05AM

* How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States by Daniel Immerwahr
By deleted member · 1 post · 9 views

last updated Jul 01, 2019 02:56PM

What Members Thought

Apr 29, 2019 GrandpaBooks rated it really liked it

"If you have made it this far, you are a brave reader." That's on page 138 of a 299 page book excluding the Index. Having made it that far you will have read about the consequences of global warming in chapters titled: Heat Death, Hunger, Drowning, Wildfire, Disasters No Longer Natural, Freshwater Drain, Dying Oceans, Unbreathable Air, Plagues of Warming, Economic Collapse, and Climate Conflict. Scared? You should be. Unnerved? You should be. Doubtful? God help you.

Doubters and deniers of globa "If you have made it this far, you are a brave reader." That's on page 138 of a 299 page book excluding the Index. Having made it that far you will have read about the consequences of global warming in chapters titled: Heat Death, Hunger, Drowning, Wildfire, Disasters No Longer Natural, Freshwater Drain, Dying Oceans, Unbreathable Air, Plagues of Warming, Economic Collapse, and Climate Conflict. Scared? You should be. Unnerved? You should be. Doubtful? God help you.

Doubters and deniers of global warming have their reasons and agendas. Some will say that the climate has warmed before and science tells us that this is correct. As noted on page 3 of the book, there have been 5 mass extinctions before the current ongoing 6th mass extinction (see Elizabeth Kolbert). Only one of those 5 wasn't caused by climate change (que the asteroid). 450 million years ago 86% of all life on earth died; 70 million years later it was 75% of all life; 125 million years after that 96% (all life currently on the planet was part of that small 4% of survivors); 50 million years passed and it happened again with only 80% of life being wiped out; and finally 135 million years passed and it dropped to 75% again. For those that argue that the earth has warmed before I'm assuming you're hoping for the 75% wipe out and not the 96% figure.

Others will call it a fake, a fraud, a plot by China to make America less competitive and they count on enough people to be complacent, to busy, to deluded, to entranced by the mind numbing entertainment on our smartphones and big screen TVs. They're gambling. They're betting they can pull as much profit as they can from the small shrinking window of time remaining to them before there nothing is left to take. But what they're really gambling with is the future. Not so much the future of anyone in their 40s, 50s, 60s (I'm 62) and older. After all, we'll either be dead or nearing the end of our lives. They're gambling with the futures of those in their 30s and younger. The children and the children's children. They have no voice, they have no choice. They will be forced to face the Frankenstein's monster of climate change by themselves because we, the collective Doctor Frankensteins that we are and have created this monster will be dead and gone.

I strongly recommend that everyone read this book. Be brave for your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, get past page 138 and continue with it until you've finished the last footnote on page 299. Having finished the book think about your children and grandchildren if you're so blessed and consider what we have bequeathed them and whether they will ever find it possible to forgive us for what we will have allowed to happen to them. ...more

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Dec 21, 2019 Gurlinthewurld rated it it was amazing

This could be a primer for everyone given the state of the Earth at this point in time with regards to climate. I wish, however, there were more discussion on the role of human exploitation, abuse, commodification and consumption of animals. Or rather the lack of knowledge of Sentientism, awareness of the harm humans do to animals, and the cycle of destruction and suffering -- all of this relates to climate, the planet and human life.

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Jul 23, 2019 Stuart rated it really liked it

Shelves: science

A superb encapsulation of the science and its implications for society. I found the first half to be more compellingly written.
"No human has ever lived on a planet as hot as this one; it will get hotter." ...more

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