We are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast, 2-3 stars

[NancyJ]

(Positive)
I was excited by the beginning of the book. He began with an overview of things that people have been willing to give up in the past for something really important - which included a few examples of the ways that civilians sacrificed, and how that helped to win WWII. There are a lot of thing affecting climate change, and we can all do something. He explained why those things worked - many of them fit perfectly into change management models that I used to teach. I was so pleased with this book, I was prepared to order some for people I love. I change my mind when I read the last half. I do recommend reading the first part of the book (maybe 100 pages), and then let it go when it no longer makes sense.

(Negative)
I expected he was going to identify how to apply some of those techniques to the challenges in front of us. I thought he would provide example of what people are already doing, and support us in taking action. To pave the way that making a number of small and big changes that we could ALL make, to help save the world or give the next generations a few more good years. But he didn't.

(Positive)
He provided a great deal of information on all the things that impact client change, including animal agriculture, deforestation, as well as carbon emissions and other things we already know about. I knew much of this, and I had already started making changes. He provided evidence that animal agriculture (especially beef) is one of the biggest contributors to the problem, especially when precious forests are cut down to make room for more cows. That clinched my decision to cut my consumption of beef even more than I already have.

(Negative)
He started having internal arguments with himself. He made himself sound totally selfish, indifferent, lazy, whiny, apathetic, and spoiled. I thought he was going to use this discussion to surface objections and answer them, and help us identify action items. But he didn't. He discussed his dying grandmother, and I wonder if depression explains how his writing turned from sharp and purposeful to a rambling mess of discussions of prom dates and wanting to be an astronaut when he was a kid.

[Jen K]

Ha ha, this matches my review as well. The first half was brilliant and the second half was perplexing at best. Agree that the first part is worth reading at least.

[NancyJ]

Jen K wrote: "Ha ha, this matches my review as well. The first half was brilliant and the second half was perplexing at best. Agree that the first part is worth reading at least."

What a difference, right? He just couldn't keep it up.

I'm now reading Immune: a Journey into the Mysterious System that Keeps You Alive which also started out strong - very engaging. I hope he can keep it up. The narrator reminds me of one of the Harry Potter audio narrators.

[Jen K]

Fingers crossed! The new one looks good. Will look out for your review!