Book Review

Anthony Giddens, author of 'The Politics of Climate Change'Speaking at the Edinburgh Book Festival on 18th. August, Anthony Giddens explained he firmly believed in the ability of grass-root community action to tackle climate change. In his view, the most powerful change will bubble up from the bottom of society.  Giddens takes an optimistic view of human creativity and resilience to face the challenges ahead.

In his new book ‘The Politics of Climate Change’, Giddens lays out an upbeat but scary vision of the future. He is a strong advocate of the view that ‘fear is not necessarily the best motivator to get people to respond to climate change’ so it came as a surprise to the Edinburgh audience to see him brandishing Munch’s famous painting ‘the scream’,  a painting of a terrified figure set against a blood red Oslofjord skyline!

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Last Chance to see

Sustainability takes many forms and our Transition Edinburgh South group is keen to promote many of them but where does a book by Douglas Adam, better known for his sci-fi books and radio and TV programmes, fit into our work?

Douglas Adams might not have been a fierce Green activist or eco warrior but he gave money to Greenpeace and took up the cause of endangered species after a proposal from the Observer magazine to team up with a zoologist to look for the aye-aye.

“Aye-aye what?” asked Douglas, “The aye-aye. A rare, very shy nocturnal lemur. It’s got beautiful eyes”. This proposal came from the World Wildlife Fund and the Observer who had got together to send writers and experts out into the world to find endangered species. The rationale was that the writers would have the freshness of perception that comes from complete ignorance of the subject and the experts would furnish the background and specialist knowledge.

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The Self Sufficientish BibleFor the second entry we'll take something a bit more practical....

THE SELF SUFFICIENT-ISH BIBLE (AN ECO-LIVING GUIDE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY) BY: ANDY AND DAVE HAMILTON

When/Where Was It Written?:

2008... On a small semi-urban farm outside of Bristol

So, What's the Point (In Exactly 137 Words or Less)?: Andy and Dave are brothers... twin brothers... and they live together... and they do pretty much EVERYTHING together (or so one would surmise from their book). Which would maybe be a little bit sad... if it weren’t for the fact that they seem.... so, well... irresistibly cheery!

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Henry David ThoreauWALDEN, or LIFE IN THE WOODSby  HENRY DAVID THOREAU

When/Where Was It Written?:

In a cabin, by a pond, somewhere in Massachusetts.... all the way back in 1854!  (didn't I say it was classic?)

So, What's the Point (In Exactly 137 Words or Less)?:

Basically: Ole Henry D. gets ticked off at 19th century aristocratic society and decides to isolate himself in a crude cabin in the woods on Walden Pond for ‘two years and two months’ (never mind that the cabin was only a short walk from town and he had relatively frequent visitors...).  Read more