First Along the River: A Brief History of the U.S. Environmental Movement [Paperback]

Benjamin Kline (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0742558533 | ISBN-13: 978-0742558533 | Publication Date: April 16, 2007 | Edition: Third Edition

First Along the River is the premier text that introduces students to the U.S. environmental movement. Concise, accessible, and informative, this third edition has been updated to include a new chapter addressing environmental issues in the post 9/11 world, policy shifts under the Bush administration, climate change, and the future of environmental movements.

First Along the River provides students with a balanced, historical perspective on the history of the environmental movement in relation to major social and political events in U.S. history. The book highlights important people and events, places critical concepts in context, and shows the impact of government, industry, and population on the American landscape.

Comprehensive yet brief, First Along the River discusses the religious and philosophical beliefs that shaped Americans' relationship to the environment, traces the origins and development of government regulations that impact Americans' use of natural resources, and shows why popular environmental groups were founded and how they changed over time.

Editorial Reviews

Review

First Along the River provides a concise, updated introduction to U.S environmental history. An excellent supplement for any student of the subject. (Bob Buerger )

A truly unique work, accessible to all, that demonstrates the common property nature of our global environment and its unwitting exploitation in the not so common interest. A good U.S. environmental history supplement for any environmentally oriented course. (John Stoll )

An extraordinary book that should be required reading for anyone interested in environmentalism and the future of our planet. From colonialism to the post-9/11 world, Kline provides a comprehensive, current, and approachable synthesis for anyone interested in environmentalism. (Rick, Torben C. )

Benjamin Kline's work is remarkable because of its depth and breadth in covering the topics, but also because of its brevity and accessibility to students. His descriptions of how U.S. environmental policies have emerged and evolved within social, economic and political contexts are insightful and provide the background needed to enhance our understanding of current environmental policy debates. In this way the book is a valuable addition to classes on environmental policy, as it enables students to ground ongoing efforts to grapple with difficult environmental problems within longer term economic and social trends. (Rick Welsh )

I find this a very useful text for an introductory course that I teach called 'Environment and People.' It is clear and straightforward, and yet, it is not overly simplified. It traces how resources have been used and pollution created throughout the historical development of the U.S., while reviewing the individual, organized, and institutional responses to the environmental problems created. With the addition of a new chapter on the environmental policies of the George W. Bush administration, and the new international political context in which emerging global environmental problems must now be addressed, the book provides an excellent overview for introductory courses on environmental history, politics, and policy. (Jane A. Grant )

About the Author

Benjamin Kline is professor in both the Social Science and Intercultural Studies Divisions at De Anza College. Among his many publications are four books, including First Along the River: A Brief History of the Environmental Movement in the United States, Genesis of Apartheid: British African Policy in the Colony of Natal 1845-93, and numerous articles including 'Northern Ireland: A Protracted Conflict,' 'Winston Churchill and Michael Colins 1919-22: Their Conflicting Views of Ireland and its Future,' and a contribution to the Cambridge Illustrated History of the British Empire.

Product Details

• Paperback: 206 pages
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers; Third Edition edition (April 16, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0742558533
• ISBN-13: 978-0742558533
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #99,767 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Kline currently teaches World and Environmental History at De Anza College in Cupertino, CA and African History at San José State University. The author of several works, his most popular book, First Along the River, is now in its 4th edition.

Dr. Kline is a native of San José, California. He received his BA (1978) and MA (1980) from San José State University and a PhD from the University College Cork, Ireland (1986). He has taught at San José State University, the University of Alaska Fairbanks and Wheelock College in Boston. In 1989 he taught at the University of Sierra Leone as a Fulbright Scholar.

His primary fields of interest are the Environment, British Empire, modern Europe, Britain, Ireland, and Africa. Among his many publications are four books, including First Along the River: A Brief History of the Environmental Movement in the United States, Genesis of Apartheid: British African Policy in the Colony of Natal 1845-93 and numerous articles including 'Northern Ireland: A Protracted Conflict,' 'Winston Churchill and Michael Colins 1919-22: Their Conflicting Views of Ireland and its Future,' and a contribution to the Cambridge Illustrated History of the British Empire.

Of his other achievements that can be noted: Coordinator and Presenter at the Cambridge University Workshop on the British Empire in March 1993, Research Director for the McNair Scholars Program, ASPIRE Program in 1996, and Liaison Professor for the University College Cork, Ireland in 1990.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who would have thought Aldo Leopold was such a cool guy?, September 6, 2000

By 

R.K. (Irvine, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Along the River: A Brief History of the US Environmental Movement (Paperback)

Very well-written and easy to understand. I read this book as an assignment for my 11th grade Environmental Science class. It opened my eyes. This book has made me consider making environmental studies part of my career. Thank you, Mr. Kline.

2 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best academic book I've read so far, October 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: First Along the River: A Brief History of the U.S. Environmental Movement (Paperback)

This guy Kline is a genius. I never thought I'd actually be interested in a book about the US environmental movement but this blew me away. And I'm not just kissing up to this guy because he's my teacher. Oops, didn't mean to say that. Sorry Kline.