This magnificent history of the desert relates the human consequences of its relentless expansion. As a result of the past several thousand years, the Great Desert now stretches in almost unbroken continuity from Mauritania's Atlantic seaboard through the Middle East and Central Asia to the Great Wall of China. The author seeks to understand how the great civilizations in the original "green lands" of North Africa, Ancient Egypt, the Middle East, South Asia, and China responded and changed under the pressure of invaders fleeing growing environmental degradation in the surrounding deserts. In fascinating detail, Brian Griffith's cultural history of the deserts of Africa and Asia shows how the expanding wasteland fundamentally reshaped people's images of nature, women, politics, and religion.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
... thought-provoking read for all with an interest in cultural history, or the underlying causes of drought, famine, and violence. -- New Agriculturalist, United Kingdom
A fascinating book, filled with insight and depth. -- Edges Magazine, Canada
The book is a fascinating read, and covers a vast sweep of time and space. -- Ecologist, United Kingdom
This book inspires hope. ... Griffith's stories have a direct implication for our times. ... Worth reading. -- Catchwater, Centre for Science and Ecology, New Delhi
A fascinating book, filled with insight and depth. -- Edges Magazine, Canada
The book is a fascinating read, and covers a vast sweep of time and space. -- Ecologist, United Kingdom
This book inspires hope. ... Griffith's stories have a direct implication for our times. ... Worth reading. -- Catchwater, Centre for Science and Ecology, New Delhi
From the Inside Flap
Over the past 7,000 years, a desert slowly spread through the center of the Old World. Our ancestors watched as patches of desolation appeared in the landscape like holes in worn-out cloth. The affected regions had been deserts before in previous arid ages. But now human civilizations were on hand to witness and participate in the desiccation. Eventually the "true deserts" came to resemble the moon, or the sandstorm plains of Mars. Where the web of life is stripped to the bone, this is how it looks.
According to many desert peoples' beliefs, their ancestors were cast out from a garden of paradise, as a punishment for their sins. Since that time they struggled or wandered in a kind of exile. Their true home, if they ever found it in a promised land or another world, would resemble the gardens of their dreams.
Over vast regions of the earth people have already lived in a wasteland for hundreds of years. Our history is a series of collisions, as wave after wave of migrants from the lands of scarcity invaded China, India, Africa and Europe. In a panoramic view we can trace the impact of environmental decline on women, politics, economics, and religion. We can also discern what is working to heal the world.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating combination of ecology, sociology and history,
By
This review is from: The Gardens of Their Dreams: Desertification and Culture in World History (Paperback)
I admit that when I first came across this book I wasn't quite sure about the significance of the subject matter, or, indeed, if Id'be interested. It was my pleasure to discover, however, an entirely new approach to explain social and espcieally environmnetal degradation. The author interestingly shows how women are the first to suffer from environmental degradation. He uses the examples of lands facing - or that have faced - important desertification processes to show how a liberal society where men and women share more or less equal status can shift to favor the dominance of males. Students of ancient Egypt will be very interested to know there is a chapter on how desertification affected socio-cultural processes (and stagnation) in Egypt. There are chapters on China, North Africa and Europe some also touch on the effects that desertification has on racism and the strengthening of racial identities - namely aryan. It may all look imprpbable in thsi brief description that does little justice to the volume; however, it is surprising to find that there is a logical and sensical approach that allows for a very interesting,timely and satisfying read.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A very useful, positive and meaningful book,
By Frances Cruz "a seeker of truth" (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Gardens of Their Dreams: Desertification and Culture in World History (Paperback)
This book covers over 10,000 years of social, economic and environmental changes. It shows how our destruction of nature has changed society over time. The stories it tells are powerful and well written. I think it's a great book for anybody who really likes history and wants a peaceful and healthy environment in the future.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Water's role in World History is amazing !,
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This review is from: The Gardens of Their Dreams: Desertification and Culture in World History (Paperback)
This book is eye opening as to the role of wate in shaping cultures throughout the time of recorded history. The interactions between the types of societies, the role of women, and future planning makes amazing logical sense. We are running out of time as water becomes scarcer and deserts become more pre-imminent. This scholarly work should be a classic but will more than likely languish on shelves.
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