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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Delight to my Historical Senses, December 17, 1999
I have just finished reading Gale's book, and I say that with much sadness, because I have enjoyed it so much I didn't want it to finish. I work in the field of climate change, so I make to my business to keep up-to-date. Gale is certainly accurate. His historical approach is also quite delightful - if only other historians had such an easy touch. His story of how we came to use fossil fuels and how we came to understand their impact on our atmosphere is fascinating, rich, full of intriguing detail, and from my viewpoint, very well researched. There is nothing hysterical about this book - just honest, insightful, delightful reporting. I might just read it all over again !
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Such a great book, so little interest...Why?, August 28, 2000
A beautiful book full of understanding and love for the planet. Somehow I had a sense of dread going into this that what I would find would confirm many of the ideas in Al Gore's great "Earth in the Balance," and in fact they site many of the same research studies and conclusions. And the last chapter of the book details why it is so necessary for government to be responsive and take a leadership role in caring for what we have left of our great inheritance of land, air and water. I loved the fascinating history of our planetary environment from back in the 18th and 19th century when men were sure that the answer to bad air was simply building a taller smokestack, all the way to Kyoto, where the Oil companies, in tandem with Republican Congressonal majority maneuvers, tried to sabotage any efforts at cleaning up the environment, and largely succeeded. Now all we have left are the powerful forces of greed: Big Oil and Chemical money (read how they pandered scientists to join them against the Kyoto accords) against the fishes, the animals, the trees, and the health of humanity and our children and grandchildren. How can fish fight Big Oil company money and the politicians they control? I fear for our planet. We are on a slippery slope and big money--the attitude of "get yours and get out" may carry the day. "Nature never deceives us. It is always we who deceive ourselves." Rousseau
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9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Science as storytelling, August 11, 2002
This review is from: Greenhouse: The 200-Year Story of Global Warming (Paperback)
Gale Christianson has made the science of global warming and climate change accessible to the general public with his book "Greenhouse." He has a knack for bringing the quirky personalities of the many scientists involved in the discovery of the greenhouse effect to life. He helps the reader easily understand the significance of each scientist's contribution and makes their scientific inquiries read like a great mystery novel. Gale's synthesis of material is creative. He includes the story of the Anasazi of the American southwest, the Viking settlement in Greenland and others when discussing the impact changing climactic conditions have had on humans in the past. The author includes profiles of scientists who theorized and then later documented the greenhouse effect (such as Svante Arrhenius) as well as the entrepreneurs whose inventions have contributed significantly to the problem (such as Ford). The author addresses the issue of why the earth experienced a slight cooling trend from the 1940s to the early 1970s, prior to the more recent period of steadily rising temperatures: the period in question witnessed twice the normal amount of volcanic activity, which helped block sunlight from reaching the earth. The evidence cited by the author strongly suggests that the earth is warming due to human activity. Yet, Christianson inexplicably accords the well-known greenhouse skeptic Fred Singer's criticisms of greenhouse theory more respect than this coal and oil industry-funded mouthpiece deserves. If the author did this in order to appear objective, he did so at the cost of confusing corporate propaganda with real science. In fact, my criticism of the book is that it contains precious little analysis. Christianson is a gifted storyteller, and no doubt many will enjoy his entertaining narrative. But the reader who seeks insight and understanding into why our society privileges technology at the expense of nature will need to look elsewhere. Still, I think Christianson has succeeded in his mission of writing a great book for the general interest science reader. It should help further the cause of making the science of global warming an increasingly popular topic of conversation in our society.
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