Let the Mountains Talk, Let the Rivers Run: A Call to Those Who Would Save the Earth (New Society Classics) [Paperback]

David Brower (Author), Steve Chapple (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2000 | Series: New Society Classics

This is the testament of one of the few authentic sages of our time. Brower's voice is passionate, perfectly cadenced, humorous, and very wise. And original: while most writers point to where we are, this one draws the map.?Edward O. Wilson, author, The Diversity of Life and Naturalist

Credited with galvanizing an entire generation of environmentalists in the 60's, David Brower, the highly respected "archdruid" of the modern environmental movement, recalls with wit and wisdom his 50 years of controversial activism and offers an inspired strategy for the next generation of "those who would save the Earth."

In this intelligent and engaging chronicle of his years as an agitatator for the planet, Brower points out the irony that since the first Earth Day 25 years ago, we've lost one-seventh of the world's productive land to pollution, clearcutting, and pavement-and our population has doubled! From the politics of preserving the environment and how to use New York-style PR to save tigers and dolphins, to reengineering cities, the future of hypercars, and his vision for the Earth Corps, Brower takes us on a sweeping journey of what has been and what could be if we apply CPR (Conservation, Preservation, Restoration) to our wounded world. Printed on entirely tree-free kenaf paper, Let the Mountains Talk, Let the Rivers Run follows its own prescription for saving the world's forests.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CPR for the Earth: An Invitation

PART I: OPPORTUNITIES

1. Seeing and Remembering

2. Climbing Mountains

3. The Bristlecone Pine

4. Visions of a Wild Century

PART II: SOLUTIONS

5. Havens

6. Cities with Boundaries

7. Eco-Preserves

8. Forest Revolution

9. More Monks

10. Hypercars

PART III: RESTORATION

11. A World Restored

12. Making a Difference

13. The CPR Service

14. What will it Cost?

15. The Cure for What Ails Us

PART IV: WILDNESS

16. Where the Wilderness Is

17. Listening to Mountains

18. Rachel Carson's Pelicans

19. Neat Tricks

PART V: SAVING THE EARTH

20. The Third Planet: Operating Instructions

21. Unwise Misuse

22. Rule Number 6 Revisited

23. Let Heaven and Nature Sing

24. For Those Who Would Save the Earth

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

David Brower, elder statesman of the ecology movement, reflects on his half-century of controversial environmental activism as former Sierra Club executive director and founder of Friends of the Earth and Earth Island Institute. Sparing no sacred cows - himself least of all - Brower outlines his plan to save our planet. Recalling past glories and stinging defeats - Glen Canyon Dam chief among them - Brower outlines his modest yet thoroughly plausible plan to rescue Mother Earth for the next generation. An intellectually moving and emotionally stirring book, Brower challenges readers to change their ways because, as he says, it's not too late to administer CPR for an ailing planet if we all work together to win the crucial battles for the Earth. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

At 82, the "Archdruid" looks back on a half-century of environmental activism and offers his plan for the future. Brower advocates CPR for the earth?conservation, preservation, restoration. Writing with Chapple (Kayaking the Full Moon), Brower (For Earth's Sake) reflects on past errors and successes. He recalls his years as head of the Sierra Club and its battle to save the Grand Canyon. One chapter, Forest Revolution, describes alternatives to wood for papermaking and building materials (it is fitting that this book is printed on tree-free paper; it is made from kenaf, a variety of hibiscus). Another chapter is a reprint of a piece written to celebrate Earth Day 20 years ago? "The Third Planet; Operating Instructions." A charming memoir. 50,000 first printing; author tour.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: New Society Publishers; 2nd edition (April 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865714118
• ISBN-13: 978-0865714113
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,438,595 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, May 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Let the Mountains Talk, Let the Rivers Run: A Call to Those Who Would Save the Earth (Paperback)

Although this is somewhat irrelevant to the book itself, I'm amazed that David Brower was able to write such an articulate, evocative ecological eye-opener at the age of 82...which is not to say I applied a lower set of standards to the judging of "Let the Mountains Talk, Let the Rivers run". Such a bias wouldn't be necessary for the book to be praised and revered by all environmentally-conscious readers who happen upon it; in this, the era of unfettered desecration and destruction of the Earth, the former president of the Sierra Club provides a much needed argument on behalf of all those who enjoy nature and, also, all those who merely want their descendants to be able to breathe . In the gentlemanly prose he maintains throughout the book, Brower explains the necessity of wildlife preservation, what the restoration of the planet would entail, and the political factors involved in the environmentalist movement; he recounts pass successes of the Sierra Club and other environmental groups, encounters with prominent individuals such as FDR and John Muir, and, when he was a boy, describing the beauty of the pristine bay area locale he grew up in to his blind mother. Aside from issuing an eloquent "call to arms to those who would save the Earth", Brower also seems to attempt to convert those who have not yet recognized how nature can enrich their lives tenfold; from dramatic descriptions of his mountaineering exploits to waxing poetic about

the simple enjoyment one derives from observing creatures in the wild, he tries valiantly to convey the euphoria one attains from cherishing and truly experiencing the wonders of the Earth to the unenlightened. All in all, a fantastic book that ranks as one of my all-time non-fiction favorites, and required reading for all the indolent armchair environmentalists like myself who desperately need a motivational boost to start working at saving the planet.

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent read, December 14, 2008

By 

ceilthegreat - See all my reviews

This review is from: Let the Mountains Talk, Let the Rivers Run: A Call to Those Who Would Save the Earth (New Society Classics) (Paperback)

This is the book to read for all environmentalists and would-be environmentalists. It is easy to read, with interesting and innovative solutions to our environmental problems. Brower interests me because of his unwillingness to compromise on environmental issues. He was one of the first (if not THE first) true environmentalists and his ideas are as valid today as they were fifty years ago. I started the book one evening and stayed up to finish it. If you care about the environment, this is the book to read. Other books of interest: Not Man Apart Photographs of the Big Sur Coast, The Place No One Knew - Glen Canyon on the Colorado, Ansel Adams: 400 Photographs

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Minor Fault--Attention Publisher, November 27, 2000

By 

W. Watson (Nevada City, CA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Let the Mountains Talk, Let the Rivers Run: A Call to Those Who Would Save the Earth (New Society Classics) (Paperback)

I'm about 180 pages through the book and have been marking it up extensively for future reference. Brower does an excellent job of summarizing a lot of current and older but useful thinking on environmentalism. Each time I go back to my reading, I keep wanting to refer to earlier passages, so I look for an index. In fact that's why I'm writing this brief review. I hope that the publisher sees it and actually produces one for a future edition or printing. It would be very helpful, since I'm sure I'll want to come back to the book.

Over the last several months, I've hit upon the topic of saving the earth from another author, Daniel Quinn, the author of Ishmael. The goal is the same, but Quinn offers an alternative way of thinking that I find quite interesting. I'd like to ask both Brower and Quinn what they think of one anothers approaches, but, of course, that is now impossible in the case of Brower. If anyone knows whether they have ever met or read about one another, I'd be interested in knowing their reactions to the other's work. Since Quinn's approach is not an environmentalist's approach, I doubt that they have knowledge of one another. However, Quinn is pretty savy on all aspects of saving the earth.

I don't know if I specified it was OK to show my e-mail address, but here it is if someone wants to respond: [e-mail].