Named a Notable Book for 2005 by the American Library Association, One with Nineveh is a fresh synthesis of the major issues of our time, now brought up to date with an afterword for the paperback edition. Through lucid explanations, telling anecdotes, and incisive analysis, the book spotlights the three elephants in our global living room-rising consumption, still-growing world population, and unchecked political and economic inequity-that together are increasingly shaping today's politics and humankind's future. One with Nineveh brilliantly puts today's political and environmental debates in a larger context and offers some bold proposals for improving our future prospect.
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
The Ehrlichs' provocative and eminently readable look at current environmental trends takes its title from Rudyard Kipling's poem "Recessional," which contrasts the pomp of the 19th-century British empire to the faded glory of Nineveh, the ancient capital of the Assyrian empire. The Ehrlichs (Betrayal of Science and Reason), both members of Stanford's department of biological sciences, look at the global problems of overpopulation, overconsumption, and political and economic inequity that threaten to make the world into a new fallen Nineveh. Each of the book's nine chapters analyzes one area in detail (using current research in ecology, demographics, migration, economics, biodiversity, ethics, climate, politics and globalization) and then suggests measures "that might allow humanity in general, and the world's sole remaining superpower in particular, to alter course and work towards achieving a sustainable world." The prognosis is sometimes depressing: about three-fifths of all important oceanic fish stock has been seriously depleted since 1994; today's global population of six billion is about three times what Ehrlich considers to be the "optimal" number for the world; profligate consumption threatens to use up nonrenewable natural resources such as oil while governments inhibit the development of renewable sources such as solar power. The current Bush administration is the target of cogent criticism about how it has aided a culture "dominated by short-term greed," but Europe and various Third World countries receive their share of criticism as well. A concluding section embraces the philosophy of Martin Luther King Jr. to argue that idealism and individual action can still save the world from massive environmental disaster. Although wide-reaching in range, this is a direct and levelheaded presentation that should get, and deserves, wide readership.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Booklist
It's a simple enough equation: an escalating human population places ultimately unsustainable demands on the natural resources necessary for survival. Take the people of Nineveh, the capital of the ancient Assyrian Empire, for example, as the Ehrlichs suggest, a culture that seems to have eradicated itself through conspicuous consumption and raging hubris, dangerous habits we now practice globally. For years the Ehrlichs, equally respected and reviled, have been writing carefully documented and strikingly commonsensical books about potentially catastrophic environmental changes and the complex social, political, and economic circumstances that mask their full significance. Here they discuss the grave consequences of our precipitous spending of "natural capital" (farmlands, freshwater, forests) and instigation of "resource wars" (their coverage of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq is most clarifying), the disproportionate power of corporations, the immense divide between "superconsumers" and the impoverished, and the urgent need for new systems of energy production. It's all nearly overwhelming, but the Ehrlichs manage to be both meticulous and witty as they suggest reforms and remind us that ours is an astoundingly adaptive species capable of making radical change once we're motivated. So they're doing their best to bestir us. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
53 of 54 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Most of us have a mixture of values that come from both sides of the fence. The concept of being a liberal or conservative lies largely in our imaginations. We cannot help but to identify with one side or the other mostly because it is human nature to form into self-righteous groups. You will notice a pattern if you look at the reviews on Amazon.com of this book and its antithesis "The Skeptical Environmentalist" by Bjorn Lomborg. Supporters write long, heart-felt reviews, denigrators write short, mean ones. In both cases, the short, mean reviews were written by people who have not actually read the book, but have sided with their given champions.
I have read both books. I recommend this one if you are willing to face unpleasant realities so that you can try to fix or prevent them (a typical bleeding heart liberal mindset). If you want to be told that everything is OK and always will be, then read the other book. I bought a copy of "One with Nineveh" a few weeks before it was officially released and had already read it by the time Ehrlich signed it for me while on a book tour in Seattle.
As the title suggests, localized, unsustainable over-consumption, (the phrase that is replacing the vague and unpopular term "overpopulation") has been plaguing us since the dawn of civilization. Nineveh, once a great city-state located in what is still called the Fertile Crescent, is now a pile of dirt located in the moonscape called Iraq. Human activity has turned the Fertile Crescent into a wasteland. A recent comparison of historical data and new images from NASA's Landsat satellites confirms that the Fertile Crescent is almost gone.
Lo and behold, when you look around the globe, from Mesoamerica to Asia, you will find thousands of examples of ecosystems that have been irreparably laid to waste by human activities. A good book to read on that topic is "Constant Battles-the myth of the peaceful, noble savage" by Steven LeBlanc. LeBlanc is an archaeologist who has seen first hand the evidence of local overpopulation and warfare in every ancient ruin he has studied.
At first, the title "One with Nineveh" did not sit well with me but after having read the book, I realize that it could not be more poignant as war continues to rage around Nineveh just as it always has.
Think of the Earth as a giant peach. One day, a small mold spot appears. Over time, another spot appears, then another. Eventually, the spots grow in size and number to consume the entire fruit. The point; overpopulation begins as a localized phenomenon, but given time, it becomes a global one.
The Ehrlichs point out that humanity is managing to stay housed and fed even in the face of our expanding population which is expected to increase an additional 50% in the next few decades. To me, the reason for this is obvious; exponential technology growth fueled by free enterprise has found ways to turn oil into food and housing. Personally, I believe that we will continue to make progress in feeding and housing ourselves at the expense of the other life forms on the planet right up until we run out of oil and maybe beyond if we find other sources of cheap energy.
The Ehrlichs recognize that the drive for prestige and its embodiment in status symbols is consuming the planet. The root of their solution is to reduce the consumptive patterns of wealthy people. I have a difficult time envisioning so many social changes being accepted when our country is split 49-51 in most presidential elections. Cut world consumption by 50%, increase our population 50%, and you have gotten nowhere. Status seeking appears to be part of our nature and there is no way to change that anymore than you can make us stop walking upright. Paul's own speaking engagements burn up a prodigious amount of aviation fuel and his books consume massive amounts of paper. The manufacture of which consumes a great deal of water, wood, and energy. If Dr. Ehrlich can rationalize that his own level of consumption is acceptable, how can he not expect the rest of humanity to do so? I suspect that he would be the first to admit this paradox (it is unlikely that I am the first to point it out).
The Ehrlichs want our governments to step in and force us to stop consuming so much, while at the same time, they acknowledge that communist economies don't work. It sounds contradictory to me. Telling people that they must limit their consumption is a dead end strategy. It goes against the grain of human nature. They won't do it.
The Ehrlichs also wisely realize the importance of limiting the concentration of power (wealth) by individuals, corporations, and other social institutions (a never ending situation in my opinion because such behavior is ingrained in our genes).
In conclusion, although the Ehrlichs have been unjustly vilified by some simply for warning us of the potential for an unpleasant future, the world truly owes them a debt of gratitude because those warnings have, to date, helped to keep that future from fully materializing. This book continues in that tradition.
Russ Finley, Author of "Poison Darts-Protecting the biodiversity of our world."
I have read both books. I recommend this one if you are willing to face unpleasant realities so that you can try to fix or prevent them (a typical bleeding heart liberal mindset). If you want to be told that everything is OK and always will be, then read the other book. I bought a copy of "One with Nineveh" a few weeks before it was officially released and had already read it by the time Ehrlich signed it for me while on a book tour in Seattle.
As the title suggests, localized, unsustainable over-consumption, (the phrase that is replacing the vague and unpopular term "overpopulation") has been plaguing us since the dawn of civilization. Nineveh, once a great city-state located in what is still called the Fertile Crescent, is now a pile of dirt located in the moonscape called Iraq. Human activity has turned the Fertile Crescent into a wasteland. A recent comparison of historical data and new images from NASA's Landsat satellites confirms that the Fertile Crescent is almost gone.
Lo and behold, when you look around the globe, from Mesoamerica to Asia, you will find thousands of examples of ecosystems that have been irreparably laid to waste by human activities. A good book to read on that topic is "Constant Battles-the myth of the peaceful, noble savage" by Steven LeBlanc. LeBlanc is an archaeologist who has seen first hand the evidence of local overpopulation and warfare in every ancient ruin he has studied.
At first, the title "One with Nineveh" did not sit well with me but after having read the book, I realize that it could not be more poignant as war continues to rage around Nineveh just as it always has.
Think of the Earth as a giant peach. One day, a small mold spot appears. Over time, another spot appears, then another. Eventually, the spots grow in size and number to consume the entire fruit. The point; overpopulation begins as a localized phenomenon, but given time, it becomes a global one.
The Ehrlichs point out that humanity is managing to stay housed and fed even in the face of our expanding population which is expected to increase an additional 50% in the next few decades. To me, the reason for this is obvious; exponential technology growth fueled by free enterprise has found ways to turn oil into food and housing. Personally, I believe that we will continue to make progress in feeding and housing ourselves at the expense of the other life forms on the planet right up until we run out of oil and maybe beyond if we find other sources of cheap energy.
The Ehrlichs recognize that the drive for prestige and its embodiment in status symbols is consuming the planet. The root of their solution is to reduce the consumptive patterns of wealthy people. I have a difficult time envisioning so many social changes being accepted when our country is split 49-51 in most presidential elections. Cut world consumption by 50%, increase our population 50%, and you have gotten nowhere. Status seeking appears to be part of our nature and there is no way to change that anymore than you can make us stop walking upright. Paul's own speaking engagements burn up a prodigious amount of aviation fuel and his books consume massive amounts of paper. The manufacture of which consumes a great deal of water, wood, and energy. If Dr. Ehrlich can rationalize that his own level of consumption is acceptable, how can he not expect the rest of humanity to do so? I suspect that he would be the first to admit this paradox (it is unlikely that I am the first to point it out).
The Ehrlichs want our governments to step in and force us to stop consuming so much, while at the same time, they acknowledge that communist economies don't work. It sounds contradictory to me. Telling people that they must limit their consumption is a dead end strategy. It goes against the grain of human nature. They won't do it.
The Ehrlichs also wisely realize the importance of limiting the concentration of power (wealth) by individuals, corporations, and other social institutions (a never ending situation in my opinion because such behavior is ingrained in our genes).
In conclusion, although the Ehrlichs have been unjustly vilified by some simply for warning us of the potential for an unpleasant future, the world truly owes them a debt of gratitude because those warnings have, to date, helped to keep that future from fully materializing. This book continues in that tradition.
Russ Finley, Author of "Poison Darts-Protecting the biodiversity of our world."
39 of 43 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I'm a biologist, and I have long been aware of the basic problems that the Ehrlichs clearly summarize in "One with Nineveh". Nonetheless, I loved having the issues reviewed for me, bringing me up to date. I found the book compellingly written and full of interesting examples. I was grateful it made clear why we're fighting in Iraq (not the excuses our government has broadcast), and tied it our our patterns of overconsumption. And there was a lot that was new to me. For instance, the question of the reform of corporations has been one of my concerns, but I was not fully aware of the growing discussion of what can be done about it. The Ehrlichs not only summarize the arguments well, but also provide references that are now allowing me to pursue further my interest in what can be done to limit corporate misuse of power. Indeed, placing the environmental situation in a context of power abuse is the major service of the book. Scientists are aware of the deep trouble civilization is in, but the public and politicians are not. This is a book to buy, read, and recommend (or give) to friends and anyone running for public office. The stakes are high, and the Ehrlichs give us hope that even in these dismal times we may win through to a decent and stable society.
43 of 54 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I am not giving this book an unfavorable review because I'm some reactionary anti-environmentalist. In fact I am definitely an environmentalist, or better yet a widely-read conservationist. This book is the equivalent of a big Chinese food dinner - there's a lot of it, but it does little to satisfy your hunger. The book may be useful to students or others who are beginning to build their familiarity and interest in environmental issues. But if you are at all knowledgeable about the current state of such matters in any way, you will learn absolutely nothing new in this book.
Approximately the first half of the book is merely a summary of current conservationist knowledge and complaints from the Ehrlichs about their social problems of choice. All the villains are here, and they keep appearing again and again and again - SUVs, overpopulation, social inequality, rampant consumerism, economic imperialism (also known as free trade and globalization), and the extreme anti-green politics of the Bush administration. How these issues lead to environmental problems is good to know, of course, but if you're involved in any level of conservationism then you know this stuff already. This weakness of the book is illustrated by the fact that it is extremely well cited - there are several hundred works referenced and more than a thousand footnotes. However, this book is so widely researched that it becomes merely a giant summary of existing knowledge borrowed from other writers, with little new analysis or insight from the Ehrlichs.
Meanwhile, the second half of the book deteriorates into social criticism that continues to repeat complaints about the basic problems mentioned above, with a disconcertingly know-it-all and condescending stance against modern culture and technology. The attempted solutions of the last few chapters are little more than utopian ideals that would require vast changes to current economic and political structures, indicating a very thin understanding of those two theoretical areas. The final statement made by the Ehrlichs in this book is "idealism can be realism," but I beg to differ. That's just an excuse for an absence of concrete ideas. Once again, if you're starting to learn about the political stances of the conservation movement, this book is a passable summary of current knowledge and opinions. But if you're looking for new ideas or analysis, all you'll find are complaints and idealism. [~doomsdayer520~]
Approximately the first half of the book is merely a summary of current conservationist knowledge and complaints from the Ehrlichs about their social problems of choice. All the villains are here, and they keep appearing again and again and again - SUVs, overpopulation, social inequality, rampant consumerism, economic imperialism (also known as free trade and globalization), and the extreme anti-green politics of the Bush administration. How these issues lead to environmental problems is good to know, of course, but if you're involved in any level of conservationism then you know this stuff already. This weakness of the book is illustrated by the fact that it is extremely well cited - there are several hundred works referenced and more than a thousand footnotes. However, this book is so widely researched that it becomes merely a giant summary of existing knowledge borrowed from other writers, with little new analysis or insight from the Ehrlichs.
Meanwhile, the second half of the book deteriorates into social criticism that continues to repeat complaints about the basic problems mentioned above, with a disconcertingly know-it-all and condescending stance against modern culture and technology. The attempted solutions of the last few chapters are little more than utopian ideals that would require vast changes to current economic and political structures, indicating a very thin understanding of those two theoretical areas. The final statement made by the Ehrlichs in this book is "idealism can be realism," but I beg to differ. That's just an excuse for an absence of concrete ideas. Once again, if you're starting to learn about the political stances of the conservation movement, this book is a passable summary of current knowledge and opinions. But if you're looking for new ideas or analysis, all you'll find are complaints and idealism. [~doomsdayer520~]
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Paul Ralph Ehrlich is a small charlatan
I tried to read online this trash-book, last year, here in Brazil. This trash-book was writen by American charalatan Paul Ralph Ehrlich. Read more
Published on February 16, 2010 by Dalton C. Rocha
ZPG Lite
"One with Nineveh" by Paul and Anne Ehrlich is a book about the present and coming ecological crisis. Read more
Published on December 20, 2009 by Ashtar Command
Come Nineveh, Come Tyre; Come "Hell and High Water"
This is an outstandingly wide-ranging intro to every aspect of the subject. If that's what you seek, this is your book. Read more
Published on July 25, 2007 by HawleyEdit
We're In Deep Doo Doo
Wow. What a ride. This book had me on the edge of my seat. I can see why other reviewers might find fault in this grand overview of ecological,socio-economic and political problems... Read more
Published on July 8, 2006 by Tunnelpet
One With Nineveh:More Bad News and Nothing Concrete to do about It
One With Nineveh would be a good read for someone who hasn't heard about global warming or other problems encompassing the planet. The first chapter was interesting... Read more
Published on March 31, 2006 by M. J. Sloan
An expert summarizes a critical subject in a humane manner
Paul Ehrlich has had more than 40 years of experience researching and writing about the environment. Read more
Published on December 11, 2005 by just_another_bibliophile
No new information
This book offers nothing to someone remotely familiar with environmental issues. It might be a mediocre read for a beginner, but if you're already familiar with overpopulation,... Read more
Published on May 29, 2005 by Jen Carr
Learning the past for the future
This is a wonderful book! Paul and Anne Ehrlich did it again! Everyone cares about the fate of human beings and our future generations should read it and take actions suggested by... Read more
Published on September 26, 2004 by earth-caretaker
A focus on politics and the human future
Continued population growth, expansion of consumption patterns, and maldistribution of power are in the way of a sustainable society: that's the ongoing argument of One With... Read more
Published on September 8, 2004 by Midwest Book Review
They've Been Right up to Now, and They're Still Right
If you haven't read many (or, perhaps, any) of the Ehrlichs' books since they began writing in the '60's, you must read this one. Read more
Published on August 21, 2004 by George Burtness
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First Sentence:
IS HUMANITY REALLY on a collision course with the natural world, which supports us all? Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
replacement reproduction, family planning assistance, capita energy use, perverse subsidies, natural capital, ecosystem services Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
United States, United Nations, World War, North America, Costa Rica, New York, Soviet Union, Middle East, Saharan Africa, Mexico City, White House, World Bank, Adam Smith, New Guinea, Gulf of Mexico, Kyoto Protocol, Robert Frank, Saudi Arabia, Southeast Asia, Supreme Court, Environmental Protection Agency, Gretchen Daily, Harry Recher, Hong Kong, Kenneth Boulding New!
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!
IS HUMANITY REALLY on a collision course with the natural world, which supports us all? Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
replacement reproduction, family planning assistance, capita energy use, perverse subsidies, natural capital, ecosystem services Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
United States, United Nations, World War, North America, Costa Rica, New York, Soviet Union, Middle East, Saharan Africa, Mexico City, White House, World Bank, Adam Smith, New Guinea, Gulf of Mexico, Kyoto Protocol, Robert Frank, Saudi Arabia, Southeast Asia, Supreme Court, Environmental Protection Agency, Gretchen Daily, Harry Recher, Hong Kong, Kenneth Boulding New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 100
books:
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12
books
cite this book:
See all 12 books citing this book
- Climate Change Policy: A Survey by Stephen H. Schneider on 4 pages
- State of the World 2003 by The Worldwatch Institute in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- A Plague of Rats and Rubbervines: The Growing Threat of Species Invasions (Scope Series - Scientific Committee on Pro) by Yvonne Baskin on page 56, and Back Matter
- Healing the Planet by Paul R. Ehrlich in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Silent Spring by Rachel Carson on page 46, and Back Matter
See all 100 books this book cites
- The New Consumers: The Influence Of Affluence On The Environment by Norman Myers in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- Notes from a Dying Planet, 2004-2006: One Scientist's Search for Solutions by Paul Brown on page 148, and Back Matter
- The New Atlas of Planet Management: Revised Edition by Norman Myers in Back Matter
- Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond in Back Matter
- The World Almanac for Booklovers by Edward A. Thomas on page 56
See all 12 books citing this book
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