Over: The American Landscape at the Tipping Point [Hardcover]

Alex MacLean (Author), Bill McKibben (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2008

For more than 30 years, Alex MacLean’s aerial photographs have captured the evolution of the American landscape and the complex relationship between its natural and constructed environments that contribute to climate change. Over: The American Landscape at the Tipping Point is an ambitious and visually breathtaking catalogue of the extraordinary patterns and profound physical consequences brought about by natural processes and human intervention.

 

 

The book allows readers to visualize climate change and our culture's excessive use of resources and energy, which account for our oversized carbon footprint. It demonstrates the extent to which the human ecosystem, and our economic and social well being, are dependant upon our wise use of land and its resources. Over is divided into sections covering such as Atmosphere; Way of Life; Automobile Dependency; Electricity Generation; Deserts; Water Use; Sea-Level Rise; Waste and Recycling; and Urbanism. MacLean’s powerful photographs and insightful text make it clear that maintenance of the current American lifestyle is incompatible with a planet of diminishing natural resources and a finite atmosphere. Over compels us all to reconsider our basic assumptions about how we live, work, and play, and reveals that, while the challenges we face today are not insurmountable, the future depends on our collective vision, passion, and commitment.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alex MacLean is a photographer, pilot, and the co-author of seven books. He is the recipient of many grants and awards, including the American Academy of Rome Prix de Rome. He lives in Massachusetts. Bill McKibben is an environmentalist and the author of The End of Nature and Deep Economy. He lives in Vermont.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Abrams; 1 edition (October 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810971453
• ISBN-13: 978-0810971455
• Product Dimensions: 13.1 x 9.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #766,659 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The hand of man -- just picture it, October 19, 2008

By 

Robin Benson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Over: The American Landscape at the Tipping Point (Hardcover)

If you have MacLean's previous book: 'Designs on the land' you'll enjoy this latest collection of looking down on the landscape. Though the book doesn't have as many photos as 'Designs' it does have the advantage of presenting them in a much larger format.

Each of the nine chapters (Atmosphere, Way of life, Automobile dependency, Electricity generation, Deserts, Water use, Sea-level rise, Waste and recycling and lastly Urbanism) starts on a spread with a short essay by MacLean and a US map showing the photo locations.

Many of the photos focus on the southwest states because it is here that the greatest population migration is taking place, land aplenty and cheap but unfortunately the whole area has a declining water table because of demand and made even more problematical with agriculture using nearly two thirds of what is available. There are some great photos showing communities in the desert stretching off into the distance, who's going to build apartment blocks when there is plenty of land for individual houses? This sprawl, of course, means that energy, water systems and roads are a drain on local government finances and everyone has to have a car.

As in all his books MacLean presents the perfect image, pin-sharp and full of detail but with Over there is more because the book is beautifully designed and printed (with a 175 screen) on quality paper. I was particularly impressed with the binding, at least half of the photos are two pages wide (almost eighteen inches) and they all line up across the gutter.

'Over' is one of those books you can open at any page and be grabbed by what you see. The look of the land was never more seductive.

***SEE SOME INSIDE PAGES by clicking 'customer images' under the cover.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Over: The American Landscape at the Tipping Point, November 22, 2009

By 

Isabelle Jolly (El Segundo, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Over: The American Landscape at the Tipping Point (Hardcover)

I had checked this book out from the library, and liked it so much that I bought it, and also bought a copy for a favorite aunt! It vividly shows what's happening to the country from pictures taken from above. The accompanying text is precise, and the pictures are great.

Very highly recommend it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Powerful!, January 7, 2011

By 

grapest - See all my reviews

This review is from: Over: The American Landscape at the Tipping Point (Hardcover)

Captivating visuals that make us understand what we are doing to our planet in a new way that is impossible to ignore.