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The Fate of the Earth and The Abolition (Stanford Nuclear Age Series) 1st Edition

by Jonathan Schell (Author)

4.3 41 ratings

Part of: Stanford Nuclear Age Series (22 books)

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Now combined in one volume, these two books helped focus national attention in the early 1980s on the movement for a nuclear freeze. The Fate of the Earth painted a chilling picture of the planet in the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust, while The Abolition offered a proposal for full-scale nuclear disarmament. With the recent tensions in India and Pakistan, and concerns about nuclear proliferation around the globe, public attention is once again focused on the worldwide nuclear situation. The author is at the forefront of the discussion. In February 1998, his lengthy essay constituted the centerpiece of a special, widely distributed issue of The Nation dealing with the nuclear arms race. The relevance of his two books for today's debates is undeniable, as many experts assert that the nuclear situation is more dangerous than ever. Reviews of The Fate of the Earth "This is a work of enormous force. There are moments when it seems to hurtle almost out of control, across an extraordinary range of fact and thought. But in the end, it accomplishes what no other work has managed to do in the years of the nuclear age. It compels us—and compel is the right word—to confront head on the nuclear peril." —New York Times Book Review "There have been thousands of commentaries on what this new destructive power of man means; but my guess is that Schell's book . . . will become the classic statement of the emerging consciousness." —Max Lerner, New Republic Reviews of The Abolition "As always, Schell is interesting and ingenious, eloquent and sometimes moving. He presents his case with clarity, and with candor about its possible shortcomings." —New Republic "A reasoned argument. . . . As this work will do much to stimulate the ongoing nuclear debate, it is highly recommended." —Library Journal

ISBN-10

0804737029
ISBN-13

978-0804737029
Edition

1st
Publication date

May 1, 2000
Part of series

Stanford Nuclear Age Series
Language

English
Dimensions

5.5 x 1.18 x 8.5 inches
Print length

470 pages
See all details

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is a work of enormous force. . . . It compels us―and compel is the right word―to confront head-on the nuclear peril."―New York Times Book Review

"As always, Schell is interesting and ingenious and sometimes moving."―New Republic

From the Inside Flap

Now combined in one volume, these two books helped focus national attention in the early 1980s on the movement for a nuclear freeze. The Fate of the Earth painted a chilling picture of the planet in the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust, while The Abolition offered a proposal for full-scale nuclear disarmament. With the recent tensions in India and Pakistan, and concerns about nuclear proliferation around the globe, public attention is once again focused on the worldwide nuclear situation. The author is at the forefront of the discussion. In February 1998, his lengthy essay constituted the centerpiece of a special, widely distributed issue of The Nation dealing with the nuclear arms race. The relevance of his two books for today’s debates is undeniable, as many experts assert that the nuclear situation is more dangerous than ever.
Reviews of The Fate of the Earth
“This is a work of enormous force. There are moments when it seems to hurtle almost out of control, across an extraordinary range of fact and thought. But in the end, it accomplishes what no other work has managed to do in the years of the nuclear age. It compels us—and compel is the right word—to confront head on the nuclear peril.”
—New York Times Book Review
“There have been thousands of commentaries on what this new destructive power of man means; but my guess is that Schell’s book . . . will become the classic statement of the emerging consciousness.”
—Max Lerner, New Republic
Reviews of The Abolition
“As always, Schell is interesting and ingenious, eloquent and sometimes moving. He presents his case with clarity, and with candor about its possible shortcomings.”
—New Republic
“A reasoned argument. . . . As this work will do much to stimulate the ongoing nuclear debate, it is highly recommended.”
—Library Journal

From the Back Cover

Now combined in one volume, these two books helped focus national attention in the early 1980s on the movement for a nuclear freeze. The Fate of the Earth painted a chilling picture of the planet in the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust, while The Abolition offered a proposal for full-scale nuclear disarmament. With the recent tensions in India and Pakistan, and concerns about nuclear proliferation around the globe, public attention is once again focused on the worldwide nuclear situation. The author is at the forefront of the discussion. In February 1998, his lengthy essay constituted the centerpiece of a special, widely distributed issue of The Nation dealing with the nuclear arms race. The relevance of his two books for today’s debates is undeniable, as many experts assert that the nuclear situation is more dangerous than ever.
Reviews of The Fate of the Earth
“This is a work of enormous force. There are moments when it seems to hurtle almost out of control, across an extraordinary range of fact and thought. But in the end, it accomplishes what no other work has managed to do in the years of the nuclear age. It compels us—and compel is the right word—to confront head on the nuclear peril.”
—New York Times Book Review
“There have been thousands of commentaries on what this new destructive power of man means; but my guess is that Schell’s book . . . will become the classic statement of the emerging consciousness.”
—Max Lerner, New Republic
Reviews of The Abolition
“As always, Schell is interesting and ingenious, eloquent and sometimes moving. He presents his case with clarity, and with candor about its possible shortcomings.”
—New Republic
“A reasoned argument. . . . As this work will do much to stimulate the ongoing nuclear debate, it is highly recommended.”
—Library Journal

About the Author

Jonathan Schell is a writer and anti-nuclear activist. He is the author of several books, including The Gift of Time.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Stanford University Press; 1st edition (May 1, 2000)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 470 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0804737029
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0804737029
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.23 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.18 x 8.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,017,430 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #510 in Nuclear Weapons & Warfare History (Books)
- #1,209 in National & International Security (Books)
- #1,992 in Military Strategy History (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.3 41 ratings

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4.3 out of 5

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Machiavelli's Revenge

Frightening and unimaginable, but appropriate for this moment in time

Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2016

Verified Purchase

Just received this book the other day and have read about 70 pages It is excellent

I shutter to think that the Imbecile Trump will assume control over 50,000 plus thermonuclear weapons on January, 20 2017 This is a book every American should read, especially 47,000,000 stumps who.voted for him.

I pray we are all still alive by July 4th 2017, and incinerated by a nuclear holocaust because of the diplomatic missteps of this blustering, bungling idiot

BTW, the author notes that a single 1 megaton hydrogen bomb is 80 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on
Hiroshima, Japan August 6 1945. Also, Russian missiles can deliver mutable warheads in one payload which means that New York City could be struck by several 1 megaton hydrogen bombs in a first strike attack. The aftermath according to Schell would be a scenario whose horror and destruction goes beyond human imagination.

10 people found this helpful

Helpful

Jim F

Source document

Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2014

Verified Purchase

This weighty and closely reasoned book is considered to have changed history.

If you are interested in understanding how the humans manage to avoid blowing themselves up (so far) this is an important source document.

The NYT said in 1982 that is should be reviewed as an "event of profound historical moment rather than as a book".

If you are interested in how history can be changed by a book read this.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

John Desmond

Written with a definite agenda but still worth reading

Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2013

Verified Purchase

The author is clearly a fanatic on nuclear disarmament (and the idea that the arms race was always mostly our fault). That said, there is still a good deal of solid scientific information here on the nature of nuclear weapons. One has to take some of the author's projections with a grain of salt later on as he tends to go beyond the facts to scare the reader, however.

Helpful

George

Stuff we need to know but a slog to read

Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2022

Verified Purchase

I first read the Fate of the Earth as installments in the New Yorker years ago. I remember it as much as anything I ever read. Those installments have been combined into the first part of this book. It describes what would happen during and after a nuclear war. The destruction that would happen during a nuclear war is fairly well known and is horrific. The aftermath is more speculative but no less horrific. The book clearly spells out the risk of a nuclear war causing an extinction event comparable to the asteroid impact that killed the dinosaurs and 75% of all species 66 million years ago.

Unfortunately, reading it is a slog--hence the deduction of one star--but not because of the horrors it describes. It is filled with elegantly written statements that are both true and meaningless and add nothing. A good example is a quote in another review about how we can only imagine how future generations would feel if they never exist because mankind is exterminated in nuclear war and its aftermath. Schell encourages thinking deeply about our moral obligation to future generations as a way to eventually disarm. He is certainly correct about our moral obligation, but it is unlikely the world will disarm because of it. Such statements are repeated many times. So are constant repeated qualifications that predicting the aftermath is uncertain for lack of experience and the many variables such as how many bombs are detonated. It would work fine to say that once then say here is what could happen.

The book offers no realistic solution to this existential threat, probably because there is no solution other than a mere hope it will never happen. As long as another nation has nuclear weapons we must have them too as a deterrent.

But in the end, the description of a nuclear holocaust has helped reduce the inclination to consider "limited nuclear war" a survivable and workable option. Ronald Reagan changed his views dramatically after watching a TV show depicting a post nuclear world. The descriptions in this book should be read by everyone. Knowing in detail what nuclear holocaust means may be the best thing we can do to avoid it ever happening.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Renzo Strada

Hasn't aged a day

Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2013

Verified Purchase

I first heard about this book in a 1986 quote, but was never able to actually read it. The author's thoughts and arguments are still absolutely valid, as humankind is capable of turning the planet into a "republic of insects and grass" as much today than when originaly published. Read it: it's worth it.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Douglas Ashby

This is an old work but, in my opinion ...

Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2016

Verified Purchase

This is an old work but, in my opinion, timeless in providing a uniquely comprehensive perspective with regard to the consequences of nuclear holocaust. In particular, a decision to annihilate ourselves is equally a decision to annihilate future generations.

3 people found this helpful

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