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Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life Paperback – July 10, 2018
| David R. Montgomery (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
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Finalist for the PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award
"A call to action that underscores a common goal: to change the world from the ground up." ―Dan Barber, author of The Third Plate
For centuries, agricultural practices have eroded the soil that farming depends on, stripping it of the organic matter vital to its productivity. Now conventional agriculture is threatening disaster for the world’s growing population. In Growing a Revolution, geologist David R. Montgomery travels the world, meeting farmers at the forefront of an agricultural movement to restore soil health. From Kansas to Ghana, he sees why adopting the three tenets of conservation agriculture―ditching the plow, planting cover crops, and growing a diversity of crops―is the solution. When farmers restore fertility to the land, this helps feed the world, cool the planet, reduce pollution, and return profitability to family farms.
- Print length320 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherW. W. Norton & Company
- Publication dateJuly 10, 2018
- Dimensions5.5 x 0.8 x 8.3 inches
- ISBN-100393356094
- ISBN-13978-0393356090
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| Dirt | The Hidden Half of Nature | Growing a Revolution | What Your Food Ate | |
| Also by David R. Montgomery and Anne Biklé | An engaging natural and cultural history of soil that sweeps from ancient civilizations to modern times, Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations explores the compelling idea that we are―and have long been―using up Earth's soil. | The Hidden Half of Nature reveals why good health―for people and for plants―depends on Earth’s smallest creatures. | In Growing a Revolution, geologist David R. Montgomery travels the world, meeting farmers at the forefront of an agricultural movement to restore soil health. | What Your Food Ate is a must-read for farmers, eaters, chefs, doctors, and anyone concerned with reversing the modern epidemic of chronic diseases and mitigating climate change. |
Editorial Reviews
Review
― Paul Hawken, author of Drawdown and The Ecology of Commerce
"The insights gleaned add nuance to [Montgomery’s] pointed critiques of agrotechnology and organic farming, but it’s the findings on rapid soil restoration that compel."
― Nature
"In his reader-friendly style, Montgomery describes the environmental crossroads at which we stand, and shows us not only the devastation, but the potential solution, that exists right beneath our feet."
― Hope Jahren, author of Lab Girl
"In the past couple of years, an awful lot of smart people have started talking very seriously about the state of the planet’s soil. If you want to understand what’s at stake, and learn about the exciting possibilities, this book is a fine starting point."
― Bill McKibben, author of Falter
"A wonderful read on how to make soil rich and prosperous!"
― Estella B. Leopold, author of Stories from the Leopold Shack: Sand County Revisited
"This is a such an important book…thanks to those who told me to read it…Everyone interested in what we should eat and how we should farm should read it."
― James Rebanks, author of The Shepherd's Life
"Brilliant, well researched, eloquent, and deeply hopeful."
― Denis Hayes, founder of Earth Day
"Montgomery has the rare talent of making complex scientific topics not only understandable but truly fascinating. Growing a Revolution is both exceptionally enlightening and tremendously enjoyable. Highly recommended reading."
― Nicolette Hahn Niman, author of Defending Beef and Righteous Porkchop
"Being a long time ‘doom bat’ regarding the fate of the natural world, Growing a Revolution gave me hope that there is a real possibility of revolutionizing agriculture with the result of growing more food, employing people, and putting carbon back into the ground."
― Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia
"Montgomery has written another classic. Growing a Revolution is one of the most important books ever written―an engaging and revealing service to human society and our planet."
― Amir Kassam, professor of agriculture, policy and development, University of Reading, UK
"Growing a Revolution presents a clear-eyed examination of a solution to the challenges we face in feeding the world. A joy to read with the bounce and flow of a great biography. I couldn’t recommend it more."
― Jerry Harrison, keyboardist and guitarist, Talking Heads
"From Plato to FDR, from George Washington to Gabe Brown, Montgomery shows how all roads lead to the soil―and the potential it holds to redress some of our greatest challenges in the twenty-first century."
― Woody Tasch, founder of Slow Money and author of Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money: Investing As If Food, Farms, and Fertility Mattered
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company; Reprint edition (July 10, 2018)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 320 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0393356094
- ISBN-13 : 978-0393356090
- Item Weight : 8.9 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.3 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #129,812 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #21 in Soil Science (Books)
- #192 in Ecology (Books)
- #1,150 in Engineering (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

David R. Montgomery studied geology at Stanford University before earning his Ph.D. in geomorphology at UC Berkeley. He teaches at the University of Washington where he studies the evolution of topography and how geological processes shape landscapes and influence ecological systems. He loved maps as a kid and now writes about the relationship of people to their environment, regenerative agriculture, and other things that interest him. In 2008 he was named a MacArthur Fellow. He lives with his wife Anne Biklé in Seattle, Washington.
Customer reviews
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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This book is packed with great ideas and examples of a new form of agriculture much more in tune with nature.
If you care about healthy food, healthy soils, sustainability, climate change and agriculture based more on ecology than industrial chemistry, this book fills the bill. My students were excited about it, and they're a hard bunch to please.
Unlike most professors he writes at level that is extremely approachable for us plebes.
He got a little preachy at the end, otherwise an absolutely outstanding book.
are gradually learning, by trial and error, a better way forward.
Well researched and nicely documented, this work takes us on a tour of discovery through our agricultural system and the efforts to improve on it and make it more sustainable.
This is an important work and very timely with the global warming problem coming up hard on us as a planet.
The writer is thorough, clear and remains adept enough to stay very readable.
Recommended for anyone who likes to eat.
I first heard of this book from an Urban Farming podcast, and I was intrigued. Soil science has been a new interest of mine, and I had never heard of most of the methods and practices in this book.
I'm not a true environmentalist, I don't fight for the whales, or boycott slaughtering animals, but anyone would want to be a good steward of the Earth. The philosophies in this book demonstrate that you don't need to sacrifice profits for 'going green' on the farm. In fact, it seems it might be more profitable. Shock, shock.
I'm inspired now to not only continue gardening, but to save up and buy some land! Hope my wife agrees with this whim.
Top reviews from other countries
Whilst not suitable for the casual reader, it is a great read for those interested in the topic. I found it a great read as a gardener rather than a farmer.









