Book Review: Thinking Like a Mountain by R. Edward Grumbine
I received Thinking Like a Mountain from
Netgalley.com for free for an honest review.
Title: Thinking Like a Mountain
Author: R. Edward Grumbine
ASIN: B0099BH3UQ
Publisher: Island Press
Author’s web site: R. Edward Grumbine
Genre: Science
Print Length: 63 Pages
Synopsis:
In Thinking Like a Mountain, we have given an excerpt and introduction to the science of conservation biology from Ed Grumbine's previous book, Ghost Bears. Grumbine offers a description of why we should care about biodiversity and protected lands.
As a lapsed ecologist, I found Thinking Like a Mountain an absorbing read. It reminded me of how fascinating the subject of ecology is, but having said that, I am not sure who the book is aimed at. I certainly found it an interesting reminder of the subject, but I suspect it would be too superficial for an academic audience and rather too complex, with respect, for the ordinary Joe on the street. It starts off with a complaint about the inaction of the political class of driving conscientious policy towards more meaningful conservation and continues by setting out the disaster we are heading for due to this lack of political (and social) engagement. Thirty years after finishing my academic career in ecology, it is depressing that many of the same arguments are still being aired and still ignored. So what might the purpose of this small, intriguing volume be? Of course, I do not know what was in the author's mind when he wrote it, but if it was as a tool to galvanise momentum towards better conservation policy, then this laudable aim is, I suspect, doomed to failure. I have no doubt that Thinking Like a Mountain will be a very useful reference to knowledgeable ecological activists, but its arguments will be lost on the vast majority of people. Like many books of this type it is peppered with messages of doom and gloom, but most people will not be personally affected by its content. For those who say, “They should be affected, or should feel affected, and should engage with the issues.” I say, “I agree.” But, my experience of most people is that we are more interested in what is happening in our own street than on the other side of town let alone in a different state or country. Therefore, while Thinking Like a Mountain makes a valuable contribution to the wider understanding of the issues, until those who fully understand the dangerous direction in which we are heading can engage with the majority of the population in a way that has direct meaning to their lives then little will be served by such books, fascinating as they are. I would cite the continued and intractable debate about something as obvious as climate change as a case in point.
What do others think?
At the time of writing, there were no reviews on Amazon.co.uk.
There were 3 reviews on Amazon.com, 2 of 5* and 1 of 4*.
Two of the 3 reviews on Goodreads.com were the same as those on Amazon.com. The third gave Thinking Like a Mountain a rating of 4*.
Other books by R. Edward Grumbine:
