The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go from Here

This book demonstrates how scientists may understand the mechanism of climate change but are inept at describing how to solve it. I call it rectangle knowledge. You work at a computer all day and think you know something. Chapter after chapter (so short they could be called articles) detail how the world is using more of everything. This is not news. Her recommendations are either obvious or banal. Use less of everything. Brilliant. Eat less sugar. Don't fly so much. Reduce TV time to save household electricity. Make better investments that are consistent with your values. It does not come close to understanding the underlying nature of what we need to do, nor does she touch upon the fact that the entire worldwide economic system is completely dependent on making, selling, and consuming "more". Hope Jahren is in the same camp as those who think we can "fix" the climate. This is scientism, not science. The problem with that thinking is it "others" the climate, as if it was out there somewhere. "Othering" is the mindset that caused the problem in the first place. By focusing on what "you" can do, it trivializes the cause and cure. It is not that individuals cannot undertake meaningful action. They do and it is crucial. But her recommendations are directed to the relatively small proportion of humanity who are affluent. Lost in her ruminations are the other 5-6 billion people. With all due respect, the thinking here is indulgent, emblematic of how affluent white people believe course corrections on their part will make a difference. This is a meaningless book to the vast sweep of humanity and will be forgotten.

I have always fret that we, humans, were going to be the main cause of our own extinction. This book is all the fact you need to confirm that we are an unstoppable force of destruction. Unless some radical change happens pretty soon, this dystopian future is around the corner. The author presents hard facts on the way we, humans, are affecting the planet and endangering not only our future but that of our progeny, not to mention that of the countless other species in our world. This book is a wakeup call for all of us, a realization that we cannot, we must not, continue down this path. It is a slap in the face that makes us realize that we cannot wait for our governments or the industry or the rich of the world to do something about it. It is my responsibility, it is yours, it is ours. Individually, every one of us can make a difference. Pick up a flag and become the flag bearer of a cause, demonstrate your integrity in the way you consume energy, what you eat, what you wear, how you spend and invest your money, how you educate your children, how you live your life. Are we going to wait for the capitalists of the world to do something about it when they know it will cost them money? Can you hear them advocating for consuming less, using less energy, for reducing their revenue with the purpose of being one with the environment? This has gone too far. Educate yourself, educate your children, make a difference. Humans of the world, this book is the punch in the stomach we all were seriously needing. Let's unite with the thousands of other people that individually are trying every day to slow down this destructive snowball. Be this book a humbling experience, to recognize that those of us who enjoy a good life are probably doing it at the expense of the lives of others less fortunate, humans, animals, and other organisms. We can still change this course, together, but we are running out of time. You can clearly see this book has been a profound experience for me. I wish every sapiens of this world had the chance to read a copy of it. Hopefully it would have the same waking effect it had on me.

I liked the clarity of the science behind the analysis. I disliked the murky and far-fetched nature of the fix to the problems. Very depressing. Jahrens starts by telling us that scientists are much better at analyzing the present state of affairs than predicting the future. She proves that in this book. I might add - scientists are even worse at inventing solutions to sociological problems. What I really wanted is for some capitalist based over the top more — not less — analysis of solutions. Instead, the book devolves into silly sidebars, for example, as to why it is the author dislikes cars. ( like that could persuade people to stop driving.) Really? This reviewer loves cars, and I’m off the boat as a reader. Call me a lazy nihilist all you want, but any honest reader will admit that Jahrens offers nothing new or significant to change the outcome that anybody who cares about our green world already knows is coming. In summary, the factual analysis of the imminent disaster is sharp. The fix, well, not so much. Makes me - a greeny in AK - want to give up rather than try harder.

"The Story of More" is a quick read that is packed with vital and easily understood information regarding the too long poo-pood issue of greatest importance: Climate Change. Why? For just one of many reasons, because Climate Change has a lot to do the initiation and spreading of new diseases such as the deadly COVID-19 virus Pandemic. This concise book is so well researched, and so very well written, I want to read a lot more by this author. I read a lot of books on natural resources, especially on the intersection of humanity and misuse/abuse of nature's life sustaining gifts. And this is the best recently published books I hav encountered. Highly recommended.

Dead easy to get a hold of the concepts in this book. Easy to read, difficult to comprehend what it saying in that time has run out to wait to see if the scientists are wrong.

Outstanding book. Conveys a great deal of information, although to be not so long.

Está lectura solo incrementará en importancia con el tiempo y en un mundo post Covid.

Amazing and sad. Much needed reading for everyone