Description: How can humanity mindfully navigate the inevitable descent ahead? Two critical thinkers here remove the rose-tinted glasses of much social and environmental commentary. With unremitting realism and yet defiant positivity, they engage each other in uncomfortable conversations about the end of Empire and what lies beyond.
Brief description: Rupert Read works closely with environmental scientists, in ecological philosophy, at the University of East Anglia. His publications include a number of academic and popular books, including Philosophy for Life: Applying Philosophy in Politics and Culture (2007). He blogs on environmental reframing at Green Words website and has two chapters in the new Green House think-tank book: Facing up to Climate Reality (2019). Rupert has written for the Guardian, The Independent, The Ecologist and many other popular newspapers, magazines and websites. He was a Green Party councillor in Norwich from 2004-2011. In June 2018, he triggered a BBC policy shift by publicly refusing to debate a climate change denier, which ended the presenting of climate change deniers' views as a counterbalance to scientific standpoints. His recent talk titled 'Shed A Light: Rupert Read - This civilisation is finished: so what is to be done?', presented at Churchill College Cambridge, is gaining viral impact on YouTube, having been viewed over 70,000 times.
Review Quotes:
'A brave and necessary conversation, which digs deep into ideas which will make many people - including many greens - uncomfortable. This book should help everyone to question their own assumptions.' - Paul Kingsnorth, co-founder of The Dark Mountain Project
'Decades of pretence are coming to a close. Rapid changes in our climate are waking us up to the reality that we and the Earth are one system. The wasted decades mean we are woefully unprepared for the consequences of our actions. Read and Alexander show that our civilisation of separation is finished. They invite us to start having difficult but creative conversations about the shape of what's to come and how we might get there. A helpful balm for climate anxiety - this book leaves you feeling that something could be salvaged and something better might even be born.' - Jem Bendell, author of "Deep Adaptation"
'Far from urging dejection or despair, these authors look at the greatest challenges facing humanity with unusual honesty - and yet they find meaning, purpose, and perhaps even hope in unexpected places.' - Richard Heinberg, author of The End of Growth
'Bring your fear, your despair and your hope to this book - it will nurture them all with sharp and nuanced insight.' - Kate Raworth, author of Doughnut Economics