An enlightening work of ecological thought.
Journalist McFadden (Classical Considerations, 2018, etc.) examines the state of current American farming methods and presents “deep agroecology” as the answer to a broken food system.
The way that most of the country approaches farming is not sustainable, according to the author; widespread pesticide use, genetically engineered seeds, and factory farms all contribute to the rapid loss of valuable topsoil and to fragile ecosystems. And with a worldwide epidemic of pollution contributing to climate change, he notes, the state of our food system is more precarious than ever. Enter deep agroecology, a revolutionary approach to farming and food that, the author asserts, has the potential to heal the planet before it’s too late. He defines it as an approach to farming and food that is “clean, sustainable, humane, egalitarian, and just, rooted in ecology, other sciences, and indigenous knowledge.” In this book, he hopes to present a general overview of his concept while also offering concrete examples of deep agroecology in action. He does so in several ways, including discussions of the history of agrarian idealism, and detailed reports and statistics on the damage done by modern farming and explanations of how it came to be the dominant form of production. Because deep agroecology draws on a combination of science and ancient wisdom, it also highlights how many indigenous cultures have, for centuries, recognized the importance of strong, healthy communities, and how they’re dependent on the planet on which they live. Overall, McFadden puts forth a convincing case that farms are the basis of civilization, and that if humanity is to survive, it must pursue different principles and a new philosophy. McFadden is an independent journalist who’s authored several books on a range of subjects, and his prose is always clear and easy to understand. Although he covers a lot of material, he does so successfully by consistently returning to familiar themes and arguments, as when he repeatedly points out how most people lack a spiritual connection with the planet, which has had a profound impact on their awareness of environmental problems.
An enlightening work of ecological thought.Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-79230-928-1
Page Count: 294
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s...
Music journalist and musician Wald (Talking 'Bout Your Mama: The Dozens, Snaps, and the Deep Roots of Rap, 2014, etc.) focuses on one evening in music history to explain the evolution of contemporary music, especially folk, blues, and rock.
The date of that evening is July 25, 1965, at the Newport Folk Festival, where there was an unbelievably unexpected occurrence: singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, already a living legend in his early 20s, overriding the acoustic music that made him famous in favor of electronically based music, causing reactions ranging from adoration to intense resentment among other musicians, DJs, and record buyers. Dylan has told his own stories (those stories vary because that’s Dylan’s character), and plenty of other music journalists have explored the Dylan phenomenon. What sets Wald's book apart is his laser focus on that one date. The detailed recounting of what did and did not occur on stage and in the audience that night contains contradictory evidence sorted skillfully by the author. He offers a wealth of context; in fact, his account of Dylan's stage appearance does not arrive until 250 pages in. The author cites dozens of sources, well-known and otherwise, but the key storylines, other than Dylan, involve acoustic folk music guru Pete Seeger and the rich history of the Newport festival, a history that had created expectations smashed by Dylan. Furthermore, the appearances on the pages by other musicians—e.g., Joan Baez, the Weaver, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Dave Van Ronk, and Gordon Lightfoot—give the book enough of an expansive feel. Wald's personal knowledge seems encyclopedic, and his endnotes show how he ranged far beyond personal knowledge to produce the book.
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s personal feelings about Dylan's music or persona.Pub Date: July 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-236668-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
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Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...
Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis (whoops — "A bankrupt expression") a unique guide (which means "without like or equal").Pub Date: May 15, 1972
ISBN: 0205632645
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972
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