Heavy going but does focus as much on social costs as structures and functions.
A graphic exploration of select parts of our large-scale infrastructure.
Nott presents a pictorial examination of three potentially fascinating engineered networks—the internet, the electrical grid, and fresh water distribution. His definition of a hidden system as “something we don’t notice until it breaks” is valid enough, and in clearly and repeatedly demonstrating how the three are, for all their benefits, also historical and ongoing sources of “inequality and environmental harm,” he performs a valuable service. But for all the careful research and efforts to lighten the tone with verbal and sight gags, the narrative’s chopped-up quotes and generalized observations, infrequently leavened by specific incidents or examples, slow the pacing to a crawl despite the seemingly endless parade of informal, largely monochrome, blue line drawings, which are packed into small panels and neither animate the discourse nor look often enough beyond localized details to capture a sense of the three systems’ overall size and complexity. Still, if end users who stay the course don’t come away with much clearer big pictures of what happens when they press keys, hit switches, and turn faucet handles, they’ll be more mindful that each of these acts comes with past and current legacies of colonialism, displaced populations, economic and class inequities, hidden agendas, and systemic racism. The human figures suggest racial and ethnic diversity.
Heavy going but does focus as much on social costs as structures and functions. (sketch pages, endnotes, bibliography) (Graphic nonfiction. 12-16)Pub Date: March 14, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-12536-6
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
Attractively designed and handsomely illustrated, this informative text introduces teens to many intriguing angles on a...
Will the world end in a bang or a whimper? Unless pre-empted by human-induced disaster or one of many scientifically possible catastrophic scenarios, life on Earth will end a billion years from now in a sizzle.
Predicting the end of the world is an old story, argues the author, presenting evidence in brief surveys of eschatologies from the world's major religions and mythologies of ancient civilizations. Miller also notes how end-of-world scenarios have captured humanity's imagination in their frequent appearances in science-fiction novels and motion pictures. (Disappointingly, the reasons for this ongoing fascination are not explored.) A chapter about imminent predictions for 2012 explains the Mayan prophecy and a theory about a phantom planet called Nibiru crashing into Earth. Another chapter examines pseudoscientific end-of-world theories such as planetary alignment and pole shifts. The primary focus is on scientifically plausible scenarios: self-destruction through nuclear war or continued environmental exploitation; humanity wiped out by a pandemic; an asteroid or comet strike destroying Earth.
Attractively designed and handsomely illustrated, this informative text introduces teens to many intriguing angles on a high-interest topic that should inspire many to further explore the subject. (chronology, glossary, bibliography, further reading, index) (Nonfiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7613-7396-4
Page Count: 120
Publisher: Twenty-First Century/Lerner
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2011
A chilling look at a timely topic.
The rapid melting of Arctic ice has opened a new frontier for international competition or cooperation.
The book opens with a dramatic scene, as three men in a submersible search for a hole in the ice above the North Pole location on the ocean floor where they’ve just planted a Russian flag. McPherson goes on to describe the changes in polar ice cover that are encouraging exploration and allowing access to previously inaccessible energy resources. Subsequent chapters describe new, shorter ocean passages, the jockeying for territory as nearby nations lay claim and others look for ways to get involved, and the likely difficulties of development. Native peoples, whose livelihoods and cultures are inextricably connected to this harsh environment, have to make difficult choices, and the melting of the ice sheet over Greenland offers new opportunities as well as potential for disaster. McPherson’s clear explanations and balanced approach encourage reflection; there are no easy answers. Given that the burning of fossil fuels contributes to global warming, should the newly accessible oil and gas be extracted and added to the world’s supply? Does the North Pole belong to one or another nearby nation or to the world? Is it even possible to develop this area without spoiling it? Maps, photographs and a thoughtful design add to the package.
A chilling look at a timely topic. (source notes, glossary, bibliographies, index) (Nonfiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4677-2043-4
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Twenty-First Century/Lerner
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2014
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