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florisw's review
3.0
This book is predominantly for the American reader, and aims to make the American public more understanding of anthropogenic climate change and the problems with Western histories and ideas. Within the (deliberate) boundaries of the European (English) and American contexts she looks at, her work introduces various basic concepts in the environmental humanities, showing how each relates to our complex relationship with the natural world. Merchant, who helped pioneer such approaches (see [b:The Death of Nature: Women, Ecology, and the Scientific Revolution|394898|The Death of Nature Women, Ecology, and the Scientific Revolution|Carolyn Merchant|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348431329l/394898._SY75_.jpg|384422]), provides some good pointers for how we can manage this relationship moving forward, but is ultimately limited by the length and scope of her book when it comes to working these ideas out. I was hoping she would step out of the Eurocentric bubble a bit more, and perhaps spend more time challenging existing narratives and approaches in environmental humanities. The rating does not reflect the entirety of the book. For her first three chapters, given that (in my opinion) she does not quite accomplish her goal of challenging Western histories and ideas, I would give a 2/5. But she redeems herself in the second half by introducing the reader to a greater variety of ideas and approaches in Anthropocene studies, making good on her other goal, earning a 4/5.
Surprisingly, for someone who I primarily knew as an environmental historian, Merchant is stronger in her discussion of the mainly future-looking issues (philosophy, ethics & justice, even religion) that make up the second half of her book than the more retrospective issues (history, art, literature (although this chapter's second half belongs more to the 'future-looking' group) in the first half. What bothered me the most about her history, art, and literature chapters was her continued emphasis on the steam engine as the fundamental symbol of the Anthropocene. Her history chapter places so much emphasis on its development and the development of related sciences (e.g. thermodynamics) that you would be forgiven for thinking the book was about the "Steam-engineocene". The following chapters do much the same, as 10 out of the 14 images she includes in her chapter on art display steam engines of various sorts (3 of the remaining 4 show railway workers), and the first half of her literature chapter mainly lists examples of English or American white men either gushing or being worried about the steam engine and other (industrial) technologies changing the natural and societal landscape. I couldn't help but think that there must be more to Anthropocene history, art, or literature than images of coal-guzzling, smoke-spewing steam engines.
Fortunately, the second half of her book confirms this, introducing some more varied concepts. Orienting herselft more towards future practices, Merchant underlines that literature can be a force for motivation in addressing climate change, and will ultiamtely help us understand and tackle the problems we face in the Anthropocene. Her chapter on religion is more practically than academically focused, reading more like a brainstorming session on the relationship between religion and nature, and how existing communities/technologies of faith can be harnessed to ensure this relationship remains healthy. Her chapter on philosophy I liked as well, particularly her discussion on information and "knowledge" in 21st century (see [b:Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away|18050049|Plato at the Googleplex Why Philosophy Won't Go Away|Rebecca Goldstein|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1384015076l/18050049._SY75_.jpg|25332813]). The ethics and justice chapter also very good (although still very focused on American examples, which is excusable given her intended audience). Her chronology of different kinds of ethics is quite simple but conveys her central point well: our ethical codes can change to incorporate both social and natural justice. What these chapters lack in depth they make up for in breadth, allowing readers (with help from a decent bibliography) to pursue their own interests.
Surprisingly, for someone who I primarily knew as an environmental historian, Merchant is stronger in her discussion of the mainly future-looking issues (philosophy, ethics & justice, even religion) that make up the second half of her book than the more retrospective issues (history, art, literature (although this chapter's second half belongs more to the 'future-looking' group) in the first half. What bothered me the most about her history, art, and literature chapters was her continued emphasis on the steam engine as the fundamental symbol of the Anthropocene. Her history chapter places so much emphasis on its development and the development of related sciences (e.g. thermodynamics) that you would be forgiven for thinking the book was about the "Steam-engineocene". The following chapters do much the same, as 10 out of the 14 images she includes in her chapter on art display steam engines of various sorts (3 of the remaining 4 show railway workers), and the first half of her literature chapter mainly lists examples of English or American white men either gushing or being worried about the steam engine and other (industrial) technologies changing the natural and societal landscape. I couldn't help but think that there must be more to Anthropocene history, art, or literature than images of coal-guzzling, smoke-spewing steam engines.
Fortunately, the second half of her book confirms this, introducing some more varied concepts. Orienting herselft more towards future practices, Merchant underlines that literature can be a force for motivation in addressing climate change, and will ultiamtely help us understand and tackle the problems we face in the Anthropocene. Her chapter on religion is more practically than academically focused, reading more like a brainstorming session on the relationship between religion and nature, and how existing communities/technologies of faith can be harnessed to ensure this relationship remains healthy. Her chapter on philosophy I liked as well, particularly her discussion on information and "knowledge" in 21st century (see [b:Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away|18050049|Plato at the Googleplex Why Philosophy Won't Go Away|Rebecca Goldstein|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1384015076l/18050049._SY75_.jpg|25332813]). The ethics and justice chapter also very good (although still very focused on American examples, which is excusable given her intended audience). Her chronology of different kinds of ethics is quite simple but conveys her central point well: our ethical codes can change to incorporate both social and natural justice. What these chapters lack in depth they make up for in breadth, allowing readers (with help from a decent bibliography) to pursue their own interests.
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