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spacecadelliot's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
seraphinaoriana's review against another edition
2.0
This was disappointing. The subject of rewilding is really interesting and the actual research on this matter was insightful. However, the narrative that is written alongside the research is so self-indulgent and made it such a drag to read. What I thought was going to be quite exciting and interesting ended up being an incredibly dull book.
baldingape's review against another edition
4.0
This is a hard book to read because it packs a punch to the gut. It's quite a distressing read if you really pay attention to it, the absolute insanity of some policies to try to kerb climate change is eye-opening, utterly damning and depressing.
My brain kept linking parts I'd read with the previous book I read, 'the memory police,' which is a fictional dystopian novel. But the idea of memories disappearing from the collective memory of the world is very applicable to shifting baseline syndrome. It also occurred to me that much of the novel in question was the loss of 'natural' things (none human things) like flowers, birds etc.
It seems the fictional book I mention isn't so fictional after all!
'It is seen as disloyal, especially in this patriotic nation, to talk the landscape down. Some people say they find it beautiful. The Cambrian mountains society celebrates its emptiness. It describes the region as a 'largely unspoiled landscape,' and approvingly quotes the author Graham Uney, who claims, 'there is nothing in wales to compare to the wilderness and sense of utter solitude that surrounds these vast empty moorlands.' .... 'What he extols as wild, I see as bleak and broken. To me these treeless, mown mountains look like the set of a post-apocalyptic film.' Their paucity of birds and other wildlife creates the impression that the land has been poisoned. Their emptiness appals me.' Pg 66.
I relate to this way too much. When I first took up photography I tried photographing anything and everything that I found interestingand anything that was supposed to be interesting. My dad would drive me out to more countryish places near where we lived and he'd stop the car and point out what he thought was a glorious landscape photography opportunity.
I took the photos always feeling something was missing, I didn't see the beauty in it as much as he did. I often found myself focusing on any lone tree I could find, looking forlorn and melancholy as this expressed how I felt.
I often put down the conflicting views on the supposed 'beautiful' landscapes to my Depression blinding me.
But it could be that my Depression and lack of ability to see optimism in everything allowed me to see the truth, we were looking at a dead barren land dressed in a green dress. Greenery does normally mean life, but not all greenery is equal and sometimes it's just green grazed grass and one depressed looking tree. I know he was talking about a different place, but the sentiments I felt are the same, the conclusions I came to the same.
Also really think about the quote he mentioned: 'Graham Uney, who claims, 'there is nothing in wales to compare to the wilderness and sense of utter solitude that surrounds these vast empty moorlands.' 'wilderness' and 'vast emptiness' why do people view wilderness as emptiness? Surely wilderness should be the opposite of emptiness since wilderness shouldn't be be devoid of life!
As for the idea of 'solitude' and wilderness, I am guilty of equating solitude to wilderness. I don't think it's a complete contradiction though, I think solitude can be a thing while surrounded by life.
I am of the opinion that since not enough people will take climate change seriously until disaster, the only way we can shift their perception of us and the ecosystem is by completely revamping the way we talk about nature, the ecosystem and us.
We have tendency to talk of ourselves as visitors upon the planet earth who have destroyed the ecosystem and now need to at least try to 'repair' some of the damage we have done. Like visitors to a museum who have smashed a display piece and wish to correct their mistake.
But we're not just visitors to planet earth, the earth isn't a museum.
We need to emphasise much more that we aren't just putting our hands into the ecosystem to damage and try to repair that damage, but that we are within the ecosystem itself. We don't just dabble in it every now and then, we are it(not in the narcciastic sense that we are 'IT' but as in we are like everything else a part of the ecosystem), we are within it.
We are not a 'chosen' species.
We evolved like any other animal, we are animals.
Destruction of the ecosystem is destruction of ourselves.
I'm tired of conservationists and envormentalists talking points where we people discuss the idea of what the world would be like without humans. It's an interesting thought experiment but it doesn't help climate change deniers come to 'our side.'
We have to include ourselves in the changes we need, because we are all each self interested, much as a squirrel is self interested in his squirrelness we are interested in our humanness.
My idea is that if more people could see we're part of the whole maybe they'd be more invested emotionally and intellectually in actually doing something about it. In actually changing policies, and perhaps realising that money isn't as important as the ecosystem.
There is no economy without an ecosystem.
But I think the idea of those people realising the ecosystem is more important than money is a pipedream so it would do well to keep reminding them that wilderness itself could create plenty of opportunities to make money.
My brain kept linking parts I'd read with the previous book I read, 'the memory police,' which is a fictional dystopian novel. But the idea of memories disappearing from the collective memory of the world is very applicable to shifting baseline syndrome. It also occurred to me that much of the novel in question was the loss of 'natural' things (none human things) like flowers, birds etc.
It seems the fictional book I mention isn't so fictional after all!
'It is seen as disloyal, especially in this patriotic nation, to talk the landscape down. Some people say they find it beautiful. The Cambrian mountains society celebrates its emptiness. It describes the region as a 'largely unspoiled landscape,' and approvingly quotes the author Graham Uney, who claims, 'there is nothing in wales to compare to the wilderness and sense of utter solitude that surrounds these vast empty moorlands.' .... 'What he extols as wild, I see as bleak and broken. To me these treeless, mown mountains look like the set of a post-apocalyptic film.' Their paucity of birds and other wildlife creates the impression that the land has been poisoned. Their emptiness appals me.' Pg 66.
I relate to this way too much. When I first took up photography I tried photographing anything and everything that I found interestingand anything that was supposed to be interesting. My dad would drive me out to more countryish places near where we lived and he'd stop the car and point out what he thought was a glorious landscape photography opportunity.
I took the photos always feeling something was missing, I didn't see the beauty in it as much as he did. I often found myself focusing on any lone tree I could find, looking forlorn and melancholy as this expressed how I felt.
I often put down the conflicting views on the supposed 'beautiful' landscapes to my Depression blinding me.
But it could be that my Depression and lack of ability to see optimism in everything allowed me to see the truth, we were looking at a dead barren land dressed in a green dress. Greenery does normally mean life, but not all greenery is equal and sometimes it's just green grazed grass and one depressed looking tree. I know he was talking about a different place, but the sentiments I felt are the same, the conclusions I came to the same.
Also really think about the quote he mentioned: 'Graham Uney, who claims, 'there is nothing in wales to compare to the wilderness and sense of utter solitude that surrounds these vast empty moorlands.' 'wilderness' and 'vast emptiness' why do people view wilderness as emptiness? Surely wilderness should be the opposite of emptiness since wilderness shouldn't be be devoid of life!
As for the idea of 'solitude' and wilderness, I am guilty of equating solitude to wilderness. I don't think it's a complete contradiction though, I think solitude can be a thing while surrounded by life.
I am of the opinion that since not enough people will take climate change seriously until disaster, the only way we can shift their perception of us and the ecosystem is by completely revamping the way we talk about nature, the ecosystem and us.
We have tendency to talk of ourselves as visitors upon the planet earth who have destroyed the ecosystem and now need to at least try to 'repair' some of the damage we have done. Like visitors to a museum who have smashed a display piece and wish to correct their mistake.
But we're not just visitors to planet earth, the earth isn't a museum.
We need to emphasise much more that we aren't just putting our hands into the ecosystem to damage and try to repair that damage, but that we are within the ecosystem itself. We don't just dabble in it every now and then, we are it(not in the narcciastic sense that we are 'IT' but as in we are like everything else a part of the ecosystem), we are within it.
We are not a 'chosen' species.
We evolved like any other animal, we are animals.
Destruction of the ecosystem is destruction of ourselves.
I'm tired of conservationists and envormentalists talking points where we people discuss the idea of what the world would be like without humans. It's an interesting thought experiment but it doesn't help climate change deniers come to 'our side.'
We have to include ourselves in the changes we need, because we are all each self interested, much as a squirrel is self interested in his squirrelness we are interested in our humanness.
My idea is that if more people could see we're part of the whole maybe they'd be more invested emotionally and intellectually in actually doing something about it. In actually changing policies, and perhaps realising that money isn't as important as the ecosystem.
There is no economy without an ecosystem.
But I think the idea of those people realising the ecosystem is more important than money is a pipedream so it would do well to keep reminding them that wilderness itself could create plenty of opportunities to make money.
an0987's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
3.5
I enjoyed reading this book overall, and found it an easy read. Some of the key insights about rewilding were laid out but I had been hoping for more in-depth case studies or more explanation of the science. I wouldn’t really recommend this for anyone who already has a basic understanding of ecology (eg trophies cascades, keystone species etc) ,since it’s most just a recap of these types of basic concepts. The book also has a HUGE focus on the UK and sheep farming which makes for an interesting case study but eventually got a bit redundant. It’s still a good introductory book and I would recommend for people who aren’t familiar with these concepts.
The entire chapters with his fishing and other adventures just seemed a bit egotistical and didn’t serve much of a purpose. Unfortunately while his science-related writing is clear, he doesn’t write adventure content very well. I think you could basically skip them or just skim read the beginning of each paragraph.
The entire chapters with his fishing and other adventures just seemed a bit egotistical and didn’t serve much of a purpose. Unfortunately while his science-related writing is clear, he doesn’t write adventure content very well. I think you could basically skip them or just skim read the beginning of each paragraph.
queltynoedd's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
charlie_pearson's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
4.75