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A review by theanimatedsaranoelle
California Against the Sea: Visions for Our Vanishing Coastline by Rosanna Xia
4.0
“California Against the Sea” is a necessary read for not only all Californians but anyone living along the coast. It’s a critical and eye opening study of how we are presently being affected by climate change and what we as people are doing or not doing to mitigate it. Rosanna Xia gives us a comprehensive look at the people currently grappling with sea level rise, the underrepresented communities suffering and the civil servants trying to balance whats best for humanity and the ocean.
Climate Change is already affecting us and instead of fighting sea level rise, we need to embrace and prepare for the inescapable future. As cities and communities along the coast choose casualties amongst our many competing priorities the sea continues to rise, beaches disappear and critical infrastructure collapses. Xia is able to wrap these large terrifying concepts into a coherent narrative that keeps you interested and grounds you to the real people being affected. Her writing makes terms like “managed retreat” seem less daunting and actually hopeful. We have a “bridge to the future” and Rosanna Xia, makes it seem doable.
On why it’s 4/5:
I would have personally liked some more specific details and to delve a little bit deeper into to all of the different tactics and timelines and strategies for each community’s response to sea level rise. Maybe more detailed follow ups for each one.
I realize this might have lost some other readers but I wanted more hard facts.
I also can’t say I “loved” this book because it just made me too anxious and sad to think about climate change and the reality of our situation in California and what we’ve done to the this country in such a short time.
Overall: It’s a fantastic book, super glad I read it. Learned a lot. Just not the most “enjoyable” read.
Climate Change is already affecting us and instead of fighting sea level rise, we need to embrace and prepare for the inescapable future. As cities and communities along the coast choose casualties amongst our many competing priorities the sea continues to rise, beaches disappear and critical infrastructure collapses. Xia is able to wrap these large terrifying concepts into a coherent narrative that keeps you interested and grounds you to the real people being affected. Her writing makes terms like “managed retreat” seem less daunting and actually hopeful. We have a “bridge to the future” and Rosanna Xia, makes it seem doable.
On why it’s 4/5:
I would have personally liked some more specific details and to delve a little bit deeper into to all of the different tactics and timelines and strategies for each community’s response to sea level rise. Maybe more detailed follow ups for each one.
I realize this might have lost some other readers but I wanted more hard facts.
I also can’t say I “loved” this book because it just made me too anxious and sad to think about climate change and the reality of our situation in California and what we’ve done to the this country in such a short time.
Overall: It’s a fantastic book, super glad I read it. Learned a lot. Just not the most “enjoyable” read.