Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.

Unsettling

Surviving Extinction Together

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

The time has come to reimagine our relationship to the environment before it is too late.

As wildfires char the American West, extreme weather transforms landscapes, glaciers retreat, and climate zones shift, we are undeniably experiencing the effects of the climate crisis in more and more destructive ways. Climate change is impacting every inhabited region of the world, but there is much we can still do.

Unsettling explores human impacts on the environment through science, popular culture, personal narrative, and landscape. Using the stories of animals, landscapes, and people who have exhibited resilience in the face of persistent colonization across the North American continent, science writer Elizabeth Weinberg explores how climate change is a direct result of white supremacy, colonialism, sexism, and heteronormativity. Travel through the deep sea; along Louisiana's vanishing bayous; down the Colorado, Mississippi, and Potomac rivers; and over the Cascade Mountains, and examine how we as humans, particularly white humans, have drawn a stark line between human and animal, culture and nature, in order to exploit anything and anyone we find useful. With gorgeous and pointed prose, Weinberg weaves together science, personal essay, history, and pop culture to propose a new way of thinking about climate change—one that is rooted in queerness and antiracism.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

  • Formats

  • Languages

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      July 11, 2022
      Essayist Weinberg debuts with an impassioned if uneven argument that the broad American conception of climate change has roots in colonialism and racism. Americans are far more culpable for warming the planet than politicians often admit, Weinburg writes, citing data that suggests that “from 1850 to 2014, our nation sent more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than any other.” That’s tied in with a colonial way of thinking, she posits, and is largely due to the loss of Indigenous ways of life: “In our quest for glory—for gold, for land, and now for oil—we’ve lost not only the culture-keepers but also physical records that might help us understand what we’ve lost.” But while she insists change is necessary, there isn’t much in the way of actionable advice, and the author spends much of her time stuck on winding reflections (“How do you radically change a world where extractive capitalism is the rule? How do you change the actions of eight billion people, each with their own agenda, whether it’s getting rich or just surviving?”). This might work as a thought exercise.

    • Booklist

      Starred review from September 15, 2022
      This beautifully written offering centers around a literal interpretation of its title. Weinberg, a science writer based in the Pacific Northwest, urges readers to take action against the horrific, man-made environmental effects of settling (or colonizing) land, forests, oceans, and waterways. Weinberg offers well-documented, personal background stories about the polluting and thoughtless consumption of natural resources that have caused the eradication of entire species and destruction of ecosystems. She lays the blame on thoughtless, entitled exploitation resulting from traditionally male, white supremacist, heteronormative systems. Weinberg shares anecdotes about growing up queer and never feeling like she fit in anywhere. In nature, though, she still finds great solace, having spent much of her life in the outdoors, especially in the mountains near her home in Portland. The author's plea for action envisions a future that protects our planet through a new kind of environmentalism that incorporates feminist and queer perspectives. Weinberg's fresh observations and lyrical descriptions of wildlife and various environments create vivid word pictures for readers, and her unique book deserves a wide audience.

      COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Loading