I am currently re-reading this little gem and was struck once again by what a truly valuable book this is. For some time now I have been looking ahead into the coming destruction of civilization as we know it with some apprehension. I have heard that there is a Chinese ‘curse’ that says something to the effect of “May you live in interesting times’. As we stand on the threshhold of the apocalypse in so many ways we can at least say that these are interesting times.
This book outlines clearly and concisely JUST how screwed our civilization is. With many examples, the author guides the reader through all of the different things that are pulling our civilization apart. This beginning part is a bit depressing…however in the rest of the book he holds out the idea that if enough people can learn to live in harmony with the earth, then they can serve as a blueprint for a new and emerging human culture that will take the best parts of civilization and leave the rest of the rotting corpse behind. If enough people shift their consciousness now to sustainable and communal living, the shift will also not be so hard, This book is fairly short and easy to read. It’s not preachy and will surely inspire you to make positive changes in your life. Highly recommended.