The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight: Revised and Updated: The Fate of the World and What We Can Do Before It's Too Late

A very grim picture is painted of the world today along with the causes of our current crisis. The final chapters give us the hope that with major changes in the way we live,and treat our planet and each other we can make a difference and perhaps avoid some of the perils we now face.

This book had a profound affect on me when I first read it almost five years ago. It is the book that made me realize the state of our environment and the devastating effects of human behavior on the Earth during the last 10,000 years.

It records the damage we have caused and what the next generations will be facing if we continue living this way. It has information on how humans have upset the ecological balance of the planet, but also how pockets of civilizations, in the past, have managed to live in a more sustainable way.

This book was an eye opener, and since then, I have completely change my way of life and view on the world.

Three years later, with more knowledge, I read it again, and have to admit that I found some information in there that was not congruent with what I learned from other books.

One example is the chapter about Re-Empowering women to reduce population growth. While Thom raises a very good point to fight population explosion in man dominated countries, it cannot really be compared to Europe, the US or Japan as a proof that this works. In theses countries, it is not really the egalitarianism between man and women that explains the low fertility rate. It is on one side the financial struggles, the economy, competition, advancement in a career, and the enjoyment of a free consumerist society; and on the other side the downside and burden of having children and not being able to enjoy life. This applies to women and men. As for why they would rather postpone anything that comes in the way of enjoying life, we could probably point a finger at all the needs and wants that society has created. And to push this further, we could ask: What is the source of a consumerist society? Could it be competition and desire for more from the producer and the consumer, or simple greed?

Regardless, this book is exceptional and I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Well, again, a book documenting human destruction being visited upon mother earth, but one that takes a cultural perspective based in anthropology. It seem that in this case, Thom understood he'd be preaching to the choir, and so he decided to focus on a good, inspiring sermon (at least in the second part of the book, the first is a little too much horror all at once. Not to say it was unintentional.)
The corporate crowd spent the 90's denying that there was any such thing as a greenhouse effect, and now that it's too obvious to ignore, they're denying we are causing it. Okay. Why not just human up and figure out how to do things better? Consider the effect on the next seven generations. Which is to say, forever.

I've been a fan of Thom Hartmann, mostly listening to his daily radio talk show on air America. I liked this book because it covered so many topics about which he often speaks. Mostly, though, it is a great book on the topic of what we must do to understand and act to save our dwindling environmental resources.

This book is mind expanding! A very important read for anyone interested in an over arching explanation of the world today and how we got here in terms of the history of civilization. The research is excellent, the book moves logically and smoothly- - I would even call it a page-turner. And I plan to buy a copy for all of my friends! Highly recommended.