The Wizard and the Prophet
10 January 2019Imprint: Picador
Synopsis
Charles C. Mann's The Wizard and the Prophet pitches two influential yet little-known scientists against each other in a race against time. As Earth braces for a population surge to ten billion in the next forty years, mankind faces daunting challenges of food, water, energy, and climate change.
William Vogt, the ‘prophet’ and intellectual forefather of the environmental movement, warns us...
Details
10 January 2019640 pages
9781509884186Imprint: Picador
Reviews
Mann’s storytelling skills are unmatched . . . [He] provides detail enough, and simplicity enough, that anyone who is struggling with these puzzles will be enlightened and informed. And entertained, which, given the subject matter, is no small feat.New York Times
Does the earth’s finite carrying capacity mean economic growth has to stop? That momentous question is the subject of Charles Mann’s brilliant book . . . A treasure house of knowledge . . . Indispensable.Wall Street Journal
Prophets say we must reduce consumption, Wizards say we must find more efficient means of production. This intense and carefully-researched book presents a balanced, scholarly and calm exploration of society’s most pressing problems.Ten Of The Best Books About Climate Change, Conservation And The Environment of 2018, Forbes
Masterful . . . Mann’s most spectacular accomplishment is to take no sides . . . An insightful, highly significant account that makes no predictions but lays out the critical environmental problems already us.Kirkus starred review
