It’s Earth Day in Some Parts of Planet Literature

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Yesterday, April 22, was Earth Day. Our planet is in deep ecological trouble, and America’s Predator-in-Chief is making things worse with his profoundly anti-environment policies. I guess he’s also the Polluter-in-Chief.

Anyway, I began to think about novels that have directly or indirectly focused on the environment, and the first one that came to mind was Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior.

That book is many things — including a compelling portrayal of a rural Tennessean’s dissatisfaction with her life and marriage, and what she does about it. But Flight Behavior is also a novel about climate change — including how butterflies are devastatingly affected by it.

Kingsolver addresses ecological matters in Prodigal Summer, too.

One of the ultimate environmental catastrophes takes place in Nevil Shute’s On the Beach when nuclear radiation bears down on Australia after ruining much of the world.

Then there are novels in which environmentalism is perhaps not the biggest theme, but an important theme. For instance, the harming of Oklahoma land by greedy agribusiness is a big reason why the Joad family of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath is forced to uproot themselves to try their luck in California. The evil forces in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings certainly lay waste to a lot of Middle-earth land. And Anne Shirley’s keen appreciation of nature is one of the endearing elements in L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables.

Also, the shrinking of the American wilderness is a poignant backdrop in James Fenimore Cooper’s five “Leatherstocking” novels (The Last of the Mohicans, etc.). Heck, protagonist Natty Bumppo is more comfortable with the eco-friendlier ways of Native Americans (such as his close friend Chingachgook) than he is with the eco-destructive ways of his fellow whites.

Of course, sci-fi, speculative fiction, dystopian novels, and post-apocalypse books often address environmental issues in direct or indirect fashion — as when they show the Earth abused by corporations and humankind in general. Examples include Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake, Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, and various other books. There are also the death throes of Earth at the end of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine.

In the children’s-book area, The Lorax by Dr. Seuss is considered a fable about how corporate greed does a number on nature.

What are some of your favorite fictional works that touch on environmental issues?

Here’s a review of, and a video interview about, my new literary-trivia book Fascinating Facts About Famous Fiction Authors and the Greatest Novels of All Time  — which earned a “Best Seller” tag on Amazon for a time this weekend.

In addition to this weekly blog, I write the award-winning “Montclairvoyant” topical-humor column for Baristanet.com, which covers Montclair, N.J., and nearby towns. The latest weekly column is here.

59 thoughts on “It’s Earth Day in Some Parts of Planet Literature”

  2. Hi Dave,

    I’d like to share a little story with you and the other DAOLiterati that begins last November when I moved house. The day that I moved I ran into my new neighbour, Harry who lives in a shed at the back of his property. His daughter and her partner and their three kids live in the main house. Harry warned me that they could be a bit rowdy, and if it got out of control, I should call the police. Well, they’re not too bad, but the mum does get very shouty, constantly telling her son to get the f out of their bathroom (my assumption is that mum has some ‘me’ time in the bathroom with some things that may not be exactly legal).

    Fast forward to a couple of months ago, I was coming home from work, stuck in particularly bad weekend traffic. I couldn’t come home to Miss Shouty, so I went to the library instead. It’s open late on a Friday, and had recently put in a ‘quiet’ room. There were a few older people there reading newspapers and magazines, and I just curled up with my book in a comfy chair for an hour or two until I felt like I could face the world again. It was so peaceful and relaxing that I made it a weekly habit. Mostly I shared the room with older people, but sometimes there’d be a student tapping away at a laptop.

    After 3 or 4 weeks, I realised that while most people were one-time visitors, there was one regular who I saw every Friday. I really wanted to introduce myself as it seemed rude to regularly share this space with him and not know who he was. But I had no idea how to go about it. What if he’s deaf and has to yell and ruins my quiet space? What if he has physical ailments that he describes in exquisite detail? What if he doesn’t want to acknowledge me each Friday and I ruin his quiet place. Still, I’ve tried over the last couple of weeks to do it, and just couldn’t. Well last night (while reading the first 40 or so pages of “Anne of Green Gables”; I think I’m in love with Miss Shirley!), he briefly had a young boy with him. The boy was obviously doing his own thing in the main library, and curiosity got the better of me. So I introduced myself and asked if the boy was his grandson. He started to ask if I li… and then said yes, the boy, Ben, was his grandson. He explained that Ben was super smart but didn’t have much of a home (his parents are on drugs) so he brings him to the library for a couple of hours a week. I told him that was a nice thing to do and then started to wonder. Surely Ben’s ‘on drugs’ parents weren’t my neighbours? Surely my quiet room buddy hadn’t been about to ask me where I lived? I couldn’t be THAT unobservant. We chatted for a minute or two and then he asked if I was a local. I said yes and named the suburb. He of course said me too and named the street I live on. There was nothing left to do but exclaim “I live next door to you, don’t I?” I was so embarrassed. He was pretty sure that I was me, but I’d had no idea that he was him! I’m glad I finally introduced myself, but had no idea that I’d now be spending each Friday in a reading room with my neighbour! It all felt a bit Dickensian to me…

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    • That’s a wonderful story, Susan, and well told! (Depressing, too, because of the boy’s parents being drug users. 😦 ) And, yes, kind of Dickensian with the coincidental, serendipitous meeting of neighbors away from where they live. Thanks for sharing it.

      Libraries are great (as is “Anne of Green Gables”). Appealing, peaceful places. My next visit will be this Tuesday.

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      • You’re right, Dave, that the situation with my neighbours is very sad. The mum is often yelling at the child, telling him not to yell. I’d love to go over there and point out that he’s shouting because she’s telling him that it’s normal. But of course, I can’t. Not just because it’s rude, but because she would never see it. Probably somebody shouted at her when she was a child, and so it’s normal for her as well. Once there’s drugs and violence and neglect, it just feeds itself with each new generation. Of course, I could talk about the problems all day, and still come up with no solutions. It is however, very encouraging that Harry sees potential in his grandson and gets him out of that environment on a weekly basis. He also said that Ben is looking forward to being old enough to leave home, so maybe this child in particular will be able to break the cycle.

        I love my library! Most Fridays driving home I think I’m not going to stop tonight, I’m too tired and I just want to get home. But I always stop. Mostly for an hour or two, sometimes just for 30 minutes. It has an almost medicinal value. Even the books that I’m reading seem to be better when I’m there! I’m sure you’ll enjoy your trip on Tuesday 🙂

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        • I have very occasionally over the years said something when parents are mistreating their children– tricky business, and fraught with possible explosive results. When I do, it’s on the chance that the child– not the parent– might, by my saying something, get the idea that what he’s going through isn’t normal, and isn’t in the larger world, okay.

          But I am trying to cut back on my moments of speaking up now that I’m past retirement age. If somebody were to hit me, I’d get all the sympathy I might expect as a meddlesome old man, which, while not nothing, will do less for my black eye even than steak.

          Hope that little boy gets past his beginnings!

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        • Yes, Susan, some parents are total double-standard-ing hypocrites — “do as I say, not as I do.” You’re absolutely right that children often take their cues from how their parents ACT. And, yes again, it’s often a continuing generational cycle. Not always, of course — I had a very difficult, sometimes-violent father who I don’t take after at all, but of course that stuff can do a psychological number on a son or daughter in other ways. Ben having a grandfather like Harry is so important. Hope, hope he does break the cycle.

          So great that your library is a type of refuge for you!

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          • jhNY, I totally agree that intervening is risky — sometimes the right thing to do, sometimes not. As you say, one important potential benefit is the child learning that what she or he is going through is not normal. There’s of course the option of anonymously calling the authorities, but that can sometimes put the child in an even worse situation out of the home (the foster-care system, etc.).

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          • Dave, I forgot to mention in my original comment how grateful I am for this online refuge where I can post a completely off-topic story, the length of which would have been blocked by the Huffy People. I agree with everything that both you and jhNY have said. Being that this family live next door to me, there is no way I would intervene. And for all I know, the child himself might tell me to f off and mind my own business. I have thought of contacting the authorities, but as you said, Dave, I have no idea if that would make things better or worse. And I know it’s not a helpful attitude, but I can’t help thinking what’s the point? He might be better off, but he probably won’t. And for every child who *might* be saved, there are dozens more who won’t. Dave, like you, I grew up with my fair share of abuse, but haven’t passed that on to anyone (possibly one of the reasons that I never had my own children) so there is evidence that it doesn’t have to be never-ending. Though I can’t help but wish that all the unloved children out there could end up at Green Gables!

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            • Very happy that this blog gives you all the space you want and need, Susan. You always have something interesting to say, whether serious or funny!

              I don’t fully know what the commenting situation was like at HP after we all jumped ship from that site, but the moderation was certainly, um, “interesting” when we were active there.

              All excellent points you made about Ben’s situation and the situation in general of kids in abusive homes.

              And, yes! A place like Green Gables would be great for any unloved kid, though Marilla was a bit of a tough customer at first. 🙂

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              • It’s still very early on, Dave, but I think Marilla is my second favourite character, as she’s doing my favourite thing ever, which is becoming besotted, even though she doesn’t want to. It’s what I love about Bella ‘Edward is a vampire who thirsts for my blood, but I’m unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him anyway’, Beatrice ‘I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me’, and the future Mrs Rochester ‘While I breathe and think, I must love him’. Marilla obviously doesn’t have a romantic love for Anne, but I’m really enjoying her absolutely under no circumstances wanting Anne around. And Anne herself is such fun. Who wouldn’t be enchanted?

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                • Yes! It’s so compelling when a character becomes besotted despite not wanting to. Well said, Susan! (That line and your whole comment.) Involuntary besottedness has certainly happened to a number of characters in literature, as you noted.

                  And, yes again, it’s impossible to resist Anne’s charms, enthusiasm, intelligence, articulateness, insecurity, etc.!

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      • Drugs Dave, recreational fun thing ?
        Then it becomes a habit and more of it !
        We have a man come weekly to cut grasses, was supposed to come yesterday before the torrential rain starts, no show. I was annoyed called him, later he called back his rommie died of drug overdose .
        Why people choose that path ? He says…

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        • How awful about his roommate, bebe. 😦

          I never could get the appeal of drugs, even when used “recreationally.” Seems too risky.

          People are skeptical when I say this, but I’ve never used drugs (or even smoked marijuana). Just not worth it to me.

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      • Susan, I loved your story, even though somewhat depressing, but I hope Ben can rise above from his problematic home life and I truly believe a world of books can have a positive influence on just about anyone, especially since he’s so young.

        I also understand your and Dave’s thoughts about libraries, and I can remember very well my visits when I was a child, teen, and even as an adult. I was somewhat dismayed when I went to my new local library for a meeting, and when I asked about where the elevator was, I was informed that there wasn’t one. I never thought I’d ever be an advocate for disability rights, but I’ve become aware about how there are still many public places that aren’t handicapped-accessible. Not only the library in town, but the Borough building is just the same, or worse. Sorry, I didn’t mean to hijack your great comment, Susan, but there may be disabled folks who need that exposure to books that aren’t able to.

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        • Kat Lib, it’s VERY unfortunate when a library doesn’t have an escalator. I’m assuming that new-to-you library is in an old building? A shame it hasn’t been retrofitted to allow an elevator, unless that would interfere with a historic designation.

          My town has a fairly small branch library — one of those more-than-century-old Carnegie libraries — that has stairs without an elevator. But the main, much bigger library has an elevator.

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        • Thanks so much, Kat Lib. I didn’t know whether to post this, as I didn’t want to hi-jack Dave’s blog. But it did feel so Dickensian and I thought Who can I share this with? And of course I thought of you guys! I am so glad that Harry is getting Ben AWAY from that toxic environment, but I hadn’t even contemplated where he’s taking him TO. You’re right of course that a library can only be a good place for him. And you got me thinking… the entrance that I use to the library is stairs only, but I think on the other side there are stairs and a ramp. I’m going to have to check. I don’t think there’s anything remotely wrong with being an advocate for anyone’s rights. Most people are up on their two legs taking the world for granted. They don’t even notice the tiny rise they walk over to get into a shop, or the width of the doorway, until someone in a wheelchair points it out to them. If it can be pointed out, and changed to make everybody happy, then why not!

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          • Thanks, Susan, there are so many things one takes for granted when young and healthy — the operative word being the latter. It’s been up or down for me over the last six years. For at least half of those I needed a walker to get around, even a couple where I had two pumps to carry with me. I eventually got to where I can get around with a cane, but there are still times when I need to get back to needing the walker for safety’s sake. I’m not looking for pity, because there are so many people with disabilities much worse than mine, but I’ve certainly become attuned to the obstacles some of them face. Therefore, I notice places that are still not disabled-friendly, which is something that drives me crazy. Sorry, I didn’t mean to spend so much time talking about myself, but I also wanted to point out that sometimes disabilities some people have aren’t even visible.

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    • What a lovely story Susan, enjoyed reading it and wish the World is full of more of Susan then it will be a better place to live !

      Someone posted this is another place

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  4. Pingback: Best fiction and writing blogs | M.C. Tuggle, Writer

  5. I have spent most of the week contriving something I hope will be read at a relative’s memorial service (I won’t be present), but as I did, I thought from time to time on the week’s topic hereabouts and came up with:

    1.Night Work, a detective novel by Joseph Hansen, who wrote a series of detective novels featuring Dave Branstetter, a gay insurance investigator. In this one. Branstetter discovers, after the death of a truck driver, a scheme for illegally dumping hazardous waste.

    2. The Wanting Seed, by Anthony Burgess, set in an awful future full of overbearing government oversight directed most vigorously against unapproved procreation and for approved homosexual activities– seems the population is bigger than the means to feed it, so the Population Police directs itself against the population that would further populate. Dystopic ironies abound.

    3. I see you have listed Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, and would add to that “Horton hears a Who”, environmentalish in outlook, in that an entire colony of sentient beings, their culture, their great city, though exquisitely tiny, might be lost were it not for the cherishing concern of an elephant who will listen, much as the tiny coral polyps of the Great Barrier Reef will be lost, because we won’t.

    Congratulations on your new book’s earning, if but for a time, the Amazon “Best Seller” tag!

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    • Sorry about your relative’s death, jhNY. I’m sure what you wrote (or are writing) is highly eloquent.

      Thanks for naming three additional fiction books with environmental themes! That’s quite an accomplishment, because we’ve all been having trouble coming up with a lot of titles.

      Your mention of the Dave Branstetter novels reminds me that a few Jack Reacher novels had some environmental aspects (including rich evil guys treated the Earth poorly). But I can’t remember which. 🙂

      Thanks for the congratulations re my book! I got an extra “sales” boost via a free Kindle download offer (April 18-22) arranged by the publisher I’m working with.

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      • Yes, re Reacher. There’s that one ( a google search now tells me it’s “Nothing To Lose”) where depleted uranium extraction leads to, if I remember right, a big bang in the middle of nowhere twixt Hope and Despair, made even more of a nowhere by the big bang. I’m probably forgetting others…which is how I’ve managed to buy one twice, even after reading the summary on the back.

        I’ve also learned to resist reading the excerpts for his latest added after the novel text– in the airport, rushing about, I read the first page of one I hope I haven’t read, and it seems as if I have– because I have read the excerpt. Which means I’m skimming the next few pages before making my decision to buy and fly, or merely fly.

        Wish I was better at recognizing the titles too– but they are mostly forgettable or interchangeable or generic:

        Kill Time, Frozen Zero, Rocket’s Red Glare, Drop It, Home Fires, Bright Boy, Castle Keep, But Unbowed, Knife in a Gunfight, Snafu Bar,The Next Last Chance, Old Scars, Winning Ugly. If Lee Child should happen on this comment, he is welcome to all the new Reacher titles I just made up!

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        • Yes, as much as I love the Reacher novels, they do blur together. As I suppose is the case with many thriller series, mystery series, etc.

          And wise advice, jhNY, to resist reading those excerpted “teases” for the next novel. Advice I’ve always taken. 🙂

          Many of the great titles you named WOULD fit a Reacher novel! I can only add “Six-Foot-Five and Still Alive”…

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  6. Dave, sure is quiet here so far this week. Maybe everyone is on spring break or elsewhere. Another book I thought of was “The Age of Miracles” by Karen Thompson Walker, which was fascinating and quite well-written for a debut novel. The premise of the book is that the earth, for no reason spelled out that I remember, is going through the “slowing,” where every day is just a little bit longer than the one before. This is seen through the eyes of a young girl, Julia, with the effects it has on her family and friends. As the days keep getting longer, there comes a point where one can’t tell the difference literally between night and day. There are some who go by clock-time, and others by the normal sun-time. Very interesting, and it was reminiscent of something Ray Bradbury would write about (though not as well).

    OK, today I finally received my free copy of “Crime and Punishment” in the mail. I think I mentioned that this is new translation, and the cover is rather lurid considering it’s been published by Penguin Classics — it is mostly black and white, except for bright splotches of blood-red on the axe the man has in his hand and on the floor he is stepping through. I don’t know when I’ll get to reading it, especially since I’ve got the attention span of a gnat! 🙂

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    • Yes, very quiet, Kat Lib. 🙂 Still getting a lot of views (according to my blog’s stats section), but not many comments. As I’ve said, I think there are a lot more nonfiction books than novels with environmental themes, so not as much to talk about in a literature blog!

      “The Age of Miracles” sounds fascinating. It’s impressive how imaginative some sci-fi books and authors can be.

      Glad you received “Crime and Punishment”! That cover does sound a bit gory. Maybe Penguin is hoping for more sales for this up-and-coming Dostoyevsky fellow (who died in 1881)? 🙂

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      • You’re probably right about the cover for this new translation, which was to get attention that it might not have otherwise. I just looked at the back of this book and it looks like a graphic novel to me, though I’m not that familiar with that genre. To be honest with you, after finishing the crime novel by Laura Lippman, which took over two weeks (usually just one or two days) for me to finish, I picked up a collection of stories that appeared in a magazine called “American Girl” back in the very early 60’s. And no, it’s not the same thing as the doll and all the accoutrements one wants, but these were about teen girls and the many issues they (and I) faced, from the very minor to much more serious things. I pull it out now and then because I relate so much to many of the situations faced by the characters in these short stories — perhaps not a very diverse group other than one teen who was of Romani heritage. But hey, this was 1960, and I got the book in 1962 for an Xmas present. 🙂

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        • Thanks, Kat Lib!

          I haven’t read many graphic novels myself — maybe two or three. In a way, of course, they’re like comic books — albeit fancier, longer, more serious, etc.

          I hadn’t heard of “American Girl” magazine until seeing your comment, though I’m certainly familiar with the pricey “American Girl” dolls, books, etc., of more recent years. That magazine sounds like an interesting, nostalgic experience for you!

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  7. Good morning Dave. The first book I thought of was “On the Beach” which is a little strange, as I haven’t read it yet. Though I know we’ve discussed it before, and it’s definitely on my list. I also thought of McCarthy’s “The Road”. I don’t think it’s ever fully explained why the Earth has moved on the way it has, but the environment definitely didn’t win whatever war happened there.

    The phrase ‘moved on’ makes me think of “The Dark Tower” (just for something different) where they often say that Roland’s world has ‘moved on’. I don’t think that’s strictly speaking an environmental thing, however there are remnants of our world in Mid-World, so it’s clear that something must have happened.

    I haven’t read Jane Harper’s “The Dry”, however it seems quite environmental, set in an Australian farming community in drought conditions.

    I thought there were many other Australian environmental books, however Google isn’t giving me any results, so either there aren’t as many as I thought, or Google is stupid!

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    • Good evening from here, Sue!

      “On the Beach” is quite a novel — understated, and more psychological than frenzied, though humankind is definitely doomed.

      And you’re right about “The Road” — Cormac McCarthy is vague on what happened to the U.S., but it sure wasn’t good.

      “The Dry” does sound environmental!

      Like you, I also had trouble finding a lot of environmental novels (from any country) when I googled. As I said elsewhere, I guess there are more eco-related books in nonfiction than fiction.

      Thanks for commenting!

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  9. I have to think of some books related to environmental topic, John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath is a wonderful classic Dave.

    But we have American`s polluter in chief , polluting the environment with his lies and more of it makes him the liar in chief , he promised to accomplish so much instantly and now he thinks 100 days are ridiculous.Global warming is a nonsense, wants to cut the funds for basic science. De-fund PBS, NPR . Government shutdown is looming around but Trump must built the wall .
    Not a single thing 45 have accomplished in 100 days when he is the one promised all his promises will be kept instantly.

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    • Good morning, bebe, and thank you for the comment!

      Thinking of fiction with environmental themes is not easy — I know I had a hard time when writing my post. There are probably a lot more nonfiction books in that category, such as Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring,” etc., etc.!

      And, yes, Trump is not only literally allowing more pollution, but his nasty and lying words are polluting the political discourse and everything else. Breaking promises left and right (actually, right and right, given how ultra-conservative he’s been).

      You summed up the awful Trump so well in your comment.

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      • Again off topic Dave, have you looked at puffpo lately ? They have a new leader, changed the name and all the different sections gone. Also no comments via FB or otherwise.
        Could this be they are on their last lg ? Oh my…

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        • Wow, bebe — that sounds like a lot of major changes! I haven’t looked at HP as a whole for a LONG time; once in a while I’m brought to a specific piece on the site when I click on someone’s link. Will take a look after I post this comment.

          If it’s on its last legs, I won’t mourn…

          “puffpo” — love that nickname!

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          • I read the new editor’s letter announcing all the changes, and I must say, I could hardly grasp what the excitement was all about, beyond cosmetics (repulsive), given all the novel terms employed, all of which are probably sweeping the boardrooms of the interwebs just now, did I but know it.

            In his classic, Limbo Rock,Chubby Checker said it best:
            “How low can you go?”

            The site looks like a jumped up shopping blog now– but, and here’s a pro tip: if you click over to the UK HuffPo, they still aggregate news sources at the bottom, and you can read actual news from there– though it’s fraught with that cruel undertone that occasionally becomes the overtone which has always been a specialty of the British press.

            HuffPo? NuffPo!

            I predict ,since I loathe it, worldwide success for the new HuffPo.

            In another classic, John Lennon asked a question: How do you sleep?

            Arianna’s answer is obvious. On thousand-dollar sheets!

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            • “I could hardly grasp what the was excitement”– see what I did there? I’d appreciate a removal of ‘was’, as my sentence is Jamesian already, and needs no unintended confusion.

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            • I finally took a look at the “new” HP, bebe and jhNY, and read the editor’s letter as well. My strongest reaction: the word “populist” was actually used to describe HP? Puh-leeze…

              Great quips, wordplay, and “dialogue,” jhNY!

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            • HuffPo? NuffPo! Love it..

              We did call it PuffPO before.

              “In another classic, John Lennon asked a question: How do you sleep?”
              I always wondered about that too, it is actually riding on others back like Dave Astor for one !!!

              While the sleeping beauty snores after running to the bank with her billions !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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              • LOL, bebe! Yes, AH earned plenty of her money on the backs of unpaid bloggers. But we were very concerned that there might not be enough $$$ for her great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren in the year 2525, so we were happy to help. 🙂

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        • There is a a symbol at the top left of the front page (three short teal lines on top of each other). If you click on it, the menu of offerings remaining is revealed.

          Amazing to think of all the hard work involved in getting the graphics and typography to resemble a Danish railway timetable from 1965.

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          • Way too subtle. I probably wouldn’t have clicked on that if you hadn’t told me, even though I was trying to figure out where everything was.

            “Amazing to think of all the hard work involved in getting the graphics and typography to resemble a Danish railway timetable from 1965” — LOL! They must have used focus groups, too… 🙂

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  10. Hi Dave, you probably remember how much I loved both “Flight Behavior” and “Prodigal Summer” by Kingsolver, although my favorite of her novels that I’ve read is “The Poisonwood Bible.” This book also probably fits in with this theme quite well, considering her advanced degree in ecology and evolutionary biology.

    The most fitting novel for this topic that comes to mind for me is “Dune” by Frank Herbert, a well-known piece of science fiction from the 1960’s. There are so many characters, plotlines, ecosystems and issues touched on in this book that I can’t find anyway to briefly describe it or the amazing worlds he created. So, I’ll go the Wikipedia page to quote from that: “Environmentalists have pointed out that Dune’s popularity as a novel depicting a planet as a complex—almost living—thing, in combination with the first images of earth from space being published in the same time period, strongly influenced environmental movements such as the establishment of the international Earth Day.”

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    • Thank you, Kat Lib! From what you eloquently said, from what the Wikipedia paragraph you posted eloquently said, and from what I’ve heard about it, “Dune” is a perfect addition to this topic.

      I came across mentions of that Frank Herbert novel when googling environment-themed books for this week’s post, but decided not to include it myself because I hadn’t read it (yet). 🙂

      “The Poisonwood Bible” is also my favorite Barbara Kingsolver novel, but “Flight Behavior” and “Prodigal Summer” are more directly ecological, as you know. And, yes, Kingsolver has the academic and work experience to expertly address environmental topics.

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