The Nature of Tomorrow: A History of the Environmental Future

· Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by BJ Harrison
Audiobook
8 hr 29 min
Unabridged
Eligible
Ratings and reviews aren’t verified  Learn More
Want a 55 min sample? Listen anytime, even offline. 
Add

About this audiobook

An examination of how Western visions of endless future growth have contributed to the global environmental crisis For centuries, the West has produced stories about the future in which humans use advanced science and technology to transform the earth. Michael Rawson uses a wide range of works that include Francis Bacon's New Atlantis, the science fiction novels of Jules Verne, and even the speculations of think tanks like the RAND Corporation to reveal the environmental paradox at the heart of these narratives: the single-minded expectation of unlimited growth on a finite planet. Rawson shows how these stories, which have long pervaded Western dreams about the future, have helped to enable an unprecedentedly abundant and technology-driven lifestyle for some while bringing the threat of environmental disaster to all. Adapting to ecological realities, he argues, hinges on the ability to create new visions of tomorrow that decouple growth from the idea of progress.

About the author

Michael Rawson is professor of history at Brooklyn College and the Graduate Center, City University of New York. He is the author of Eden on the Charles: The Making of Boston, which was the recipient of numerous awards and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

Since iTunes named his as one of the top podcasts of 2007, BJ Harrison has continued to wow audiences. With more than 750 audiobooks to his credit, BJ has an astounding array of character voices, dialects, and accents at his fingertips, coupled with an impressive depth of interpretation.

Rate this audiobook

Tell us what you think.

Listening information

Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can read books purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.