A Rough Ride to the Future - Softcover

Lovelock, James

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1468312634 ISBN 13: 9781468312638

Publisher: Abrams Press, 2016

Synopsis

Now in his 95th year, James Lovelock has been hailed as “the man who conceived the first wholly new way of looking at life on earth since Charles Darwin” (Independent) and “the most profound scientific thinker of our time” (Literary Review).  A Rough Ride to the Future introduces two new Lovelock­ian ideas. The first is that three hundred years ago, when Thomas Newcomen invented the steam engine, he was un­knowingly beginning what Lovelock calls “accelerated evolu­tion,” a process that is bringing about change on our planet roughly a million times faster than Darwinian evolution. The second is that as part of this process, humanity has the capacity to become the intelligent part of Gaia, the self-regulating earth system whose discovery Lovelock first an­nounced nearly fifty years ago.  A Rough Ride to the Future is also an intellectual autobiography, in which Lovelock reflects on his life as a lone scientist, and asks―eloquently―whether his career trajec­tory is possible in an age of increased bureaucratization.  We are now changing the atmosphere again, and Lovelock argues that there is little that can be done about this. But instead of feeling guilty, we should recognize what is happening, prepare for change, and ensure that we survive as a species so we can contribute to―perhaps even guide―the next evolution of Gaia. The road will be rough, but if we are smart enough, life will continue on earth in some form far into the future.

About this title

About the Author

James Lovelock is the originator of the Gaia Hypothesis (now Gaia Theory), on which he has written several books, including The Revenge of Gaia and The Vanishing Face of Gaia. He has been a fellow of the Royal Society since 1974, and he has been an honorary visiting fellow of Green College, University of Oxford since 1994. In 2003 he was made a Companion of Honour by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Review

 

“Arresting and disturbing . . . Lovelock writes wonderfully well. With the authority of age, his voice is that of an elder statesman . . . The result is mellifluous and fluent.” —Nature

 

“Though the subject matter could scarcely be more discouraging, Lovelock’s fluent prose and vast range of knowledge make it a surprisingly easy read. . . . His writing has enormous warmth and vitality.” —Financial Times

 

“The most important book for me this year . . . Lovelock is the most prescient of scientists. . . . He has given us a handbook for human survival.” —John Gray, The Guardian

"In this way, Lovelock’s book becomes not simply another look at Mother Nature’s uncertain future, but a revealing glimpse at the life of an outspoken and accomplished man of ideas" —Publishers Weekly

"There is much to wrestle with in Lovelock's latests provocative rant." —Booklist

About this edition

• Publisher: Abrams Press
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1468312634
• ISBN 13: 9781468312638
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 208