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The Big Flatline: Oil And The No-Growth Economy (2012)

by Jeff Rubin(Favorite Author)

4.09 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0230342183 (ISBN13: 9780230342187)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

Palgrave Macmillan Trade

review 1: Great topic. This book is a bit dry for two reasons. 1. The subject matter is going to make it dry. 2. The author isn't THAT exciting so don't expect to be riveted. What will you learn? 1. Denmark and most other greenish countries largely use dirty coal. 2. the importance of Barotrauma 3. that the permanent end of growth is at hand and why 4. the year coal peaked in the US 5. End of growth will mean a dramatic lowering of emissions and will slow climate change and make the air more breathable for all of us than those who don't think about things would think. 6. other stuff. I have to read everything on this topic (of peak oil/end of growth/collapse and curtailment/geopolitical and financial reasons for endless war) and so I continue to do so. I've read over 100 books on ... morethis subject and would recommend others first, however I'm glad I read this book because it made my understanding stronger. I'd recommend to readers first Pat Murphy's Plan C, Richard Heinberg's Peak Everything, Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed's A User's Guide to the Crisis of Civilization: and How to Save It or Jerry Mander, the Capitalism Papers.
review 2: I spotted this book on a library display and immediately checked it out. I have read quite a few books and various articles on peak oil, and am a committed locavore whenever possible. This is a subject that many people choose to ignore because the facts are not pleasant; among those people choosing to ignore reality being virtually the entire political world.This book tackles that large problem, along with many other topics relating to peak oil, and does so in such a readable and interesting way, it's like you're having a conversation with the author. Like I said, I've read several books on peak oil, and this is BY FAR AND AWAY the easiest for the layperson to read. I finished it in one day because I just couldn't put it down. That's not normally the case for books on peak oil.This is the perfect book for people who want an easy-to-read and easy-to-understand introduction to the peak oil idea. He takes some assumptions that are gospel in some circles, and turns them on their head. If you have very strong opinions on the topic and are not open to reconsidering any of them, then this is not the book for you. Actually, I think this is JUST the book for you, because I feel it's important to be open to new ideas and possibilities, but you may not agree with me. ;-)My only critique of the book is that I thought there would be more hands-on info on how to thrive in a no-growth world. What professions are best to be in? What are some good long-term goals people should put into place in order to adjust to this brave new world we're about to enter? The author touches only very lightly on the topic, and for that reason, I'd knock a half star off if Goodreads let me, but alas, it does not. As it is, the book was otherwise so superb, I decided to go ahead with a five-star rating.He has written another book called "Why Your World is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller" - I look forward to reading that next. less

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