Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations |  | Author: David R. Montgomery
Publisher: University of California Press
Category: Book
List Price: $16.95
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Rating:  24 reviews
Sales Rank: 29913
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Pages: 296
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 5.5 x 0.8
ISBN: 0520258061
Dewey Decimal Number: 508
EAN: 9780520258068
ASIN: 0520258061
Publication Date: October 2, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Dirt, soil, call it what you want--it's everywhere we go. It is the root of our existence, supporting our feet, our farms, our cities. This fascinating yet disquieting book finds, however, that we are running out of dirt, and it's no laughing matter. An engaging natural and cultural history of soil that sweeps from ancient civilizations to modern times, Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations explores the compelling idea that we are--and have long been--using up Earth's soil. Once bare of protective vegetation and exposed to wind and rain, cultivated soils erode bit by bit, slowly enough to be ignored in a single lifetime but fast enough over centuries to limit the lifespan of civilizations. A rich mix of history, archaeology and geology, Dirt traces the role of soil use and abuse in the history of Mesopotamia, Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, China, European colonialism, Central America, and the American push westward. We see how soil has shaped us and we have shaped soil--as society after society has risen, prospered, and plowed through a natural endowment of fertile dirt. David R. Montgomery sees in the recent rise of organic and no-till farming the hope for a new agricultural revolution that might help us avoid the fate of previous civilizations.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 24
 The demise of soil September 13, 2007
John E. Vidale (Seattle, WA USA)
21 out of 24 found this review helpful
Policy makers at all levels as well as concerned citizens should take Dave's lessons to heart. In addition, this is THE book for the layman wondering anything about dirt's role in human history and its fate.
With unrelenting precision, Dave builds the case-by-case history of civilizations misusing the dirt to their ultimate misfortune. As a top-flight scientist and admirable philosopher, he lays bare the storyline of people first using dirt modestly, then disturbing and losing their topsoil in dozens of cases spanning the globe and ranging from pre-history to the present.
The progression of dirt degradation becomes very familiar by the end - one wonders how many more times and on what grand scale the failures will again become apparent.
A caveat - Dave is a colleague of mine, as well as an entertaining pop-folk guitar, who leads with guitar and vocals the local band "Big Dirt".
Essential reading September 15, 2007
J. R. Brownell (CA USA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This should be essential reading for any resource planner, all levels of elected policy makers and anyone that has read Jared Diamond, i. e. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed
one of the best reads going November 27, 2007
Cerridwen (Berne, NY USA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
as an anthro/archaeology major (albeit years ago), history buff, lover of geology/mother earth and tree whisperer, words fail me to adequately express the impact this small book had on me and a small cohort of friends. it is far more than a wakeup call; it is a call to learn from our collective past and take responsibility for our actions so as to safeguard the future of our children and generations to come.
read it; recommend it; give it as a present; make a plan and take action
if not now, when? if not us, who?
A Fascinating and Rich Synthesis of Ideas October 6, 2008
R. Mohan (Washington, DC, USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Just finished this book, and it's a 'must have'.
A masterly synthesis of ideas! If you have a background in any ONE of
agriculture, soil science, history, geology, anthropology, geopolitics,
or public policy, this book may well 'keep you up at night'. I found
certain passages so exciting I had to read them aloud to others.
He covers a broad swath of history, from dozens of millenia ago, up
the present day. Montgomery snaps his prose into sharp temporal
detail when necessary, and pulls back focus to general scientific principles as needed to illustrate points. I actually learned things
about the Civil War which deeply enlightened and informed
the military and economic and social information I already had. Heck, I
learned things about tobacco and cotton I didn't know!
I grateful that despite the fact that he touches on all manner of
'hot button' issues -- on climate change, genetically-modified organisms, government programs, slavery, and public policy, he is never
polemical, never preachy. Any of these topics could have easily turned
into a polarizing 'rant' and diluted the fine scientific tone of his
work, but he steers far, far clear, presenting facts, context,
references and a flow of events all in an extremely readable, almost
conversational tone.
If you are interested in any aspect of food, history, culture, public
policy, agriculture, or geomorphology, I recommend this book very
very highly indeed.
I truly hope you read it and if you enjoy it even one-tenth as much as I did, you'll be glad you did!
Most Important Resource on Earth February 12, 2009
Myrna Walberg (Quebec, Canada)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Without soil the whole of humanity would perish. Everything on which life depends come from soil. This book is a wakeup call. Basic greed seems to put blinkers on humanity to not learn from past civilizations who have wasted soil-let it erode away -and also pushed themselves into oblivian.
Are we going to do the same to ourselves? A few years of drought or floods in these times of eratic weather will leave our supermarket shelves empty. Sadly we already have poor quality foods in supermarkets because of less than well-cared for soils.
Soil is so basic to life that it should be taught in Basic Life Skills courses in schools. Everyone should have an understanding of soil.
Bravo Mr. Montgomery for your very extensive research and sharing it with us.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 24
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