John Feeney

Books

• Against the Grain: How Agriculture has Hijacked Civilization
  By Richard Manning. Good look at the problem of agriculture.
• Cannibals and Kings: The Origins of Cultures
  Anthropologist Marvin Harris offers a sweeping yet succinct account of the ecological underpinnings of human culture from pre- to post-agriculture. Essential reading for understanding the "big picture."
• Endgame, Vol. 1: The Problem of Civilization
  Is civilization itself simply unsustainable? Derrick Jensen tackles that question, bridging well the social and the ecological.
• Ishmael
  Daniel Quinn's classic. A simple, convincing argument, presented in an entertaining novel, for how we ended up in the corner we're in today and how we might look for a way out. For many readers this one triggers a new understanding.
• Limits to Growth: The 30-Year Update
  Update of the seminal study of the problem of the modern growth imperative.
• Overshoot: The Ecological Basis for Revolutionary Change
  Essential examination of the basis for our modern ecological challenge. Exceptional clarity of thought. If I could recommend only one book, this would be in the running.
• Sparing Nature: The Conflict Between Human Population Growth and Earth's Biodiversity
  Expands on anthropologist Jeffrey McKee's (and colleagues') important study. The current mass extinction goes grossly underreported in the media. Its fundamental connection to human population size and growth is even less often discussed.
• The Population Explosion
  Solid overview from Paul and Anne Ehrlich, two of the pioneering voices.
• Too Many People
  Brief, accurate population primer by Lindsey Grant.