Dirt :The Erosion of Civilizations

4.01 ( 1,328 Ratings by Goodreads)
Dirt

Dirt :The Erosion of Civilizations

(Author)
4.01 (1,328 Ratings by Goodreads)
paperback
Published: 27 April, 2012
Standard worldwide delivery by Tue, June 16 - Fri, June 19
Order within 0
Condition: NEW
$28.40
Price includes shipping
Available 1 in stock
- +
Add to basket Wishlist This
FREE Returns within 30 days
More Details

Popular Books by David R. Montgomery

View All Books by David R. Montgomery
Growing a Revolution
Growing a Revolution
David R. Montgomery
$21.02
New
Add to basket
The Hidden Half of Nature
The Hidden Half of Nature
David R. Montgomery
$21.02
New
Add to basket
What Your Food Ate
What Your Food Ate
David R. Montgomery
$21.62
New
Add to basket
What Your Food Ate
What Your Food Ate
David R. Montgomery
$31.18 $32.22
New
Add to basket
The Rocks Don't Lie
The Rocks Don't Lie
David R. Montgomery
$13.38 $28.19
Used
Add to basket
Memories of Chicano History
Memories of Chicano History
David R. Montgomery
$50.05
New
Add to basket
Environmental Science and Sustainability
Environmental Science and Sustainability
David R. Montgomery
$138.38 $158.47
New
Add to basket
ReGen
ReGen
David R. Montgomery
$33.95
New
Pre-order Now

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, and 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.
See more

More Details

Type Book
ISBN13 9780520272903
ISBN10 0520272900
Number Of Pages 296
Item Weight 499 g
Product Dimensions 152 x 229 x 18 mm
Publisher / Reseller University of California Press
Format paperback
Edition 2nd edition
See More +

Media Reviews

"Anyone interested in environmental issues should read this book... Entertains and stimulates thought." Times Higher Ed Sup (Thes) "Fascinating insights into what be our most precious natural resource and gives important pointers toward sustainable land management." Bioscience "How societies fare in the long run depends on how they treat their soils. Simple. Concise. You are your dirt." -- Carol Ekarius Hobby Farms "Sobering... A timely text that will no doubt stimulate the discussion of this issue, and its potential solutions, for years to come." Environment & History "Strengthen[s] appreciation for how important the soil is to our existence." Great Plains Research "This book is a thorough and enlightening treatment of the topic." The Perennial Bookworm "Sounds an ever timely and necessary clarion call." Vadose Zone Journal

Show more

GoodReads Reviews

Author's Bio

David R. Montgomery, Professor of Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Washington, is author of King of Fish: The Thousand-Year Run of Salmon.

Show more