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Earth Then and Now: Amazing Images of Our Changing World
300 stunning before-and-after photographs that show the staggering transformation of our world.
Earth Then and Now records the dramatic way our planet has changed over the past century. On one page is a specific part of the world as it was 5, 20, 50 or even 100 years ago. On the facing page is the same place as it looks today. Each stark visual comparison tells a compelling story -- a melting glacier, an expanding desert, an encroaching cityscape, a natural disaster.
Earth Then and Now reminds us that nothing is without a cost. Highly topical and thought provoking chapters in this book include:
Environmental change Bearing witness to the effects of global warming
Industrialization Revealing the hidden costs of "progress"
Urbanization Showing the effects of our spreading cities
Natural disasters Reminding us of the power of nature
War Using comparisons to show the impact of armed conflict
Travel and tourism Illustrating the predatory nature of development. Concise captions explain the facts and then allow the reader to draw personal conclusions. Anyone concerned about the environment will enjoy and appreciate Earth Then and Now.
Earth Then and Now records the dramatic way our planet has changed over the past century. On one page is a specific part of the world as it was 5, 20, 50 or even 100 years ago. On the facing page is the same place as it looks today. Each stark visual comparison tells a compelling story -- a melting glacier, an expanding desert, an encroaching cityscape, a natural disaster.
Earth Then and Now reminds us that nothing is without a cost. Highly topical and thought provoking chapters in this book include:
Environmental change Bearing witness to the effects of global warming
Industrialization Revealing the hidden costs of "progress"
Urbanization Showing the effects of our spreading cities
Natural disasters Reminding us of the power of nature
War Using comparisons to show the impact of armed conflict
Travel and tourism Illustrating the predatory nature of development. Concise captions explain the facts and then allow the reader to draw personal conclusions. Anyone concerned about the environment will enjoy and appreciate Earth Then and Now.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
1 person is currently reading
198 people want to read
About the author
Fred Pearce
65 books94 followersFred Pearce is an English author and journalist based in London. He has been described as one of Britain's finest science writers and has reported on environment, popular science and development issues from 64 countries over the past 20 years. He specialises in global environmental issues, including water and climate change, and frequently takes heretic and counter-intuitive views - "a sceptic in the best sense", he says.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
January 17, 2013
Wow! What an exhilarating experience. The photographers took the initiative to capture moments/images by juxtaposition the images (placing it side by side) and at the same place even years later. The book is divided into several parts on land transformation/urbanisation, culture and arts. force of nature etc.
I agree with my sister, how Korea reclaimed the river had been such a good initiative. I doubt that my county shall do the same :p
The images are vibrant, showing humankind impact/human leaving footprints on earth. There's vast difference and most of the footprints left destructing effect on nature :'(
One of the pictures/images that struck me most is the satellite image on Palestinian's occupation on which walls erected by Israel to separate them from the outside world after Palestinian's uprising. The vast difference on the fields/hills which is not within the walls had became yellowish in colour compared to previous image on which the fields were green and looks bounty, just because I believe the Palestinians don't have access to the fields. The lands were left depleted and aging.
I agree with my sister, how Korea reclaimed the river had been such a good initiative. I doubt that my county shall do the same :p
The images are vibrant, showing humankind impact/human leaving footprints on earth. There's vast difference and most of the footprints left destructing effect on nature :'(
One of the pictures/images that struck me most is the satellite image on Palestinian's occupation on which walls erected by Israel to separate them from the outside world after Palestinian's uprising. The vast difference on the fields/hills which is not within the walls had became yellowish in colour compared to previous image on which the fields were green and looks bounty, just because I believe the Palestinians don't have access to the fields. The lands were left depleted and aging.
March 5, 2022
Amazing photographs, taken of the same place, separated by several or many years and showing the transformation of landscapes. Some are shocking (such as glacier retreat, urban development, desertification, deforestation), others totally surprising (creation of urban green space where where concrete or highway was before, development of tourist resorts in previously unspoilt landscapes, mega reservoirs flooding vast areas behind man made dams). This is a fascinating and eye-opening view of the world.
January 5, 2013
After a few rereads, this one is a treasure in my household. Thanks to its poweful images, where 'pictures tell a thousand words', this one is really an impactful book showing the destruction of men on earth.
It was separated in 6 sections; environmental change, urbanisation, land transformation, forces of nature, war and conflict, and leisure and culture.
The most powerful image was when Seoul reclaimed back its dead river in the centre of the city. This shows that human can make a difference for a much better environment.
Definitely a must read or a must look book because of the then and now images.
It was separated in 6 sections; environmental change, urbanisation, land transformation, forces of nature, war and conflict, and leisure and culture.
The most powerful image was when Seoul reclaimed back its dead river in the centre of the city. This shows that human can make a difference for a much better environment.
Definitely a must read or a must look book because of the then and now images.
July 29, 2014
As others have said, this is a fascinating book. In a general sense, the pictures all show how the world has changed, and the text gives details about those changes. Specifically, this book focuses upon the many negative effects that humans have had upon the environment through urbanization, pollution, resource-mining, warfare, etc. It's a sobering wake-up call about the devastating effects we can have upon the natural environment. This book is easily absorbed in bite-sized chunks, and it made fascinating reading over my lunches for a period of time.
April 21, 2021
A nice book showing sets of photos, one from the past and one from the present. It's divided into six sections: Envirnmental Change, Urbanization, Land Transformation, Forces of Nature, War and Conflict, and Leisure and Culture. Some interesting photos, it was fun to just thumb through.
March 23, 2014
4 mining-related photographs that got my attention:
1. Bingham Canyon, USA - World's largest man-mad hole. Currently owned by Rio Tinto, KUC
2. Atacama Desert Chile - owned by BHP Biliton and Rio Tinto. Open pit copper mine
3. Cape York, Austrlaian - owned by Weipa for Aluminum mining
5. Nauru, Pacific Oceam - Phosphates were mined aggressive, now left for reforestation
Other pics that got my attention were:
1. Stieregg Restaurant, Switzerland: 2004, mountain erosion ensured that restaurant was falling off the cliff.
Same thing happened to Holbeck Hall in Scarborough in England.
2. Maldives Island in Indian Ocean, shoreline being reduced
3. Hitzacker, Germany: Beautiful Medieval German town that sat on River Elba was flooded.
New Orleans pictures: Before and after Katrina
There are many other pictures of rivers receding/shrinking, glaciers melting, mountain tops losing massive snow caps that make strong impact.
This book needs to be visited again.
1. Bingham Canyon, USA - World's largest man-mad hole. Currently owned by Rio Tinto, KUC
2. Atacama Desert Chile - owned by BHP Biliton and Rio Tinto. Open pit copper mine
3. Cape York, Austrlaian - owned by Weipa for Aluminum mining
5. Nauru, Pacific Oceam - Phosphates were mined aggressive, now left for reforestation
Other pics that got my attention were:
1. Stieregg Restaurant, Switzerland: 2004, mountain erosion ensured that restaurant was falling off the cliff.
Same thing happened to Holbeck Hall in Scarborough in England.
2. Maldives Island in Indian Ocean, shoreline being reduced
3. Hitzacker, Germany: Beautiful Medieval German town that sat on River Elba was flooded.
New Orleans pictures: Before and after Katrina
There are many other pictures of rivers receding/shrinking, glaciers melting, mountain tops losing massive snow caps that make strong impact.
This book needs to be visited again.
August 25, 2014
There were some pretty amazing pictures in the book. Each then and now picture had a write up so you knew what each picture was telling you. Some of the pictures in the first chapter were all about climate changes and most seemed to be preaching Global Warming. Once you get passed that then you can see actual changes in topography for many reasons, some man-made and others nature made. I learned about places I never previous heard about, saw places I'd never travel to, and saw changes in areas I'd seen before but never thought about how the area was changed. One of those was what the effects a volcanic eruption has on an area. I am also amazed at the actual pictures and the history behind them.
January 18, 2016
Current photos of places around the world are printed side-by-side with earlier photos of the same location. The changes are due to such things as urbanization, war, forces of nature and climate change.
It is quite fascinating, even though most of the changes are depressing. Fishing ships rust on desert sand, 100 km from the current shore of the Aral Sea. This has happened because the two rivers that fed this inland sea have been diverted to irrigating fields of cotton. A few changes are nice to see, like the clearer air over Mexico City after 20 years of concerted effort to reduce smog.
There is just enough text to give context; most of this book is pictorial.
It is quite fascinating, even though most of the changes are depressing. Fishing ships rust on desert sand, 100 km from the current shore of the Aral Sea. This has happened because the two rivers that fed this inland sea have been diverted to irrigating fields of cotton. A few changes are nice to see, like the clearer air over Mexico City after 20 years of concerted effort to reduce smog.
There is just enough text to give context; most of this book is pictorial.
April 25, 2009
A really, really, really good book. Images of our changing world. Each pair of photographs or satellite images has been selected to tell a compelling story--of a melting glacier, an ever-rising cityscape, or a volcanic eruption.
A very cool book! Not much texts which makes it even cooler, and the pictures in this 288 pages of book are amazing! We can see the difference and the changing in our world between 5 years or 10 years, even in one century and present day. Sometimes the images are shocking, but always fascinating.
Pokoknya intinya bagooosss laahh :D
A very cool book! Not much texts which makes it even cooler, and the pictures in this 288 pages of book are amazing! We can see the difference and the changing in our world between 5 years or 10 years, even in one century and present day. Sometimes the images are shocking, but always fascinating.
Pokoknya intinya bagooosss laahh :D
February 29, 2008
This is a really neat coffee table book (it might be too big or heavy for the bathroom). It's basically a series of before and after photos with minimal text arranged in six categories (environmental change, urbanization, land transformation, forces of nature, war and conflict, leisure and culture). Some of the contrasts are truly amazing; most photos/captions are educational. I'm a slow reader, and I looked through the book in less than two hours.
May 9, 2011
Shocking images of the earth after man or natural events have occured to alter the landscape, along with a brief commentary. Spectacular photos from nearly the same spot over time picturing the differences.
I might be getting old, but the print was WAY TOO SMALL! I think the book could have been a little larger, also. This would have provided us with bigger, more amazing images, and then the font could have been bumped up a bit, or even thickened.
I might be getting old, but the print was WAY TOO SMALL! I think the book could have been a little larger, also. This would have provided us with bigger, more amazing images, and then the font could have been bumped up a bit, or even thickened.
February 29, 2008
I love this book! The before and after photos are stunning and emphasize how much change can occur in a fairly short time. I gave this to my brother for his birthday, and his family all were fascinated.
January 22, 2009
Mostly fascinating (satellite photography is so cool), some very sad (we humans are hard on our planet and each other).
The writing was not stellar, so thank heavens the visual content pretty much speaks for itself.
The writing was not stellar, so thank heavens the visual content pretty much speaks for itself.
October 6, 2008
Amazing is right. Jaw-dropping contrasts- some photos are over a hundred years apart, others just a few years. Very powerful. The text is minimal, and it works out well that way. The images are worth, well, you know.
July 18, 2011
The power is in the photographs. Some amazing stories told in these images - stories of greed, war, "progress"... the book leaves the reader with no doubt that humans' existence has irrevocably changed our Earth.
July 29, 2011
Photographs document the changes in our cities and landscapes ... sometimes for the worse, such as the examples of rampant urbanisation or the desertification of the Aral Sea. And sometimes for the better, such as the greening of buildings with roof gardens. Absorbing and informative.
October 29, 2017
看完不願面對的真相再來看這本圖文書, 心中會很有感覺!
這本書透過一幅幅前後對照的圖片, 讓我們看到地球在環境、氣候、景觀、都市化的遽變! 發現我們人類真是地球上最可怕的生物了, 無論是有意或無意地, 居然可以把地貌改變到這種程度!
其中就都市化一節, 一直很疑惑的是, 雖然都市化人口集中帶來了不少負面的影響, 甚至有一說, 認為地球為了供養這些都市造成大量能源消耗! 但是��果以地球人口這麼多, 或許都市化把人口集約才是最有效率的吧, 如果將都市人口再釋放出去, 地球上還會有一點淨土的存在嗎??
這本書透過一幅幅前後對照的圖片, 讓我們看到地球在環境、氣候、景觀、都市化的遽變! 發現我們人類真是地球上最可怕的生物了, 無論是有意或無意地, 居然可以把地貌改變到這種程度!
其中就都市化一節, 一直很疑惑的是, 雖然都市化人口集中帶來了不少負面的影響, 甚至有一說, 認為地球為了供養這些都市造成大量能源消耗! 但是��果以地球人口這麼多, 或許都市化把人口集約才是最有效率的吧, 如果將都市人口再釋放出去, 地球上還會有一點淨土的存在嗎??
July 19, 2009
read this review and others at http://readingforsanity.blogspot.com/...
February 2, 2010
It's amazing how destructive humans are....very sad indeed!
January 21, 2010
worth looking through... amazing!
October 21, 2014
Neato pictures. I really enjoyed learning about how the Earth changes while getting a really cool visual.
February 7, 2012
Amazing, astonishing, depressing, terrifying, and beautiful.
October 25, 2012
Awesome!
October 27, 2009
If you have any doubts about global warming, this book will convince you!
September 5, 2014
Beautiful photography depicting the often harrowing changes altering our planet's surface.
April 8, 2017
Very interesting!
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews