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The Edge of Extinction: Travels with Enduring People in Vanishing Lands
In The Edge of Extinction , Jules Pretty explores life and change in a dozen environments and cultures across the world, taking us on a series of remarkable journeys through deserts, coasts, mountains, steppes, snowscapes, marshes, and farms to show that there are many different ways to live in cooperation with nature. From these accounts of people living close to the land and close to the edge emerge a larger story about sustainability and the future of the planet. Pretty addresses not only current threats to natural and cultural diversity but also the unsustainability of modern lifestyles typical of industrialized countries. In a very real sense, Pretty discovers, what we manage to preserve now may well save us later. Jules Pretty’s travels take him among the Māori people along the coasts of the Pacific, into the mountains of China, and across petroglyph-rich deserts of Australia. He treks with nomads over the continent-wide steppes of Tuva in southern Siberia, walks and boats in the wildlife-rich inland swamps of southern Africa, and experiences the Arctic with ice fishermen in Finland. He explores the coasts and inland marshes of eastern England and Northern Ireland and accompanies Innu people across the taiga’s snowy forests and the lakes of the Labrador interior. Pretty concludes his global journey immersed in the discrete cultures and landscapes embedded within the American landscape: the small farms of the Amish, the swamps of the Cajuns in the deep South, and the deserts of California. The diverse people Pretty meets in The Edge of Extinction display deep pride in their relationships with the land and are only willing to join with the modern world on their own terms. By the examples they set, they offer valuable lessons for anyone seeking to find harmony in a world cracking under the pressures of apparently insatiable consumption patterns of the affluent.
- GenresNonfictionTravelNature
240 pages, Hardcover
First published October 29, 2014
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203 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 17, 2023
Oh man, this book had me really torn and I've dallied between a 5 and a 3 star rating for ages, but I'm going to settle on a 3 star for the following reasons.
Firstly, Jules Pretty's writing style is quite odd in this book; he often writes in a Yoda like manner with sentences, back to front are they! Mmmm! It's really weird and can be a little disconcerting.
The places he visits are beautifully described but they ultimately left me feeling quite depressed. Marginalized, mistreated, misaligned peoples that have been terribly badly done to by government over the years. He tells the story of individuals and communities in disappearing cultures and histories, and its really quite saddening. There is also a lot of talk about hunting, shooting etc which I'm not a fan of.
The ultimate reason for my 3 star review is that I went by this question, did the book bring me joy? Despite the odd flash of brilliance in a sentence, sadly, no. Would I read this again? No, definitely not. Would I recommend it? Hmmm, I would at a push but there are better books out there covering this genre of writing.
So 3 stars.
Firstly, Jules Pretty's writing style is quite odd in this book; he often writes in a Yoda like manner with sentences, back to front are they! Mmmm! It's really weird and can be a little disconcerting.
The places he visits are beautifully described but they ultimately left me feeling quite depressed. Marginalized, mistreated, misaligned peoples that have been terribly badly done to by government over the years. He tells the story of individuals and communities in disappearing cultures and histories, and its really quite saddening. There is also a lot of talk about hunting, shooting etc which I'm not a fan of.
The ultimate reason for my 3 star review is that I went by this question, did the book bring me joy? Despite the odd flash of brilliance in a sentence, sadly, no. Would I read this again? No, definitely not. Would I recommend it? Hmmm, I would at a push but there are better books out there covering this genre of writing.
So 3 stars.
November 6, 2014
Simply the title of this fascinated me - I have always been interested in remote places and so insights into their possible survival in the modern world struck me as being of value. The scope of this book is simply vast covering a dozen or more very diverse locations around the world. Not only are those locations diverse but the current state of those locations vary widely as do the threats to their extinction. In some cases the threats are passive indifference while in others those threats are generated directly or indirectly by you and I through current governments.
The book is knowledgeable in so many areas; history (from the very ancient to relatively modern) geography, geology, biology, sociology to name but a few. I did find it more descriptive than analytical which was not I had been expecting. However once I'd realised that I found the book had a charm to it with some wonderfully descriptive chapters. To say that the places visited are steeped in history would be an understatement of enormous proportions. These are tales from truly remote places in part although some are deeply embedded in the modern world such as the Amish settlements of the USA. Some of these places really only have echoes of a time when they were inhabited; the Burrup or Murujuga in north western Australia would be an example of this. In some cases there is a very strong feel of the isolation of those remaining. That does not imply that there is a lack of community simply that some of these communities are or feel very isolated; places such as Karelia or Labrador illustrate this well for me. Some chapters held me almost spellbound and I loved them, other chapters failed to touch me in quite the same way though. In part I'm sure that this is due to my interest in some areas rather than others however there were also times when I found the writing style a little idiosyncratic and maybe disjointed but that was quite rare.
In the end these and other places are under threat due to the interest or disinterest of an unthinking modern world intent on making the most of places it has no real understanding of. Sadly this book may not change that however it should appeal to those with an interest in such things. Equally people who do have an interest in deep human history and the lives of those who were distantly our forefathers should enjoy this book. Those whose interest is simply travel will also find this a very accessible read. I must say I have never read a book that has caused me to look up so many words or google so many places and I am grateful for that.
Disclosure - I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.
The book is knowledgeable in so many areas; history (from the very ancient to relatively modern) geography, geology, biology, sociology to name but a few. I did find it more descriptive than analytical which was not I had been expecting. However once I'd realised that I found the book had a charm to it with some wonderfully descriptive chapters. To say that the places visited are steeped in history would be an understatement of enormous proportions. These are tales from truly remote places in part although some are deeply embedded in the modern world such as the Amish settlements of the USA. Some of these places really only have echoes of a time when they were inhabited; the Burrup or Murujuga in north western Australia would be an example of this. In some cases there is a very strong feel of the isolation of those remaining. That does not imply that there is a lack of community simply that some of these communities are or feel very isolated; places such as Karelia or Labrador illustrate this well for me. Some chapters held me almost spellbound and I loved them, other chapters failed to touch me in quite the same way though. In part I'm sure that this is due to my interest in some areas rather than others however there were also times when I found the writing style a little idiosyncratic and maybe disjointed but that was quite rare.
In the end these and other places are under threat due to the interest or disinterest of an unthinking modern world intent on making the most of places it has no real understanding of. Sadly this book may not change that however it should appeal to those with an interest in such things. Equally people who do have an interest in deep human history and the lives of those who were distantly our forefathers should enjoy this book. Those whose interest is simply travel will also find this a very accessible read. I must say I have never read a book that has caused me to look up so many words or google so many places and I am grateful for that.
Disclosure - I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.
October 27, 2014
I didn't really know what to expect about this book before I start reading it. I chose it just to diversify my reading. Now that I have read it, I feel that it left me with a sense of incompleteness.
The reading is interesting and depicts the author's impressions on his travels to some of the most inhospitable and desolate places where the small population has preserved (out of necessity or conviction) some ancient ways of living.
The book reads as a mix of travel chronicles, history, geography and environmental issues. It has some very good points like the relationship between the sustainability of the current economic system and the renewal capacity of the Land; the blind faith and urgency of bringing the city's lifestyle and urbanization to every corner without thinking that maybe that is not what all people neither the Earth want or need; the misapplication and misuses of modernization; the endless appetite for industrialización; the alienation and loss of identity of some groups and so on.
The sense of incompleteness came because some times the author focus more on his anecdotes than on hard data, at least in the book. I don't mean that his assessments are wrong, they are not, but some data showing the performance of key variables like health would have been better, because then we would have had reference points to compare with.
The other thing that left me with this feeling is that I really didn't understand if this people really live like that way out or necessity or conviction. Do they live like that because they don't want any help or because they haven't asked for it or because no one has offered help or listened to their needs. And if so, is this generally the case or are they isolated?
The reading is interesting and depicts the author's impressions on his travels to some of the most inhospitable and desolate places where the small population has preserved (out of necessity or conviction) some ancient ways of living.
The book reads as a mix of travel chronicles, history, geography and environmental issues. It has some very good points like the relationship between the sustainability of the current economic system and the renewal capacity of the Land; the blind faith and urgency of bringing the city's lifestyle and urbanization to every corner without thinking that maybe that is not what all people neither the Earth want or need; the misapplication and misuses of modernization; the endless appetite for industrialización; the alienation and loss of identity of some groups and so on.
The sense of incompleteness came because some times the author focus more on his anecdotes than on hard data, at least in the book. I don't mean that his assessments are wrong, they are not, but some data showing the performance of key variables like health would have been better, because then we would have had reference points to compare with.
The other thing that left me with this feeling is that I really didn't understand if this people really live like that way out or necessity or conviction. Do they live like that because they don't want any help or because they haven't asked for it or because no one has offered help or listened to their needs. And if so, is this generally the case or are they isolated?
October 19, 2015
Not quite as advertised. I was expecting more of an in depth discussion of "enduring people in vanishing lands." What I got was a sort of disjointed travelogue that, while sort of pleasant and calming at times, left me wondering how much the author either failed to observe or didn't want to discuss. Sometimes the chapters were not much more than a description of the land, without much reference to the people who live or lived there. And where are the women in this book?
June 11, 2015
i wanted to like this book, but it was a lot of random observations/descriptions. while that has a place and has merit, i was looking for a more in-depth discussion of the issues faces the amazing cultures he explores. this was just okay - lacking substance for me.
July 9, 2022
Following the sunrise, the author explores a dozen extreme environments where humans have lived for millennia by making judicious use of nature: hunting, fishing, gathering, little farming in what we in the West call subsistence. In our thirst for conquest, we called these humans lazy, because their way of life did not conform to ours, did not show 'growth', did not bring profit, and we devoted ourselves to the massive exploitation of these environments, forever altering them. Yet these environments and their inhabitants are resilient, and somehow try, now more than ever, to return to the pre-existing situation, or rather, to a new equilibrium.
The author, besides being a great observer, is a very fine pen, allowing the reader to see what he sees and to enter deeply into his thoughts and reflections.
The only limitation of this book is its conclusion. The concluding chapter, in fact, is a kind of solarpunk prophecy, splendid, but made a sad utopia by the events that followed the completion of the book: pandemic, war in Ukraine, food and energy crisis among others. Perhaps, it can be said, that the examples of subsistence presented in the book can be a guide to the unsafe life that lies ahead.
The author, besides being a great observer, is a very fine pen, allowing the reader to see what he sees and to enter deeply into his thoughts and reflections.
The only limitation of this book is its conclusion. The concluding chapter, in fact, is a kind of solarpunk prophecy, splendid, but made a sad utopia by the events that followed the completion of the book: pandemic, war in Ukraine, food and energy crisis among others. Perhaps, it can be said, that the examples of subsistence presented in the book can be a guide to the unsafe life that lies ahead.
October 12, 2024
This is a weird book. There's sort of a nominal altruism at the surface, which one would expect. One would expect that "travels with enduring people in vanishing lands" might suggest a quest to save, or at least document, these marginalized populations. And while there is some of that, it comes across more as a man who wants to experience all the things just to say he has done it. He lived a day in the life of an Amish man for example, and then took off for the next unique experience.
No doubt he is interested in these cultures. No doubt he has their best interests at heart. But there are many moments where he and his traveling partner venture off into these territories on their own without any of the "enduring people." And in these moments of countryside studies the book becomes very poetic and pastoral.
His writing, in general, is a bit too poetic throughout. Bruce Chadwick he is not.
Recommended for people who like at least three references to a cornflower sky, and a healthy appreciation of the word gloaming.
No doubt he is interested in these cultures. No doubt he has their best interests at heart. But there are many moments where he and his traveling partner venture off into these territories on their own without any of the "enduring people." And in these moments of countryside studies the book becomes very poetic and pastoral.
His writing, in general, is a bit too poetic throughout. Bruce Chadwick he is not.
Recommended for people who like at least three references to a cornflower sky, and a healthy appreciation of the word gloaming.
November 16, 2015
The author has travelled a considerable amount and made the effort to meet people in marginal areas leading cultural lifestyles out of step with today's world. He mentions having been in China thirty years ago and the changes since. We see nomadic herders, fishermen, mountain dwellers and bird-catchers, everywhere from Mongolia to Finland to Australia.
I commend the author for recording these ways of life, and noting difficulties such as strip mining or industry which encroach on their lands.
However I would have liked to see some suggestions from him as to how modern life can make improvements. Living on the fringe of civilisation would be cold, painful, hungry, physically strenuous, risky and isolating. There would be early deaths, especially for pregnant women, and high infant mortality. The role of women is not considered by the author, but these family-raisers would have unsanitary water and random access to food and clothing. With ever more water supplies being bought up by water-selling companies, how will some of these basic lifestyles persist? And is this a fair way to bring up children?
Options not considered by the author are available. Compromise allows people to live the way they choose, with modern assistance and contact.
The Turkish government gives grants to shepherds for solar panels which are carried on donkeys, in order for them to power up laptops. Cellphones, charged by solar panels worn on a backpack, may carry an app to diagnose eye diseases such as cataract and glaucoma on the spot, so doctors can provide targeted treatment to remote areas. The charity UNICEF uses public transport and local staff to provide vaccines and education in the remotest areas of the world. An origami microscope made of paper with inbuilt lenses and LED light source, can be used to diagnose diseases such as malaria. No such solutions are offered by Jules Pretty however; the author merely records his observations. For this reason I suggest that THE EDGE OF EXTINCTION should be read along with a look at what useful, light technology can do to reduce isolation and provide healthcare.
I commend the author for recording these ways of life, and noting difficulties such as strip mining or industry which encroach on their lands.
However I would have liked to see some suggestions from him as to how modern life can make improvements. Living on the fringe of civilisation would be cold, painful, hungry, physically strenuous, risky and isolating. There would be early deaths, especially for pregnant women, and high infant mortality. The role of women is not considered by the author, but these family-raisers would have unsanitary water and random access to food and clothing. With ever more water supplies being bought up by water-selling companies, how will some of these basic lifestyles persist? And is this a fair way to bring up children?
Options not considered by the author are available. Compromise allows people to live the way they choose, with modern assistance and contact.
The Turkish government gives grants to shepherds for solar panels which are carried on donkeys, in order for them to power up laptops. Cellphones, charged by solar panels worn on a backpack, may carry an app to diagnose eye diseases such as cataract and glaucoma on the spot, so doctors can provide targeted treatment to remote areas. The charity UNICEF uses public transport and local staff to provide vaccines and education in the remotest areas of the world. An origami microscope made of paper with inbuilt lenses and LED light source, can be used to diagnose diseases such as malaria. No such solutions are offered by Jules Pretty however; the author merely records his observations. For this reason I suggest that THE EDGE OF EXTINCTION should be read along with a look at what useful, light technology can do to reduce isolation and provide healthcare.
March 2, 2015
Life in the world, and of it
The Edge of Extinction: Travels with Enduring People in Vanishing Lands by Jules Pretty (Cornell University Press, $27.95).
Jules Pretty’s thesis isn’t new; it’s his approach that is original. Many writers, environmentalists and foodies have been suggesting for close to a generation that we highly-evolved types have gotten too far away from the natural world and so have lost perspective and a certain spiritual connection to the planet.
What Pretty has done differently in this travelogue-slash-memoir-slash-polemic is to go out among groups of people who are still living in fairly traditional ways and bear witness to a life that is vanishing as rapidly as our climate changes.
Pretty visits 12 locales: coastal ecosystems among Maori in New Zealand and in Ireland, the deserts of Australia and California’s Death Valley, the mountains of China, snowy landscapes in Finland and Labrador, Russia’s steppes, a marshland farm in East Anglia and an Amish farm in Ohio, swamps in Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin and in Botswana. For each place, he provides enough background—both ecological and historical—to get a grasp of the context for the people he meets living there, but it seems as if he’s covering so much ground that he doesn’t have enough time to fully get to know the characters he introduces.
It’s a fascinating book, but one that is most successful as a travelogue. In order to fully address the possibilities for human life on the planet, Pretty might want to undertake a sequel.
Reviewed on Lit/Rant: www.litrant.tumblr.com
The Edge of Extinction: Travels with Enduring People in Vanishing Lands by Jules Pretty (Cornell University Press, $27.95).
Jules Pretty’s thesis isn’t new; it’s his approach that is original. Many writers, environmentalists and foodies have been suggesting for close to a generation that we highly-evolved types have gotten too far away from the natural world and so have lost perspective and a certain spiritual connection to the planet.
What Pretty has done differently in this travelogue-slash-memoir-slash-polemic is to go out among groups of people who are still living in fairly traditional ways and bear witness to a life that is vanishing as rapidly as our climate changes.
Pretty visits 12 locales: coastal ecosystems among Maori in New Zealand and in Ireland, the deserts of Australia and California’s Death Valley, the mountains of China, snowy landscapes in Finland and Labrador, Russia’s steppes, a marshland farm in East Anglia and an Amish farm in Ohio, swamps in Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin and in Botswana. For each place, he provides enough background—both ecological and historical—to get a grasp of the context for the people he meets living there, but it seems as if he’s covering so much ground that he doesn’t have enough time to fully get to know the characters he introduces.
It’s a fascinating book, but one that is most successful as a travelogue. In order to fully address the possibilities for human life on the planet, Pretty might want to undertake a sequel.
Reviewed on Lit/Rant: www.litrant.tumblr.com
September 24, 2016
I got it from the library and then bought a used copy because it has such a lot of interesting material in the bibliography. Really good, and not so depressing as I thought it might be, perhaps because of the epilogue.
December 8, 2019
Abandoned at 10%. The blurb led me to think this was going to be an environmental book - turns out it's a not terribly well written travelogue. Not my kind of thing.
June 4, 2015
Interesting - well written at times yet felt very disjointed.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews