Falter is a book written by Bill McKibben and published in 2019 by Holt Publications. Bill lives in Vermont, and works at Middlebury College. Bill has been one of the early advocates of the perils of climate change and the environmental impacts humans have created and has written books about it including the End of Nature.
What is this book about?
Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out? Apparently, that is the question this book intends to examine and answer. The book is a NY Times best seller and top ten read by the Washington Post. To me, I am not sure exactly why its a top ten read but I am not here to question their judgement.
Falter is a book about us 'humans' and the impact we have had, are having and intend to have on the planet, its ecosystem, other living organisms, and on humans as well. A lot of concepts, all rolled into one paperback book of around 300 odd pages. Some of the big issues that Bill writes about are (a) climate change (b) technology and AI (c) humans playing with humankind and in the process creating a super human i.e. CRISPR / germline alteration. The book has a distinct alarmist tone across most topics.
I would read the book for a few chapters around climate change and thats it. To me, a book that races from climate change, to society, love and emotions, non violent protest, CRISPR, AI & Robotics, the quest for immortality, global inequality, Exxon bashing, space exploration etc is not focussing on one core issue as a start.
The first few chapters under the topic 'Size of the Board' are worth reading. Although, if you want a more systematic approach to understand the dire impacts of climate change, I suggest reading chapters from Uninhabitable Earth by David Wells. David has analysed the key threats from climate change in a succinct, focussed manner with supporting data in most instances. That is more impactful and provides the reader with the necessary focus on this looming problem. Importantly, when you do witness carnage from a climate related event (e.g. a forest fire) you can go back to the specific chapter to refresh and gain a deeper insight into that issue. Falter also tries to highlight these issues but they are scattered across chapters hence I prefer the approach adopted by David.
The book then leaps into the impacts of corporate America, Koch Brothers, Exxon, Ann Rand, politicians (Bush, Trump, Obama etc), protest, voting related issues etc. These are all topics by themselves and a few pages in a paperback won'd do any justice to these complex issues.
Chapters on AI, robotics, machine learning and the future of machines again touch on very complex issues, perhaps even more than climate change. There is a near global consensus (you don't need to highlight Trump here) on the problems associated with climate change. Divergence is around how to tackle this problem and who pays for the pivot to a more sustainable world. In contrast, topics like AI, the scene is still evolving, arguments for and against are still being formulated and the canvas rapidly changing. Of course, all new technology is highly disruptive and will impact society and humans, in some cases disproportionately. But it is just too early to tell what that will be. Nonetheless, devoting a few pages on a evolving issue can do no justice at all.
Up next is CRISPR. That's a recent acronym but with immense potential that can be good, bad and ugly for all of us. Once again, a highly complex topic where a few pages can do little to educate the reader beyond alarmism. If you are keen to know more about CRISPR, read Code Breakers by Walter Isascson. Its got detail and chronicles all the key events that led to this immense scientific / biological breakthrough.
The standout chapter in the book is chapter 20. Definitely read that one and it can be read in isolation to the rest of the book which is good news. This chapter narrates the marvel of power and electricity, what it can do in remote places in Africa by uplifting societies and how it can be done sustainably without damaging the environment (solar power). The latter part of Chapter 22 is superb and it highlights the work of Nicole Poindexter in Africa. For more on Nicole, visit http://energicitycorp.com/nicole-poindexter-ceo-and-founder/.
Unusually for a book, but for this one I do suggest; go through the references / notes section. A lot of links provided to articles that are available to read on the internet and will complement what you have read in the book. Finally, the acknowledgements section where you will get the names of some thought leaders especially in the area of climate change worthy of following.
Overall, this is not an outstanding book as the NYTimes or Washington Post suggest it is. If you are keen to know more about the climate and environment, do pick it up and read selectively but bear in mind that whilst a lot of problems and issues are listed, not many concrete solutions will emerge from the book.
https://www.amazon.com/Falter-Human-Game-Begun-Itself/dp/1250178266
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