Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth-Century World (The Global Century Series)

Front Cover
W. W. Norton & Company, Apr 17, 2001 - Science - 448 pages

"One of those rare books that’s both sweeping and specific, scholarly and readable…What makes the book stand out is its wealth of historical detail." —Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker

The history of the twentieth century is most often told through its world wars, the rise and fall of communism, or its economic upheavals. In his startling book, J. R. McNeill gives us our first general account of what may prove to be the most significant dimension of the twentieth century: its environmental history. To a degree unprecedented in human history, we have refashioned the earth's air, water, and soil, and the biosphere of which we are a part. Based on exhaustive research, McNeill's story—a compelling blend of anecdotes, data, and shrewd analysis—never preaches: it is our definitive account.

This is a volume in The Global Century Series (general editor, Paul Kennedy).

 

Selected pages

Contents

Peculiarities of a Prodigal Century
3
The Crust of the Earth
21
Urban History
50
Regional and Global History
84
The History of Water Use
118
RIVER WATER
129
LAKES AND EUTROPHICATION
136
CONCLUSION
147
Eat and Be Eaten
192
YIELD HISTORY IN 93 DEVELOPING COUNTRIES 19611992
223
Forests Fish and Invasions
228
More People Bigger Cities
269
Fuels Tools and Economics
296
Ideas and Politics
325
So What?
357
Copyright

6
149

Common terms and phrases

accounted acid Africa agriculture air pollution American animals Asia became began cars caused Central changes chemical China cities coal consequences countries created crops disease early ecological economic effects efforts emissions energy engines environment environmental erosion especially Europe European farm farmers fertilizer fish followed forests fuel Germany global grew growth half helped human impact important increased India industrial irrigation Italy Japan killed labor Lake land late lead least less levels lived mainly Mediterranean Mexico million mining natural North America OCEAN organized percent perhaps plants political population population growth problems production proved rain rates reduced regime region remained River scale smoke social societies soil South South Korea Soviet spread success sulfur supply Table tion tons took tropical twentieth century United urban USSR wastes whales

About the author (2001)

J. R. McNeill is a professor of history at Georgetown University. He is the author of award-winning works in world and environmental history. These include The Human Web: A Bird’s-Eye View of World History (co-authored with his father and world history pioneer, William H. McNeill), and Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth-Century World, both published by Norton. McNeill is a recent past president of the American Historical Association.

Bibliographic information

QR code for Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth-Century World (The Global Century Series)
TitleSomething New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth-Century World (The Global Century Series)
Volume 0 of The Global Century Series
AuthorJ. R. McNeill
Editionreprint
PublisherW. W. Norton & Company, 2001
ISBN0393075893, 9780393075892
Length448 pages
Subjects ›  › 

Science / Environmental Science
Science / Life Sciences / Ecology
  
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