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Summary: Gore is right on
Review: This is a very informative book. If you don't know that much about the environment and issues such as Global Warming and polution you should definitely read this. It is a long read but filled with information. Gore has also included an extensive list of resources that he used in the bibliography. He also has notes where he explains where he got his information chapter by chapter. I learned so much, and after reading this book I don't see how it is possible to not take the Environment seriously.
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Summary: Earth in the Balance Al out of alignment
Review: What a bunch of hotair. This book while good intentioned lacks scientific information to substanciate much of its points, which to many may reinforce the idea the albert god forbid is more arrogant than previously believed.Outside of that is well intentioned but misguided.
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Summary: The proof is in the news
Review: If you read the news regularly, it's easy enough to find story after story bearing out what Al Gore wrote. Unlike when this book was written, it's virtually impossible now to find someone who denies global warming is indeed happening. And as more and more evidence mounts, the voices of those who claim it is merely a natural event, unaffected by anything humanity has done, grow more shrill and desperate. Gore puts his environmental passion into every bit of this book. While it is a little dry in parts, his message remains. It's a shame we can't have an intelligent, learned man like this as our president.
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Summary: It has it's good points
Review: I really wanted to like this book. I tried hard to sit and read it cover to cover. It's got a lot of great insight, but isn't exactly riveting. I admire Mr. Gore for coming out and taking the stand that he has. He's tried to take some complicated scientific ideas and make them palatable to the average joe. Those in the industry might find it a bit simplistic. I like that he's putting a human face on environmental issues and taking the moral high road in this book. The chapter on Environmentalism and the Human Spirit does a great job of presenting green values as Christian values.
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Summary: Truth in the Balance : Ecology as a Platform to Fascism
Review: While it is true that our actions can effect the environment, it is not true that the solution to the possible problems is to become a Socialist Luddite. Unfortunately, that is the solution offered by this book. Those who believe that handing over control of all properties will make them cleaner should look at the mess in Eastern Europe. Those who believe that banning technology will make the earth cleaner should look at the poorer countries around the world. I have just refuted every single point me makes in two sentences. That will not deter the faithful from reading this book, which detailed how Al Gore would attempt to become a dictator via the Environment, and not seeing anything wrong with that. Fact facts, he wanted to ban the automobile much like drugs are banned now. If one were to suggest that perhaps technology and science held the solution to the problems of pollution, one would be a heretic according to Al Gore's brand of environmentalism. The only other celebrity who held such views towards science and meant them is known as the Unibomber. Sadly, having read both of their writings, they are much more alike than any supporter of Al Gore would ever notice, since those who will not see have no advantage over those who can not see.
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Summary: Compelling, regardless of your politics
Review: This book is an intelligent call to arms, a wake up call to the scope of our current environmental crisis. This book was eye opening and thought provoking. One of the biggest lessons is to realize that we tend to look at the environment on a very localized scale: The river down the way that is polluted, the forest 10 miles a way that is being clear cut, the beach that is closed. In reality, while tragic, these local incidents are far less dangerous than worldwide threats like greenhouse gasses which threaten all life on the planet.
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Summary: A Book of Pure Brilliance and Immense Importance
Review: Understanding the current effects of our actions on the environment is of such extreme importance these days that for that reason alone this book should be required reading in our schools. However, Mr. Gore goes far beyond this to properly include environmental factors in history, in the economy, in religion, and in our future. Extremely well writen and very well researched, this could be one of the most important books you've ever read. I know it has been for me.
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Summary: Excellent, too bad Bush won
Review: As I read this book for a paper, I am yet again saddened that such a smart man could lose to, well, a dummie. Hopefully, our oil-man president will keep in mind the convincing arguments that Gore has made in his book. Yes, he does go on a bit too long here and there, but ultimately, Earth in the Balance proves to be an excellent and informative read.
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Summary: A pantheon of environmentalism
Review: This book deserves a place in the pantheon of political classics, whether you agree with it or not, along with "Silent Spring", "Uncle Tom's Cabin", "The Jungle", and "Unsafe at Any Speed." Each of those classics were controversial, and then changed the way America thought about the issues. Gore's book fits both those criteria. This was NOT written, like most political books, as a means to outline a candidate's views during a campaign. It WAS written as a response to Gore's mid-life crisis, sparked by the near-death of his young son in a traffic accident. Gore knew when he wrote it that it would probably hurt him politically, and he didn't care -- it was more important to him that he said what he believed in. Gore's intent in 1992, it seems, was to write about what he cared deeply about, and then retire from politics (I suggest that because so many things in the book are clearly damaging to him politically, such as his attack on the internal combustion engine). Ironically, the book strengthened Gore's greatest political weakness -- that everyone accused him of not caring enough about things -- and hence significantly bolstered his political standing. Gore wrote a lengthy foreword to the book's re-release in 2000. By that time, two things had changed: Bush was attacking the content of the book as "too radical," and America had become much more environmentally conscious than in 1992. So Gore's strategy during the 2000 presidential campaign was to become even more environmental, and to dare Bush to challenge him on it -- a savvy maneuver because the polls strongly support Gore's stances over Bush's on environment. Here's the dare, from page x of the foreword: "After Earth in the Balance was published, I had a personal encounter with that verse from the Bible, "Would that mine adversary had written a book." Adversaries, some of whom I suspect haven't read it, love to hate this book and attack it as "too environmental." "I welcome that. I believe the environment should be a central issue in the year 2000, because, like it or not, the environment will be a fateful issue in the next decade and the new century. "In the 8 years since the first edition of this book, we have made some real progress. We're cleaning up the great American rivers. We've strengthened the Superfund to clean up hazardous chemical waste sites. We refused, despite all the special-interest lobbying of Congress, to let up on big polluters who have a responsibility to clean up hidden poisons in our neighborhoods and on land where our children play."
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Summary: Here's a beauty taken from page 119
Review: Here's a beauty taken from page 119 of Gore's book Earth in the Balance: "It seems an easy choice - sacrifice the tree for a human life - until one learns that three trees must be destroyed for each patient treated. ...Suddenly we must confront some tough questions. How important are the medical needs of future generations?" Thats what we want a President with his priorities in order. Gee Al I dont know... How important are the medical needs of future generations? I give this excellent comedy 5 Stars!
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