Rating: 
Summary: Great book
Review: A conscientious, thoughtful book.
The book's implications are so disturbing that many readers can expect to be shocked and angry with Mr. Gore for rocking our boats so violently.
"Earth in the Balance" is definitely not the sort of vision-thing we expect to hear from our politicians, who usually specialize in massaging our egos - not disrupting them!
For that reason alone, I consider this to be THE must-read book of the last decade.
Rating: 
Summary: Good book--sub-standard performance.
Review: This book should be required reading for every American as long as Al Gore has a shot at the whitehouse. Regardless of your political persuasion or your opinion of Mr. Gore, you need to know what this book says. However, don't listen to the tape. The melodramatic reading belittles the importance of what is being said.
Rating:
Summary: One of the ten most important works of this century
Review: A corageous defender of the environment, Vice President of the United States Al Gore demonstrates how modern technology and culture have brought us to the brink of catastrophe. In this compelling work he shows that only a deep rethinking of our relationship with nature can save the earth for future generations. Here is an author who will not soften the warning for political expediency. His honesty reveals a true statesman and his analysis makes him a remarkable mind in our times of half measures and sophistry. This bestselling work about our planet's environmental crisis gives a shocking account of just how serious ecological problems have become. The research and documentation are extensive the facts are no longer open to dispute. Only deception remains for miopic vested interests to distort irrefragable truth in the public mind in their pursuit of fast profits, Al Gore proves there are more jobs and greater prosperity in saving the earth than in putting more billions in the pockets of 1% of the world population.
Rating: 
Summary: This book was the ONLY textbook for my class
Review: When I signed up for a required ecology class at my college, I never expected to have this book as the only textbook for the class. Textbooks are the main backup for the days you just can't get out of bed and attend class. When I went to buy my books, I quickly realized that I would be getting a lot less sleep. I even remember mentioning loudly, much to the amusement of the other students, that I had to read a book written by a man who doesn't move his head and can't dance. I sat down to read the first assigned reading and was pleasantly amazed. The book isn't boring at all. Al Gore has a beautiful, flowing writing style. I managed to read an entire required book without a sign of fatigue or distraction. It even had pictures to keep my thoughts from straying. I am not ashamed to say that I enjoyed this book. I really mean it. Even if you are not into the environment, at least read it to be shocked by a book that defied many of my preconcieved notions about the man. I ended up getting my required sleep for the quarter.
Rating: 
Summary: This book belongs on the "B" Fiction shelf.
Review: The greatest collection of scientific fiction, half truths, exageration, mis-statements and general doom-mongering since Rachel Carson's, Silent Spring. Weakly footnoted and completely unsubstantiated by any references other than to the author's opinion. Apparently American's still have a need to be frightened by Chicken Little and the boogie man. It seems to sell books. Incidently, in the 35 years since Silent Spring was first published, none of Ms. Carson's dreaded predictions of ecological catastrophe have come to pass.I think we can all rest assured that Mr. Gore will be equally as inaccurate an environmental prophet
Rating:
Summary: An absolute must for every individual on earth.
Review: This book is an absolute must for every individual on earth who cares even a tiny bit for any other person around him and wishes to see him happy. The necessity to read this book is accompanied with an intense urgency to read this book because of the ghastly terrible consequences that every moment misused now, that the book predicts.
Al Gore is undoubtedly one of the most effective user of the pen of these times. "Earth in the Balance" is the outcome of one of his well studied, sincere and earnest expedition to the world of environmental conciousness.
The necessity to invoke a conciousness among the people of today that they are "leaving their children with a degraded earth and a diminished future", as says Gore has to be coupled with a comprehensive strategy for global environmental protection.
The book appeals to every reader who shares some concern for Mother Earth, knowingly or unknowingly and the fact that the words come from a leader of such foresight and a high position in the ladder of decision and policy makers, makes it a primer for even an academic course on the subject.
The thought process that has gone behind the compilation of the book and the implications of the consequences it predicts can be fully understood only by reading the book.
Rating: 
Summary: SEEMS SHAKY
Review: As a lay person, like most, I have no real idea whether global warming is real, or at least a real threat. The problem I have is that those who say it is a real threat are not believable to me. They may be right, but I reserve all possibility that they are totally off the mark. It seems that this issue has been coopted by a certain segment of the political class, and is used not in an effort to further real science, but to further their political agenda. This is somewhat, if not totally, socialist in nature.Al Gore spoke about global warming on the coldest day in New York City in 150 years, then endorsed "The Day After Tomorrow" as a big movie about global warming that has to be seen. It was so bad, got such terrible reviews, and was so universally panned as lies that it cannot be described herein. Gore has now taken to podiums, changing his voice to sound like Huey Long or George Wallace or some such Southern populist, rolling his r's, leavin' the "n's" off his words, and every time he makes these speeches those he opposes rise in the polls. Al said he "had" to be President, and now he just seems unable to accept his fate. Unfortunately, his association with global warming seems to discredit it. "The Day After Tomorrow" certainly did the issue no good. There are so-called "right wing" scientists who oppose the global warming threat, calling it "junk science." They may have a political agenda. They may be wrong. Personally, I think they are less likely to be wrong than the Leftists. I could be wrong, but that is just my opinion. The problem is that this issue has become so political that, until something really verifiable comes along, it is just a tug-of-war with no real truth attached to it. STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM
Rating:
Summary: OPINIONS, POLITICS, AND FEW FACTS.
Review: Before you read the book, look at the sources. I only found one scientific paper out of hundreds of sources. Everything else has to be classified as opinions. Sources for this book include news stories and testimonies in congress. I will point out by two examples (not from the book, but from information that you are probably familiar with) why these are not good sources. I recall the news stories based on the opinions of experts that said it would take five years to put out the oil well fires started in the first Gulf War. They were all wrong. It took six months. CEO's and others testified before congress about tobacco products being non-addictive. Were they correct? No! So when we read this book, we can't be sure of anything. It is a book of opinions and ideas. Some of them may be good, but they may also be bad. This is why we have science and the scientific method. Even science may be corrupted at times or fail until we have a better understanding. Even if Mr. Gore had scientific papers, it is unlikely that he could judge whether they really support his environmental views. He would need a Ph.D. or at least a lot of experience in the proper field(s) to interpret scientific papers properly.
This book discusses how corporations are unfriendly to the environment. Surely some of them are. But so is the government. When the government plant at Fernald, Ohio, (near Cincinnati) was accused of poluting the soil and water with radioactive waste, the government denied, dragged its feet, and fought in court. The government lost it case because there was obvious guilt, but the government did not hestitate to fight against the very people it represents. When you or I appear to be at fault in an auto accident, do we admit it and offer to pay all claims, or do we take a less candid approach as our insurance company suggests? We might even think we are not at fault. Mr. Gore has denied being at fault countless times in his political career, but he can't believe that a corporation should do anything but admit guilt, accept every environmental claim that is made, and pay large sums of money.
Mr. Gore is an elitist. First, he believes that he is an environmental expert because he has heard a lot of opinions. He doesn't need an advanced degree in environmental science or experience in that field. He just knows better because he is Al Gore. Secondly, he sees how he uses the environment and how you should use the environment quite differently. When he was Vice President, he flew to Kyoto, Japan, to symbolically (read unnecessary trip) approve the Kyoto Treaty. He used more than 180,000 gallons of fuel in a private government plane in one day. My wife and I can drive our cars and heat our house for our lifetimes and never use this amount of fuel. During his Presidental campaign, Mr. Gore would fly a private jet to his son's games. I have no great objection to the former Vice President doing these things as long as he doesn't start telling me how I am abusing the environment, that I should drive an electric car, ... I do have trouble believing his environmental views are anything but political.
If you like the views in the book, read it and feel good. If you don't like the views, read it for some good laughs. There are plenty of flaws. Books like this make money, but they don't make good science, and they don't produce good policy. Don't forget to recycle the book!
Rating:
Summary: Change is needed
Review: Al Gores book is brilliant. It is rare that a politician recognizes the need to heal an environment that is being destroyed by its inhabitants. Gore not only describes the effects of Global Warming, Ozone depletion, deforestation, faulty irrigation, but also delves into the evils that are corporations swaying the views of high ranking officials to turn the other cheek towards the environment. George W. Bush is doing it now. Although most scientist agree these are problems, Corporations put out loads of propoganda saying it is junk science supported by only a few "scientist" who are in it for big incentives and overall greed. The book expresses the need for USA to take the lead in changing the effects of the overall corrosion of earths balance. The fact that people can dismiss the enviroment and the health our children makes me sick. Quite honestly it makes me ashamed to be an american. Our administrations, with the exception of Clinton and Gore, are ruining the environment for political and mentary gain. I wish them only the worse. Vote Kerry 2004!
Rating:
Summary: Should have stopped at the first half
Review: Gore explores the various apocalyptic issues and goes on to advocate a radical transformation of society based on some questionable science. He glosses over the truth of Love Canal, dioxin, and global warming. He makes suggestions for new laws that would subject the US to international control and convert most natural resources to public ownership. Gore is a true elitist, meaning that he believes that all would be right in the world if we would only learn to live by the pronouncements of a few politician-priests, among whom he, of course, is the brightest.
In one of my favorite passages, he denies that any negative feedback mechanisms exist in the anthropogenic global warming theories. Apparently, global temperature has been stable up to now by sheer chance. In another, he explains that Venus is hotter than Earth, a fact solely explained by its CO2 concentration - nevermind the fact that it is significantly closer to the sun. I wonder how he explains Mars, where the average temperature is lower and the CO2 concentration higher? It should be clear that Gore's brand of science is political, not physical.
Once in a while, when the price of gasoline goes up and the populists start coming out for regulation of prices in order to protect the "little guy", I am amazed and amused that the left doesn't realize that "higher prices" is exactly the solution suggested by their once-favorite politician. Gore says, "... every poll shows Americans decisively rejecting higher taxes on fossil fuels, even though that proposal is one of the logical first steps in changing our policies in a manner consistent with a more responsible approach to the environment." Environmentalists should know that those higher prices will naturally occur when supplies dwindle and/or demand increases, and that those higher prices will prompt both further exploration and alternatives. Their concern then turns to Big Oil conspiracies and the evil of profit, but if they really believe those, they should invest heavily in companies like Occidental Petroleum (owned by the Gore family patron, Armand Hammer), and then spend the profits on alternative energy research. Sorta like BP and Shell do on solar energy research.
As the book goes on, though, it starts making bizarre suggestions about shifting our religious views. Again, I'm surprised that this doesn't raise the hackles of the secular left. Though not personally offended by such discussions, I certainly thought he was starting to run a few cards short of a full deck.
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