What We Are Reading Today: The Empire of Climate

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Updated 18 April 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: The Empire of Climate

Author: David N. Livingstone

Scientists, journalists, and politicians increasingly tell us that human impacts on climate constitute the single greatest threat facing our planet and may even bring about the extinction of our species. Yet behind these anxieties lies an older, much deeper fear about the power that climate exerts over us. 

“The Empire of Climate” traces the history of this idea and its pervasive influence over how we interpret world events and make sense of the human condition, from the rise and fall of ancient civilizations to the afflictions of the modern psyche.

Taking readers from the time of Hippocrates to the unfolding crisis of global warming today, David Livingstone reveals how climate has been critically implicated in the politics of imperial control and race relations; been used to explain industrial development, market performance, and economic breakdown; and served as a bellwether for national character and cultural
collapse. 


What We Are Reading Today: Three Revolutions by Simon Hall

Updated 20 August 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: Three Revolutions by Simon Hall

Simon Hall’s “Three Revolutions” tells together for the first time Lenin’s 1917 return to Russia, Mao’s ‘Long March’ of 1934-35 and Fidel Castro’s return to Cuba in 1956.

Told in tandem with these are the corresponding journeys of three  journalists - John Reed, Edgar Snow and Herbert L. Matthews - whose electric testimonies from the frontlines would make a decisive contribution to how these revolutions were understood in the wider world.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘Knowledge Lost’

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Updated 19 August 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Knowledge Lost’

Author: MARTIN MULSOW

Until now the history of knowledge has largely been about formal and documented accumulation, concentrating on systems, collections, academies, and institutions.

The central narrative has been one of advancement, refinement, and expansion. Martin Mulsow tells a different story.

Knowledge can be lost; manuscripts are burned, oral learning dies with its bearers, new ideas are suppressed by censors. “Knowledge Lost” is a history of efforts, from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment, to counter such loss.

 


What We Are Reading Today: ‘Birds of Belize’

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Updated 18 August 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Birds of Belize’

  • “Birds of Belize” is the essential illustrated pocket guide to this birder’s paradise

Authors: STEVE N. G. HOWELL AND DALE DYER

Belize is one of the world’s premier birding destinations, home to a marvelous array of tropical birds and beautiful habitats ranging from verdant rain forests and extensive wetlands to rolling pine savannas and the country’s famed barrier reef. 

“Birds of Belize” is the essential illustrated pocket guide to this birder’s paradise. 

It covers all regularly occurring bird species found in the region and features facing-page plates and text that make field identification easy.

 


What We Are Reading Today: Wasps of the World

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Updated 17 August 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: Wasps of the World

  • “Wasps of the World” provides a breathtaking look at the diverse characteristics, habitats, and lifestyles of these extraordinary insects

Authors: SIMON VAN NOORT AND GAVIN BROAD  

Wasps have been around since before the dinosaurs and are one of the world’s largest insect groups. 

More than 150,000 species have been identified, and while the black-and-yellow insect with a cinched waist may be the most familiar, most wasps are 
tiny parasitoids that use other insects for food. 

“Wasps of the World” provides a breathtaking look at the diverse characteristics, habitats, and lifestyles of these extraordinary insects.

 


What We Are Reading Today: LatinoLand by Marie Arana

Updated 17 August 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: LatinoLand by Marie Arana

“LatinoLand,” by Marie Arana, explores the diverse politics and historical roots of Hispanic Americans.

It is a compelling and insightful exploration into the diverse tapestry of Latino culture in the US. 

Arana, with her profound understanding and personal connection to the Latino experience, crafts a narrative that is both illuminative and deeply resonant, according to a review on goodreads.com

The book is not just a mere compilation of statistics and historical facts; it’s a vibrant journey through the lives, struggles, and triumphs of the Latino community.

Arana draws on her own experience as the daughter of an American mother and Peruvian father who came to the US at age nine, straddling two worlds, as many Latinos do. 

She delves into the socio-political challenges facing Latino Americans, from immigration policies to economic disparities, without losing sight of the individual stories that illuminate these issues. 

Arana’s work shines in its celebration of the cultural contributions of Latino Americans to the fabric of American society

The book “unabashedly celebrates Latino resilience and character and shows us why we must understand the fastest-growing minority in America.”