From: Jane Hertenstein <janeh>
Date: Fri, 6 May 2005 19:58:53 -0500

I also just got done reading Collapse by Jared Diamond (which by the way is a cool name). A non-fiction 500 + pg book that reads quickly. He's the guy who wrote Guns, Germs, and Steel. Anyway his premise in this new book is a study of pre-historical cultures that once flourished and trying to figure out what made them disappear. In one chapter he uses the example of Easter Island and graphs out how the island was suitable for sustaining life for way longer than it actually did--but it seems the population was somewhat shortsighted and used up precious nature resources--in this instance trees--to make monolithic wooden totems for their gods. Eventually they ran out of big trees and, because they also need wood for cooking and transportation, started cutting down smaller trees, and smaller ones, until they could no longer make canoes to go to other islands, hence no importing or exporting, and had trouble cooking a hot meal, so people began to starve. The breakdown of the culture came when there was inter-tribal warfare for necessary commodities. The culture eked out another century or two, but it sounded glum and hardscrabble.

He also takes a look at contemporary cultures providing an anthropological perspective of the genocide in Rwanda and the chaos taking place today in Haiti.

There are several overlays and interpretations one can take away from studying these past and present struggling cultures--the obvious one is what's happening today in the world and our overdependence on oil. History teaches us that if we deplete a vital natural resource the consequences can be dire.

Sorry--the book can lead to some depressing conclusions, but it was FASCINATING.

Jane Hertenstein 920 W. Wilson Chicago, Il 60640 773V1$50 ext 2089
Received on Fri 06 May 2005 07:58:53 PM CDT