| Coming on strong after the success of his Pulitzer | | | | Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed describes how, |
| Prize-winning Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond's | | | | like many of our cities of today, "Chaco Canyon |
| new book, Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or | | | | became a black hole into which goods were imported |
| Succeed is a tome of intriguing insight to the other side | | | | but from which nothing tangible was exported." As the |
| of the coin. While Guns, Germs and Steel examined | | | | population grew so did the demands on the |
| how some societies thrived, due to their respective | | | | surrounding environment. Fuel and other essential |
| geographic and environmental endowments, this book | | | | resources became ever more distant; coupled with soil |
| examines why ancient societies have collapsed so | | | | depletion and erosion in the surrounding farmlands.In |
| often in the past, in part for the same reasons. To | | | | essence, they became increasingly close to living on |
| support this thesis, the book delves into a variety of | | | | the margin of what the environment could reasonably |
| past civilizations, including the Anasazi of the American | | | | support. The final straw was a prolonged drought. No |
| Southwest, the Maya and the Viking colonies of | | | | longer able to support or feed themselves, the society |
| Greenland to illustrate that collapse of a society is no | | | | suddenly collapsed into open revolt and total civil |
| respecter of geography. Nor is it a respecter of time. | | | | warfare, culminating in cannibalism and ultimately total |
| Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed | | | | abandonment of the site. The moral lesson is that while |
| also looks at modern-day societies such as Rwanda | | | | they "adopted solutions that were brilliantly successful |
| to explain the catastrophe that recently befell this | | | | and understandable in the 'short term' (they) created |
| afflicted nation, as well as it depicts present-day | | | | fatal problems in the long run." The analogy to our |
| Montana and the fascinating factors rendering this | | | | present day situation of overextending ourselves is |
| once wealthy state into one of the poorest.Could | | | | obvious.While Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail |
| Montana be a microcosm for the U.S. at large? The | | | | or Succeed seems to make a strong connection |
| book asks how once astute societies that built | | | | between collapse of a society and it's environment, this |
| magnificent monuments testifying of their social and | | | | book is not all about eco-meltdowns. He also |
| economic prowess, could suddenly vanish or be | | | | measures four other critical factors involving the |
| rendered impotent. Not lost on the reader throughout | | | | demise of societies as well; including hostile neighbors; |
| these case studies is the nagging thought that perhaps | | | | loss of trading partners; climate change and perhaps |
| this fate might also befall our own wealthy country. In | | | | most importantly, a society's responses to its |
| fact, it is the seminal point of this provocative book. | | | | challenges. In this vein, this book also looks at several |
| Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed | | | | past success stories where societies in Japan and the |
| hopes to stir our collective consciousness to an | | | | highlands of New Guinea had the insight to change |
| understanding what lies before us so that we may be | | | | fundamental, traditional values and restore a positive |
| saved, as evidenced, from the pitfalls of the past. In | | | | balance with nature, trading partners etc. and thrive.In |
| essence, we cannot separate the economy from the | | | | its conclusion, Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail |
| environment if we hope to avoid devastation.Perhaps | | | | or Succeed presents a cautious optimism for our own |
| this is best depicted in the book's treatise of the | | | | future. The book concludes that because we are the |
| Anasazi. Their vast ruins in what is now northern New | | | | creators our own problems, we also have the power |
| Mexico echo a well-ordered, sophisticated society in a | | | | to amend the quandaries we have made. This, the |
| fragile desert environment that lasted over 600 years. | | | | book maintains, will not be easy and will require |
| To put this into perspective, they lasted longer than | | | | profound courage; but necessary if we are to have |
| any European society in the Americas to date. | | | | hope for the future.John Woolf is the founder of |
| However, over time the Anasazi of the Chaco | | | | several successful Internet technology companies |
| Canyon complex became ever more specialized in the | | | | including the Book Price Comparison website As a |
| tasks of the society. This in turn allowed them to make | | | | pragmatist of the world around him, he is both a critic |
| gains in economies of efficiency while making them | | | | and crusader on international politics and energy policy |
| equally interdependent as a culture. More and more the | | | | as it relates to our security and our impact on the |
| main complex at Chaco Canyon depended on outlying | | | | global environment.Visit to read reviews, find similar |
| communities and outposts for their support, not unlike | | | | titles, and search for the lowest possible price for |
| London or Rome today. These cities served as | | | | Collapse : How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed |
| governmental and religious centers to facilitate the | | | | and other great books. |
| management their respective societies. Collapse: How | | | | |