The program is read by the author. Nomad Century is an urgent investigation of the most underreported, seismic consequence of climate change: how it will force us to change where—and how—we live “We are facing a species emergency. We can survive, but to do so will require a planned and deliberate migration of a kind humanity has never before undertaken. This is the biggest human crisis you’ve never heard of.” Drought-hit regions bleeding those who for whom a rural life has become untenable. Coastlines diminishing year on year. Wildfires and hurricanes leaving widening swaths of destruction. The culprit, most of us accept, is climate change, but not enough of us are confronting one of its biggest, and most present, consequences: a total reshaping of the earth’s human geography. As Gaia Vince points out early in Nomad Century, global migration has doubled in the past decade, on track to see literal billions displaced in the coming decades. What exactly is happening, Vince asks? And how will this new great migration reshape us all? In this deeply-reported clarion call, Vince draws on a career of environmental reporting and over two years of travel to the front lines of climate migration across the globe, to tell us how the changes already in play will transform our food, our cities, our politics, and much more. Her findings are answers we all need, now more than ever. A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books.
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"Fascinating exploration of the cultural and environmental history of nomads, and the potential role of nomadism in a rapidly changing world. Vince draws on a wide range of examples from different cultures and time periods to show how nomads have adapted to changing environments, and how their knowledge and practices can offer insights into how we might adapt to the challenges of climate change and other global crises.
Throughout the book, Vince tells stories of her own travels and encounters with nomads, and weaves these personal experiences with detailed historical and scientific research. She shows how nomads have been able to survive and thrive in some of the harshest environments on earth, and how their practices and knowledge can offer solutions to some of the most pressing environmental challenges we face today.
Vince also explores the cultural significance of nomadism, and how it has been romanticized and idealized in Western culture. She challenges some of these romanticized notions, while also acknowledging the deep spiritual and cultural connections that many nomadic cultures have to the land and to their traditions.
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David Mannix (5 out of 5 stars)