Dreaming the Future: Reimagining Civilization in the Age of Nature

Ausubel is a founder and executive officer of Bioneers, a nonprofit organization which "highlights breakthrough solutions for restoring people and planet." The essays in this collection reflect his thoughts and proposals on a wide variety of topics related to this general goal, ranging from the Gaia theory of Earth as a self-regulating system, to the ecological effects of medical technology, the similarity of modern politics and organized crime, and the difficulty of organizing grassroots resistance against corporate exploitation. Many of these pieces have been published previously over the last decade on websites like The Huffington Post and Alternet.org. They are, however, still highly relevant, and the book is a convenient, readable, and informative corpus of Ausubel's work. His breezy, fast-paced writing style and his in-depth knowledge of environmental and political issues will inspire readers who share his values and his belief in the importance of shaping human behavior for the sake of environmental sustainability. A list of bibliographic sources for each essay provides guidance for readers who wish to do further research, but there are no footnotes for specific factual statements, which may limit the book's ability to persuade skeptical readers. (Sept. 30)