Author Archives: Harry Katz
Abundance
Ever since the November 2024 election, Democrats, liberals, progressives – whatever you want to call them – have been doing some deep soul searching, asking themselves, “How on Earth could we have lost to Donald Trump, again?” Abundance, by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, offers an inspiring framework for finding the answers. Continue reading
The Year Without Summer
The eruption of Mount Tambora in April 1815 is the largest known eruption of the last 2,000 years. It knocked weather patterns across Europe and the eastern US out of kilter. Crops failed. Unrest followed. The Year Without Summer details Tambora’s impact on people, economics, politics and climate. Continue reading
Medicine Wheel for the Planet
Medicine Wheel for the Planet is equal parts autobiography and ecology. Jennifer Grenz, an Indigenous ecologist and professor at the University of British Columbia, tells the deeply personal story of her struggle to bridge the worlds of her Indigenous ancestry and knowledge and her Western scientific training, Continue reading
What If We Get It Right?
What If We Get It Right? is a different kind of climate book. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson interviewed twenty people – scientists, activists, journalists, policy experts, entrepreneurs, and artists – for their visions of the future. They discuss what the world might look like if we implement the climate solutions we already have. Continue reading
Trump’s Executive Orders Aim to Gut US Climate Policy
Trump signed a blizzard of executive orders (EOs) over the last week. Some are vicious and cruel (rolling back protections for transgender people), others are blatantly unconstitutional (ending birthright citizenship). In this post, I’ll take a look at the executive orders that affect US government policy on climate change. Continue reading
SEEK
How do we fix our society’s deep political polarization, personal loneliness, isolation and disconnection? Scott Shigeoka thinks curiosity is a big part of the answer. His book SEEK lays out a four-step model for using curiosity to transform your life and maybe change the world. Continue reading
2024 Reading Wrap-Up
Before we dive head first into the New Year, here’s a quick look back at the books I read in 2024. Continue reading
Meditations for Mortals
Oliver Burkeman’s latest book, Meditations for Mortals, is a guide to “imperfectionism.” It’s about how to lead a meaningful and fulfilling life, starting right now, with full acceptance that we are finite human beings with limited time and limited control over the time we have. Continue reading
Unsolicited Post-Election Punditry
The 2024 US election ordeal is over. Now everyone wants to know what happened and why. Every major and minor pundit in the country is weighing in. So why shouldn’t I? After all I have an opinion and a keyboard and that’s all you need to be a pundit, right? Continue reading
On Freedom
Americans often think of freedom in the negative sense, as freedom from. Timothy Snyder argues that positive freedom, freedom to, is more important. On Freedom is a deep exploration of the nature of freedom that challenges conventional thinking. Very important and worthwhile in our era of freedom under threat. Continue reading
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