Reviews
Reviews of books with a connection to the Mahurangi, however tenuous
Clean green dirty secrets of a future environmentalist
Ozzie Zehner’s magnum opus is mostly other than about the dirtiness of clean energy. Green Illusions: The dirty secrets of clean energy and future of environmentalism is more about the last few words of its subtitle—what the author terms: Future environmentalism....
Manifest evidence suggests science not an option
When Professor Sir Peter Gluckman recommends a title with such seemingly marginal appeal as The Geek Manifesto, it’s a sure bet rather more New Zealanders will be inclined to give the book a second glance than would otherwise have been the…
We’re slow but not stupid
This book’s got it all. The Great Disruption explains why and how two huge crises will hit the world at virtually the same time—rather imminently—and how, author Paul Gilding believes, we can not only survive, but thrive. Gilding reckons global climate change and...
To uncrowd Eden, stop at nothing
Review More: Population, Nature and What Women Want, Robert Engelman Stop at two! Three decades ago it was acceptable to discuss zero population growth in polite circles. After all, it was unquestionable that the world’s population growth was unsustainable. ‘Stop at...
Changing Times highlights revival
There’s a rumour that it’s really a red wine appreciation society. To allay this misconception, of the Mahurangi Harbour Book Club, I have been asked to do something that I have never done before: Review a book! So I poured a glass of good red and set to work. Changing Times, at first glance is a historical record of…
By appointment to the prime minister – Our best brain
Mismatch: Why our world no longer fits our bodiesReview first published as Our Best Body in the Mahurangi Magazine, January 2007 Re-published to celebrate the appointment of Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, founding director of the Liggins Institute, as the inaugural...
Preventing climate confusion raining
Regular readers will be aware that my goal of a new page published every day has gone up in CO2. The reason is that I have an additional job, as a subeditor for Fairfax Media. Taking up a new job at 61 years has proved to be both exhilarating and exhausting. Some…
Case for coastal collaboration above and beyond
My suggestion for the group’s name was Mahurangi Environmental Defence Society. When we were establishing Friends of the Mahurangi, in 1974, the Environmental Defence Society was the organisation I most wanted ours to emulate. That name didn’t get traction and nor did...
Fairburn and his Mahurangi friends in the wilderness
And up to Mahurangi—always to Mahurangi… Jocelyn Fairburn Not only was Mahurangi the charismatic ‘ARD’ Fairburn’s special place, it was also that for a good number of the 29 exceptionally talented friends featured in the anthology Fairburn and Friends including the...