This book surveys major environmental writings on a wide range of subjects, from the origin and evolution of plants and animals to such recent environmental philosophies as deep ecology and the
Gaia
hypothesis.
Environmental Literature
examines works such as
The Origin of Species
,
The Anatomy of Plants
Climate and Evolution
The Descent of Man
The Living Sea
Natural History
Playing God in Yellowstone
, and
Silent Spring
. Each entry summarizes the work's main points and notes its reception and impact.
Other entries include animal ecology, biodiversity, Chernobyl, Alexander von Humboldt, forest management, Stephen Jay Gould, nature writing, Charles Darwin, and the simple living movement.