Mary Soderstrom ist eine in Montreal ansässige Autorin, deren Werke die komplexen Beziehungen zwischen Menschheit und der natürlichen Welt untersuchen und dabei oft überraschende Parallelen zwischen geografischen, historischen und politischen Phänomenen ziehen. Ihr Schreiben zeichnet sich durch scharfe Beobachtungen, lebendige Anekdoten und nachdenkliche Reflexionen über scheinbar disparate Themen wie Geologie, Genetik und menschliche Gesellschaft aus. Soderstrom verfügt über die Gabe, vergangene und gegenwärtige Ereignisse auf fesselnde Weise zu verbinden und bietet dem Leser durch ihre umfangreiche und vielfältige Produktion eine neue Perspektive auf die Welt. Ihre Arbeit regt zum Nachdenken über die Vernetzung aller Dinge an.
Against the Seas tells how we have coped with rising sea levels since the end of the Ice Age - by moving, building defences, or magic. Flood stories in different cultures show just how traumatic those experiences were. But what happened in the past may help us in the future and gives hope that we will survive.
A fascinating history of the carbon footprint of our concrete world―from ancient Roman architecture to urban cityscapes―and the trouble it spells for sustainability amidst rapid climate changeFor readers of The Sixth Extinction and The Uninhabitable Earth , Concrete explores the history of a material that has been central to architecture and design for thousands of years―and what its future looks like in a world experiencing rapid climate change.Imagine what the world would be like without there’d be no high-rises, no grand irrigation projects, no lettuce from southern climes in the winter, no multi-lane highways crisscrossing continents, a shortage of electricity, more mud in some places, more solitude in others. But because of the fossil fuels and other resources required to make concrete, there also would be less CO2 in the atmosphere and less dramatic climate change. In From Ancient Origins to a Problematic Future , Soderstrom tells the story of concrete’s glorious past, extravagant present, and uncertain future with careful research, lively anecdotes, and thoughtful reflection. The framework for this exploration is one the Romans―famous for concrete structures that are still strong―would the four elements of Earth, Fire, Water, and Air.