Over the Seawall: Tsunamis, Cyclones, Drought, and the Delusion of Controlling Nature
Stephen Robert Miller
Nov 2023 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Jon Vertullo
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8 hr 58 min
Unabridged
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About this audiobook
In March 2011, people in a coastal Japanese city stood atop a seawall watching the approach of the tsunami that would kill them. They believed-naively-that the huge concrete barrier would save them. Instead they perished, betrayed by the very thing built to protect them. Erratic weather, blistering drought, rising seas, and ecosystem collapse now affect every inch of the globe. Increasingly, we no longer look to stop climate change, choosing instead to adapt to it. Never have so many undertaken such a widespread, hurried attempt to remake the world. Predictably, our hubris has led to unintended-and sometimes disastrous-consequences. Academics call it maladaptation; in simple terms, it's about solutions that backfire. Over the Seawall tells us the stories behind these unintended consequences and the fixes that can do more harm than good. From seawalls in coastal Japan, to the reengineered waters in the Ganges River Delta, to the artificial ribbon of water supporting both farms and urban centers in parched Arizona, Stephen Robert Miller traces the histories of engineering marvels that were once deemed too smart and too big to fail. In each he takes us into the land and culture, seeking out locals and experts to better understand how complicated, grandiose schemes led instead to failure, and to find answers to the technologic holes we've dug ourselves into.
About the author
Stephen Robert Miller is an award-winning science journalist whose work has appeared in National Geographic, the Guardian, Discover magazine, Audubon, and many others. He was a Ted Scripps Fellow at the University of Colorado's Center for Environmental Journalism. He lives in Colorado.
Jon Vertullo is a voice-over and on-camera talent who has been performing on mic, stage, and screen since the age of ten. His voice has been described as "friendly, trustworthy, and engaging, with a sprinkling of nerdy fun!"
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