This book is the first of three book discussions that Sustainable Charlotte and the Charlotte Library are hosting. All will be on Zoom and the link will be here when we come closer to the beginning date of each book. Books will be available for loan or purchase through the Charlotte Library.

One of humanity’s oldest beliefs is that our world is alive. Though one ridiculed by some scientists, the idea of Earth as a vast interconnected living system has gained acceptance in recent decades. We, and all living things, are more than inhabitants of Earth—we are Earth an outgrowth of its structure and an engine of its evolution. Life and its environment have coevolved for billions of years, transforming a lump of orbiting rock into a cosmic oasis—a planet that breathes, metabolizes, and regulates its climate.

Acclaimed science writer Ferris Jabr reveals a radical new vision of Earth, emerging from the latest research, in which lush forests spew water, pollen, and bacteria to summon rain; giant animals engineer the very landscapes they roam; microbes chew rock to shape continents; and microscopic plankton, some as glittering as cared jewels, remake the air and sea.