Product Description

Dirt, soil, call it what you want--it's everywhere we go. It is the root of our existence, supporting our feet, our farms, our cities. This fascinating yet disquieting book finds, however, that we are running out of dirt, and it's no laughing matter. An engaging natural and cultural history of soil that sweeps from ancient civilizations to modern times, Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations explores the compelling idea that we are--and have long been--using up Earth's soil. Once bare of protective vegetation and exposed to wind and rain, cultivated soils erode bit by bit, slowly enough to be ignored in a single lifetime but fast enough over centuries to limit the lifespan of civilizations. A rich mix of history, archaeology and geology, Dirt traces the role of soil use and abuse in the history of Mesopotamia, Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, China, European colonialism, Central America, and the American push westward. We see how soil has shaped us and we have shaped soil--as society after society has risen, prospered, and plowed through a natural endowment of fertile dirt. David R. Montgomery sees in the recent rise of organic and no-till farming the hope for a new agricultural revolution that might help us avoid the fate of previous civilizations.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #132220 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-14
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 295 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Montgomery (King of Fish), a geomorphologist who studies how landscapes change through time, argues persuasively that soil is humanity's most essential natural resource and essentially linked to modern civilization's survival. He traces the history of agriculture, showing that when humans exhausted the soil in the past, their societies collapsed, or they moved on. But moving on is not an option for future generations, he warns: there isn't enough land. In the U.S., mechanized agriculture has eroded an alarming amount of agricultural land, and in the developing world, degraded soil is a principal cause of poverty. We are running out of soil, and agriculture will soon be unable to support the world's growing population. Chemical fertilizers, which are made with lots of cheap oil, are not the solution. Nor are genetically modified seeds, which have not produced larger harvests or reduced the need for pesticides. Montgomery proposes an agricultural revolution based on soil conservation. Instead of tilling the land and making it vulnerable to erosion, we should put organic matter back into the ground, simulating natural conditions. His book, though sometimes redundant, makes a convincing case for the need to respect and conserve the world's limited supply of soil. Illus. not seen by PW. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
"Anyone interested in environmental issues should read this book. . . . Entertains and stimulates thought."--Times Higher Ed Sup (thes)

"Fascinating insights into what be our most precious natural resource and gives important pointers toward sustainable land management."--Bioscience

"Fascinating insights into what be our most precious natural resource and gives important pointers toward sustainable land management."--Bioscience

"Fascinating insights into what be our most precious natural resource and gives important pointers toward sustainable land management."--Bioscience

"Fascinating insights into what be our most precious natural resource and gives important pointers toward sustainable land management."--Bioscience

From the Inside Flap
"From this gritty and compelling state-of-our-earth report comes the inescapable truth that we are nothing if not dirty-minded. A brilliant and essential book."--Roger Swain, science editor of Horticulture magazine

"The relationship between soils and societies has been crucial for humankind for 10,000 years. David Montgomery brings a geomorphologist's eye and a world-historical vision to the subject, showing why it demands our attention."--J.R. McNeill, author of Something New Under the Sun

"In our cyber-charged age, it's easy to forget that all six billion of us stand on the thin skin of the earth. Humanity is agriculture and agriculture is soil, just as it has been for 10,000 years. David Montgomery--a competent digger of dirt and an engaging storyteller--shows how a close look at the soil can reveal a surprising amount about who we are and where we are headed."--Richard Manning, author of Against the Grain: How Agriculture Has Hijacked Civilization

Customer Reviews

A history of farming and its long-term legacy
Though the title says Dirt, it should actually say Soil, as this book is about how numerous civilizations destroyed themselves by adopting unsustainable farming practices that eventually destroyed their land. The author examines the histories of England, Roman Empire, ancient Greece, pre-colonial Ethiopia, Mesopotamia, Pharaoic Egypt, continental Europe, Communist Russia, the antebellum South, Colonial New England, and China. The conclusions he draws from all are the same, agricultural practices driven by short-term profit led to long-term soil erosion and depletion. The latter created poverty, inducing emigrations, which led to civil strife, war, and gradual collapse. So this book does live up to its subtitle, it is a history of human civilization as told from the viewpoint of soil erosion.

As a work of nonfiction, its contents apply well to history, economics, geology, ecology, and anthropology, along with agriculture. As a commentary, it is quite objective and its points are well-conveyed. As reading material; it flows quite nicely and the chapters are easy to digest. A great book overall.

Dense but fun
I liked it.

I have to agree with the other reviewers that the author repeated himself, showing example after example with the same theme. I'd almost wish he'd summarized more of that part, and expanded more on the soil science in the early chapters - wading through that dense explanation took concentration. I felt more educated on the topic of soil abuse at the end, but really didn't have any handle on What Could Be Done to Fix The Issue. Probably because no one else does either.

I read this shortly after a couple of Micheal Pollan's earlier books, and would recommend the pairing (Omnivore's Dilema and Botany of Desire) for a more holistic view.

one of the best reads going
as an anthro/archaeology major (albeit years ago), history buff, lover of geology/mother earth and tree whisperer, words fail me to adequately express the impact this small book had on me and a small cohort of friends. it is far more than a wakeup call; it is a call to learn from our collective past and take responsibility for our actions so as to safeguard the future of our children and generations to come.

read it; recommend it; give it as a present; make a plan and take action

if not now, when? if not us, who?