The World Without Us - Alan Weisman

The idea behind this book is captivating - what would happen to the world if the human race suddenly disappeared? - and the author explores the question from many angles, visiting parts of the world that are relatively untouched by humanity (such as the amazing sounding forest wilderness of the Białowieża Puszca on the border of Poland and Belarus), and places such as a Cypriot coastal resort, or the Korean DMZ, where human withdrawal due to conflict allows a glimpse of the natural reclamation of previously-inhabited areas. I was particularly struck by the description of the effort that goes into keeping New York's subway tunnels clear of water, and their vulnerability - apparently it would take less than half an hour without pumping to make the tunnels impassible for trains. There was of course plenty of consideration given to the permanent environmental impacts our current way of life, and the most shocking to me was the description of the ubiquity and longevity of the tiny pellets used in plastic manufacture ("nurdles") in the oceans, and our casual use of "polyethylene beads" as exfoliants in beauty products. Overall, this book contained some fascinating and thought-provoking material, but sometimes lacked a clear structure and read more like a collection of related articles, some of which were a little dry (such as the detailed descriptions of the processes of construction, maintenance, and probable decay of structures such as the Panama Canal).

No Great Mischief - Alistair MacLeod

While visiting his alcoholic brother, a man starts to reminisce about his childhood as "gille beag ruadh", the "red haired boy" of a close-knit Cape Breton clan. His clear-sighted reflections on the past illuminate the shocking hardships and danger of isolated rural life as well as its consolations, while raising questions about the relationship between past and present, as he remembers his grandparents from the "quiet affluence" of his Ontario dental practice and home. Issues of loyalty and identity are also explored, as the family's responsibility for an unknown cousin precipitates a tragedy in the context of fierce rivalries between Gaelic and French speaking mine workers, while clan membership brings forth hospitality and kindness from strangers at several points in the narrative. The descriptions of companionable singing and music-making throughout the book were captivating.