Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations | 
 enlarge | Author: David R. Montgomery
Publisher: University of California Press
Category: Book
List Price: $16.95
Buy New: $10.84
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Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 94643
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 296
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 5.5 x 0.8
ISBN: 0520258061
Dewey Decimal Number: 508
EAN: 9780520258068
ASIN: 0520258061
Publication Date: October 2, 2008
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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.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 Dirt! It's worth more than gold! December 10, 2008
I have just finished reading "Collapse" by J. Diamond and was thoroughly depressed about the future of humankind when I saw the article announcing the MacArthur grants and that a local professor had written a book on dirt and won an award. I thought what the heck what's one more book that tells us we are in a heap of trouble. But this book is better by far. First, it's way less pages, so it takes less time to read. Second the attitude is that we can fix this if we pay attention. Yes, we are still in a heap of trouble, yes the topsoil should be valued more than gold. As been said before you can't eat gold, but you can eat off of topsoil.
If you are a farmer, and want to know why you should switch to "organic" farming, this is the book. If you are a consumer of food and care about your children, it's why you should buy organic food, and why it's worth the premium. Just the local news that Centrex mixed toxic chemicals into "fertilizer" and sold it cheap to farmers in Eastern Washington should give you reason enough to go organic.
There is a bit of economics in the book, why we got into this trouble in the first place. Why market forces aren't enough to get us out of trouble, why mechanization by itself is not going to get the cost down, why small farms aren't the only answer either. There is a clear blueprint for future sustainable farming in the book. I am hoping that farmers are paying attention.
Oh yes, the narrative goes on a bit long on the mechanics of soil making but mostly I found it great reading. And I before I read "Collapse" I had no knowledge about how topsoil was really made. Gardeners will also find it interesting as well.
Dirt the erosion of civilization November 26, 2008
Great book - enjoyed from start to finish. well written and researched.
Inspired me to study more.
America's most precious resource November 3, 2008
After reading this book, it's become apparent to me that the U.S. Government's policy on soil conservation is inadequate. The public needs to be made aware of not only the dangers of running out of petroleum, but possibly, which I see as more harrowing; insufficient farmable land to feed the population.
A Fascinating and Rich Synthesis of Ideas October 6, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Just finished this book, and it's a 'must have'.
A masterly synthesis of ideas! If you have a background in any ONE of
agriculture, soil science, history, geology, anthropology, geopolitics,
or public policy, this book may well 'keep you up at night'. I found
certain passages so exciting I had to read them aloud to others.
He covers a broad swath of history, from dozens of millenia ago, up
the present day. Montgomery snaps his prose into sharp temporal
detail when necessary, and pulls back focus to general scientific principles as needed to illustrate points. I actually learned things
about the Civil War which deeply enlightened and informed
the military and economic and social information I already had. Heck, I
learned things about tobacco and cotton I didn't know!
I grateful that despite the fact that he touches on all manner of
'hot button' issues -- on climate change, genetically-modified organisms, government programs, slavery, and public policy, he is never
polemical, never preachy. Any of these topics could have easily turned
into a polarizing 'rant' and diluted the fine scientific tone of his
work, but he steers far, far clear, presenting facts, context,
references and a flow of events all in an extremely readable, almost
conversational tone.
If you are interested in any aspect of food, history, culture, public
policy, agriculture, or geomorphology, I recommend this book very
very highly indeed.
I truly hope you read it and if you enjoy it even one-tenth as much as I did, you'll be glad you did!
 A history of farming and its long-term legacy March 15, 2008
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
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.
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