Home from Nowhere

Home from Nowhere

Author: James Howard Kunstler

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 1998-03-26

Total Pages: 326

ISBN-13: 0684837374

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In his landmark book The Geography of Nowhere James Howard Kunstler visited the "tragic sprawlscape of cartoon architecture, junked cities, and ravaged countryside" America had become and declared that the deteriorating environment was not merely a symptom of a troubled culture, but one of the primary causes of our discontent. In Home from Nowhere Kunstler not only shows that the original American Dream -- the desire for peaceful, pleasant places in which to work and live -- still has a strong hold on our imaginations, but also offers innovative, eminently practical ways to make that dream a reality. Citing examples from around the country, he calls for the restoration of traditional architecture, the introduction of enduring design principles in urban planning, and the development of public spaces that acknowledge our need to interact comfortable with one another.


The Long Emergency

The Long Emergency

Author: James Howard Kunstler

Publisher: Open Road + Grove/Atlantic

Published: 2007-12-01

Total Pages: 344

ISBN-13: 155584670X

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A “frightening and important” look at our unsustainable future (Time Out Chicago). A controversial hit that has sparked debate among business leaders, environmentalists, and others, The Long Emergency is an eye-opening look at the unprecedented challenges we face in the years ahead, as oil runs out and the global systems built on it are forced to change radically. From the author of The Geography of Nowhere, it is a book that “should be read, digested, and acted upon by every conscientious U.S. politician and citizen” (Michael Shuman, author of Going Local: Creating Self-Reliant Communities in a Global Age).


The Harrows of Spring

The Harrows of Spring

Author: James Howard Kunstler

Publisher: Grove/Atlantic, Inc.

Published: 2016-07-05

Total Pages: 285

ISBN-13: 0802190375

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The World Made by Hand postapocalyptic saga concludes with this “suspenseful tale spiked with suffering and violence, rough justice and love” (Booklist). The small town of Union Grove has adapted, struggled, and thrived in the new age of civilization. But early spring is full of hardships: Fresh food is scarce and the winter stores are almost gone. Despite the time of privation, young explorer Daniel Earle resurrects the town newspaper, and the town trustees ask him to help revive the Hudson River trade route. But even as the townsfolk strive forward, a group of visitors remind them that nothing is easy in the new world. They proclaim themselves as representatives of the Berkshire People’s Republic, spouting high-minded, near-fanatical rhetoric of social justice and absolute equality—all while demanding tribute from the citizens under slyly veiled threats. Now, the townspeople of Union Grove will have to decide just how far they are willing to go to keep the freedom and peace for which they have fought so hard . . . With this glimpse into a future that could become reality all too soon, James Howard Kunstler delivers “a slyly folksy, caustically hilarious, unabashedly proselytizing, and affecting finale in a keenly provocative saga.” (Booklist).


World Made by Hand

World Made by Hand

Author: James Howard Kunstler

Publisher: Grove/Atlantic, Inc.

Published: 2009-01-19

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 1555848370

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In this “richly imagined” dystopian vision, mankind must find a way to survive as modern civilization slowly comes apart (O, The Oprah Magazine). When Earth ran dry of oil, the age of the automobile came to an end; electricity flickered out. With deprivation came desperation—and desperation drove humanity backward to a state of existence few could have imagined. In the tiny hamlet of Union Grove, New York, every day is a struggle. For Mayor Robert Earle, it is a battle to keep the citizens united. As the bonds of civilization are torn apart by war, famine, and violence, there are some who aim to carve out a new society: one in which might makes right—a world of tyranny, subjugation, and death. A world Earle must fight against . . . In his shocking nonfiction work, The Long Emergency, social commentator James Howard Kunstler explored the reality of what would happen if the engines stopped running. In World Made by Hand, he offers a stark glimpse of that future in a work of speculative fiction that stands as “an impassioned and invigorating tale whose ultimate message is one of hope, not despair” (San Francisco Chronicle). “Brilliant.” —Alan Cheuse, Chicago Tribune “It frightens without being ridiculously nightmarish, it cautions without being too judgmental, and it offers glimmers of hope we don’t have to read between the lines to comprehend.” —Baltimore City Paper


Too Much Magic

Too Much Magic

Author: James Howard Kunstler

Publisher: Open Road + Grove/Atlantic

Published: 2012-06-19

Total Pages: 247

ISBN-13: 0802194389

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The author of The Long Emergency explains why technology can’t solve all our problems, and how excessive optimism can endanger our future. The Long Emergency quickly became a grassroots hit, offering a shocking vision of our post-oil future and capturing the attention of environmentalists and business leaders alike. As discussion about our dependence on fossil fuels and our dysfunctional financial and government institutions continues, the author returns with Too Much Magic—evaluating what has changed and what has not, and what direction we need to take in this post-financial-crisis world. “Too much magic” is what James Howard Kunstler sees in the bright utopian visions of the future dreamed up by optimistic souls who believe technology will solve all our problems. Their visions remind him of the flying cars and robot maids that were the dominant images of the future in the 1950s. Kunstler’s image of the future is much more sober. With vision, clarity of thought, and a pragmatic worldview, Kunstler argues that the time for magical thinking and hoping for miracles is over—and the time to begin preparing for the long emergency has begun. “A sharp critic of energy-sucking, big-box landscapes.” —Winnipeg Free Press


A History of the Future

A History of the Future

Author: James Howard Kunstler

Publisher: Grove/Atlantic, Inc.

Published: 2014-08-05

Total Pages: 298

ISBN-13: 0802192475

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Humanity hangs on after the fall of civilization in this “wily, funny, rip-roaring, and profoundly provocative page-turner” (Booklist, starred review). After the collapse of the old world—the pandemics, the environmental disasters, the end of oil, the ensuing chaos—people are pursuing a simpler and sometimes happier existence. In Union Grove, New York, the townspeople are preparing for Christmas . . . the perfect time for a long-lost member of the community to return. Robert Earle’s son, Daniel, has come home after two years exploring what is left of the United States. He brings news of three new nations arisen from what was once America—and the dangers and possibilities they may hold. Meanwhile, a horrific murder threatens to turn the community of Union Grove against itself—and what is supposed to be a time of peace and togetherness is overtaken by suspicion and fear. In this vividly depicted look at a world that may be on our own horizon, “Kunstler skewers everything from kitsch to greed, prejudice, bloodshed, and brainwashing” in a gripping story of hope, hate, and humanity’s last chance at survival (Booklist).


The Witch of Hebron

The Witch of Hebron

Author: James Howard Kunstler

Publisher: Grove/Atlantic, Inc.

Published: 2010-09-07

Total Pages: 352

ISBN-13: 0802196284

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The dystopian epic of World Made by Hand continues in a novel hailed as “Larry McMurty’s Lonesome Dove, set in the dystopian world of The Road” (New York Journal of Books). A new age has begun on Earth. Oil is no longer a resource. Some parts of America are nuclear wastelands. Civilization has devolved into a constant struggle for food, water, and shelter. In the tiny hamlet of Union Grove, New York, the US government is little more than a rumor. Wars are being fought over dwindling resources and illness has a constant presence. Bandits roam the countryside, preying on the weak and a sinister cult threatens the town’s fragile stability. It is up to every citizen of Union Grove to decide what they are willing to fight for, kill for, and die for . . . This is a tale of humanity at its shining best and brutal worst woven together in a “suspenseful, darkly amusing story with touches of the fantastic in the mode of Washington Irving” (Booklist). “Kunstler’s postapocalyptic world is neither a merciless nightmare nor a starry-eyed return to some pastoral faux utopia; it’s a hard existence dotted with adventure, revenge, mysticism, and those same human emotions that existed before the power went out.” —Publishers Weekly


Geography Of Nowhere

Geography Of Nowhere

Author: James Howard Kunstler

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 1994-07-26

Total Pages: 308

ISBN-13: 0671888250

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Argues that much of what surrounds Americans is depressing, ugly, and unhealthy; and traces America's evolution from a land of village commons to a man-made landscape that ignores nature and human needs.


Living in the Long Emergency

Living in the Long Emergency

Author: James Howard Kunstler

Publisher: BenBella Books

Published: 2020-03-03

Total Pages: 232

ISBN-13: 1950665127

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Forget the speculation of pundits and media personalities. For anyone asking "Now what?" the answer is out there. You just have to know where to look. In his 2005 book, The Long Emergency, James Howard Kunstler described the global predicaments that would pitch the USA into political and economic turmoil in the 21st century—the end of affordable oil, climate irregularities, and flagging economic growth, to name a few. Now, he returns with a book that takes an up-close-and-personal approach to how real people are living now—surviving The Long Emergency as it happens. Through his popular blog, Clusterf*ck Nation, Kunstler has had the opportunity to connect with people from across the country. They've shared their stories with him—sometimes over years of correspondence—and in Living in the Long Emergency: Global Crisis, the Failure of the Futurists, and the Early Adapters Who Are Showing Us the Way Forward, he shares them with us, offering an eye-opening and unprecedented look at what's really going on "out there" in the US—and beyond. Kunstler also delves deep into his past predictions, comparing and contrastingt hem with the way things have unfolded with unflinching honesty. Further, he turns an eye to what's ahead, laying out the strategies that will help all of us as we navigate this new world. With personal accounts from a Vermont baker, homesteaders, a building contractor in the Baltimore ghetto, a white nationalist, and many more, Living in the Long Emergency is a unique and timely exploration of how the lives of everyday Americans are being transformed, for better and for worse, and what these stories tell us both about the future and about human perseverance.