Cover Image: Climate Change Simplified

Climate Change Simplified

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Member Reviews

As its title suggests, 'Climate Change Simplified' aims to provide the minimum and basic information that every individual is supposed to possess in order to be able to provide their contribution in tackling climate change. You can assess the sincerity and seriousness with which the project was approached by the fact that the book is only 126 pages long. So there is no reason for any person to be scared. Anybody would exclaim, “Oh yes, that much I can certainly manage!”

The positive points of the book is its timing and conciseness. There wouldn’t have been a better time than now to release this book, when the climate action is picking up pace and heat. Figures and plots have been provided in plenty and extensively. Data and numbers are provided throughout the book. A detailed list of references is provided at the end of the book.

Yet, the book falls short of achieving its stated objective. First, the several spelling mistakes do turn you off. In almost all instances it gives an impression that the writer was dictating the manuscript while a scribe was taking notes. Hence you see misplaced similar sounding words, such as bias/base. Of course, in almost all cases you are able to guess the correct word, yet such small errors do distract your attention.

Limitation of the book lies in a complete lack of description. Data and figures are presented, but are discussed very superficially, and that too in a very dull and technical language. I seriously doubt if a general reader will be able to understand and appreciate the content. It may make some sense to the researchers working in this field, though I wonder whether they would even need this book at all. Numbers (data and numerical values) are given but no explanation is given. Writer has made no attempt to explain any of the figures either. Instead of trying to impress the readers by juggling with numbers, the writer could have focused on theoretical discussion in a simple language using analogies and metaphors. Popular science writing is different from general science writing and is no less difficult. One sign of a successful popular science book is that it presents very less technical details but discusses the subject in a very elaborate but simple language.

I doubt if anyone would gain anything from this book. Yet, I would once again say that the writer should be applauded for at least making the much needed effort to talk to general audience about the most important problem of our times. Hope future editions would be thoroughly edited, rectified and simplified.

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I had hopes. The title and description made this book sound interesting.. Rather that simplified explanation of an important issue, I I found this book hard to follow and gave up quickly. It was not very readable and perhaps not well translated.

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