BEFORE IT'S GONE by Jonathan Vigliotti, national correspondent for CBS News, is subtitled "Stories from the Front Lines of Climate Change in Small-Town America." And Vigliotti does indeed write movingly about the devastation due to wildfire (and human errors) at Lahaina, Hawaii. In another section, he writes rather humorously about the "kamikaze iguanas" who in cold temperatures fall out of trees in South Florida. In short, this book is geographically and thematically all over the place. His preface (about Hawaii) and prologue (about climate change in Syria) raise some of his concerns but don't really provide any guideposts for his readers. Then, BEFORE IT'S GONE is divided into four sections: Fire, Water, Air and Earth, although Vigliotti readily admits that "most if not all environmental disasters are fueled by more than just one element." Yes, he introduces readers to local activists – one especially poignant section is about the increased suicide rate for farmers in Minnesota – but he does not clearly lay out a coherent argument, seemingly presenting more sensationalized (including some unnecessarily vulgar language) accounts. His statistics are supported in a Notes section that is about fifteen pages. This is a widespread ("in 2021, 14.5 million American homes were affected by environmental disasters that figure works out to one in 10 homes in the country") and expensive ("according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), between 2020 and 2023 the United States was hammered by more than eighty billion-dollar environmental disasters that destabilized highly developed communities") issue. Perhaps attempting to personalize these trends will prompt action, but this text felt too disjointed and not focused enough on the small-town America referenced in its subtitle.

This is a good survey and a frightening reminder of the many climate change disasters we have experienced in the 21st century. As a CBS national correspondent, Jonathan Vigliotti visits small towns across America and examines the catastrophes we face, from massive forest fires to devastating hurricanes, storms, and flooding. I have relatives across the country, so many have been affected by these disasters. It is easy to think, "Oh, this is a one-time event." No, as Vigliotti's book shows, they add up. Since Katrina in 2008, which affected my family in New Orleans, I've had colleagues lose homes to fire in California or been evacuated, I've had relatives in Oregon lose property to wildfires, I have a relative dealing with a neighborhood that smells like onions because excess flooding in California is causing toxins to bubble up at the local dump. I experienced the heatwave in Washington State that caused too much marine life to die out...

Since I have never reviewed one book without recommending another, I think Vigliotti's book is an excellent survey of many disasters, and he covers the Paradise fire in California. If you read Vigliotti's book and want to know more, Paradise: One Town's Struggle to Survive by Lizzie Johnson is an excellent follow-up that goes deeper into one specific disaster.

Depressing and very much a current issue. I like how this book was broken down into the 4 parts of water, fire, air and earth. Each chapter was devastating and I do not understand how people can deny that climate change is already happening, and it is just going to get worst. Very well researched and presented.

Thanks to Netgalley, Jonathan Vigliotti and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Already available

An important and riveting read that provides a front-row seat to the devastating effects of climate change for everyday Americans. Drawing on author Jonathan Vigliotti’s extensive experience as a climate reporter, BEFORE IT’S GONE serves as a chilling reminder that we are not centuries - or even decades - away from the devastation of climate change. We are all feeling the effects every season, every day, now. From wildfires in California to hurricanes on the eastern seaboard, and all of the tornadoes and crop failures in between, the overarching story is told in 4 parts, covering the elements of Fire, Water, Air and Earth in turn. Vigliotti uses story-telling to great effect, personalizing the tragedies while weaving in facts, statistics and some hope in the form of actions we can still take to mitigate if not stop the man-made catastrophes heading our way.

My only nits are relatively minor - each section told more than one story and would switch back and forth in a manner that was sometimes confusing. I think a linear progression of one story at a time would have the same effect without the potential for confusion.

Pub Date: 4/2/24
Review Published: 3/25/24
eARC received from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Before It’s Gone: Stories from the Front Lines of Climate Change in Small-Town America, by Jonathan Vigliotti: I LOVED this book and have been recommending it right and left. Jonathan is a CBS News reporter who is frequently sent out to cover “natural disasters” that are, in fact, due to climate change. In this book, he recounts the personal stories of people he met through his reporting, and builds a strong case for why the devastating effects of climate change are not far off but are in fact already occurring. The entire book is very compelling and easy-to-digest, even as it teaches readers the science of why this is happening. As someone who lives in the wildfire-prone foothills of Colorado, where the devastating 2021 Marshall Fire destroyed over 1000 homes in my town, this hit very close to home, and helped me see the bigger picture: that this wasn’t a one off and we need to take action NOW. The book is divided into four sections – fire, water, air, and earth, and my only complaint is that a few stories didn’t fit their section as well as I would have liked (e.g., the “air” section had a lot of content about a flood in Montana, which would have fit better in the “water” section rather than in discussions of tornadoes). Overall, a fantastic book that I wish everyone would read.

Before It's Gone is a modern look at climate change, and ways that climate change are affecting our planet already. Jonathan is a CBS news reporter, and I loved the way he wrote this novel, mixing in science, history, and personal stories. I though he balanced being informative and being entertaining perfectly. Highly recommend for anyone looking to learn more about the affects on climate change happening now during our lifetime.

I read this book in one day. Wow! Great debut from an amazing tv correspondent. Jonathan Vigliotti’s storytelling is absolutely captivating.

Thank you for the ARC, @netgalley and @atriabooks.
Before It's Gone is an important and accessible analysis of the real effects of climate change on all of us, now and into the future. Jonathan Vigliotti deftly weaves together the many threads of our looming ecological crisis, without resorting to preachiness or melodrama. By telling the tragic yet resilient stories of those whose lives and livelihoods have been affected by drought, fire, floods and soil depletion, he implores us to challenge the all-too-pervasive belief that the dangers of climate change are abstract, hypothetical and alarmist. A worthwhile and ultimately hopeful read.

If the author ever gets tired of reporting, he may just have a career in writing.

I really enjoyed this book. I love how the author went with the elements, FIRE, Water, AIR, Earth. ANd then gave examples of each one.
Further, talked about some people are trying to improve the environment.

One of the overwhelming things I noticed was just how rural all of the places felt. How before the tragedy hit there was a big community there.

The author took it slow, using plain English on why some of the super storms are happening more often.

I Really appreciated the aspects of all of the weather that the author covered, from a diner hit by the Beast, to a suicide hotline for farmers in Minnesota, the author covers all of the bases.

The only small thing was in the Air section, there talked about a flood in a National Park. It was just weird to talk about flooding then the Beast tornadro. Didn't seem to belong in the air section.