As the World Burns

Very well written and researched. Definitely a thought provoking book about Juliana v. United States and about our future on this planet. .

It is depressing when you realize exactly how much of the earth has already been ruined and realize how deep the oil industry is embedded in government. The fact that a former BP attorney was leading the government's defense speaks loud an clear. Although this book is US based it does touch on the pipeline in Canada which was abandoned by the previous owners and purchased by our Canadian Government (sigh). This book also makes the link between the mostly white rich people getting richer while the mostly brown/black communities are the ones to suffer because of climate change. Lots of examples and stories around this in the book which is timely in today's climate.

There were some funny parts as well. The part comparing Trump to the Bond villain Goldfinger but aptly named "Orangefinger" made me chuckle for sure. The similarities are uncanny! The section on how we used to view smoking was also very relatable. The world needs another C. Everett Koop right now although as the author says they would probably be fired in fewer than 280 characters.

I really enjoyed getting to know the young people that were the plaintiffs in this case. I am sad for them that this case never made it to trial.

A very clearly-written and comprehensively laid-out account of the state of climate change and climate change legislation in the US today. A great read for high school students or those passionate about climate activism.

A terrifying and informative book about climate change that is already showing signs today. A thought-provoking account of the ongoing Juliana v. United States case that follows the twenty-one young plaintiffs whom sued the federal government for their affirmative actions that cause climate change and the violalation of young generations' consitutional rights.

Lee van der Voo does an exceptional job in highlighting the factual information on the contributing factors and the consequences of climate change. But what makes this book shine was the author's approach to this book written in a conversational narrative style. The readers' opportunity to hear from the young plaintiffs' directly of their personal stories, background and how climate change directly impacted their daily lives was the cornerstone in truly understanding the burden they carried and the reason why it was essential for them to be fully engaged in standing up to their government. Lee van der Voo delivers the empathietic perspective through the eyes of these youths. It is through the touch of human-interest stories that elevated my disappointments and anger when getting through this book. But most importantly, the motivation of these young plaintiffs in continuing to fight despite the constant let downs were moving and inspirational. An essential read that allows the readers to fully digest the inevitable storm that is brewing in the impact on our planet and all of humanity.

Thank you to Net Galley and Timber Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Very thought provoking. It is impossible to live in this world and be blind to all the very real issues we face with our own mortality and the survival of our planet. This story gives voice to the threat our planet faces taking into account the government's response to climate change. It shows real person interactions and their struggle and commitment to be heard.

* Disclaimer: I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who is endeavouring to learn more about environmental activism and what we can all do in our day-to-day lives to look after our environment.

This book in particular was of interest to me because it’s not a legal case that I was aware of; one where young people in America are challenging the federal government because of their negligence when it comes to issues of climate change. The author herself narrates the audiobook which gave more emotion to the writing, which I think was needed as at points, this got quite dry. This was mostly due to the fact that the book follows a legal case so there is talk of US environmental law, human rights and civil rights, the details of the case, and the stories of the plaintiffs involved.

Being a journalist, Lee van der Voo goes into depth about each topic she discusses in such great detail that it wasn’t the best book to listen to on audiobook. I imagine this would be a great book to support study of environmental law cases.

The main aspect of this book that I enjoyed was the inclusion of the discussion of racial disparities that exist among those effected by the changing climate in the US. Especially against the backdrop of the events of 2020 and the upcoming presidential election, the timing of me reading this book made it all the more powerful and important to discuss.

Overall, I think that this is a book that I got a lot out of but I feel that at times it felt very dry. I wouldn’t recommend it if you are starting out learning about climate science or the law, but if you have an existing base knowledge this may be a book you’re interested in.

3 out of 5 stars!

This is an important story. Juliana v United States. With 21 plaintiffs, there’s a lot to tell and environmental journalist Lee van der Voo clearly finds each of the young people fascinating as she draws out their individual personalities. Seeing how their various backgrounds and personal experiences with the effects of global warming lead them to join the suit is both inspiring and depressing. Will the courts ever agree that children have a right to inherit a livable planet and that the government obliged to protect it? How else can we move forward? The many political and business forces behind why insufficient action has taken place so far are maddeningly short sighted. The role the media has played in failing to get the facts out to the public is also sadly familiar. The young plaintiffs come across as thoughtful, knowledgeable and rather surprisingly even-keeled when it comes to confronting those who won’t believe or act. Their determination and optimism gives me hope for a better future.

Science, facts, hope and the resilience of children. As the World Burns is the story of Juliana v. United States and the 21 young people who challenge the government to preserve their future. I found this inspiring and it makes me hopeful for our future.

**I received an electronic ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review of this book.

This book was one reporter's experience with the plaintiffs in the Juliana 21 case. These young people sued the federal government over its actions that hastened climate change. In this book, the author highlighted certain plaintiffs and how climate change directly impacted them. The minting that I took away from this book is that climate change is already doing unspeakable damage to the world and we must act quickly to save this world for the next generation.

Gen Z will probably save us, it's really amazing. I was moved, outraged, and inspired by these kids. We have a responsibility to do so much better for them.

This was a hard book for me to read, partly because it is writing about serious issues and it took a lot of concentration for me to take it all in. I started in September, just as school was starting (I am a tutor) and things got pretty busy and I found I could only fit in a chapter here and there. In the end, it took me over 2 months to read it, but that should say that it was a boring book or a book not worth reading. On the contrary, the book discusses very current and relevant issues, the issue of climate change and why our world, and especially the US is headed towards disaster. Already 2020 has made it very clear that climate change issues are causing irrevocable damage in many places in the US. No name a few, the wildfires that are raging all over the western part of the country, the erosion of all of our coastal lines, the droughts that are drying up our southwest, the hurricanes that are destroying millions of homes and lives, the melting of the glaciers in Alaska and the real impact this is all having on our children especially. And the greedy corporations (like the Koch brothers, for example) that are controlling our legislature so that they continue to make money to the detriment of our future. While this book focuses on the young people who are suing the US in the Juliana case in order to force them to make policy changes that will help mitigate the damage, and it focuses on why they are suing the US, the real story is about what the damage is doing to their lives and that they are fighting to change things so that it doesn't become too late. I found myself seeing red way too many times in this book and in hindsight, perhaps it's better that I read it over a long period of time. But there is urgency in this book and once again (I looked it up), the court is dismissing the case and they are appealing the ruling. But the appeal is still pending. What frustrates me is that the wealthy step in to delay and obstruct in hopes that the plaintiffs will give up and when it looks like they'll get enough attention to garner public support, they do something to cause a delay and take out the momentum. It was and is very frustrating and I'm hoping that in the next round, even if the court does not rule in their favor, the next administration will at least listen and take into consideration their points. While this is not my usual genre of books, I'm really glad I took the time to read it, even if it took me a long time.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book covers some of the plaintiffs in the Juliana case. It was not a case I had heard about before I read this book, so it was all new to me. The plaintiffs are all young people who are suing the government over climate change, so it is timely and important.

The individuals were all affected in one way or another by climate change and they got together in this lawsuit. They are young people from all over the country and all walks of life. Their stories are inspiring. The author interviews each one and shows the reader how climate change will affect them. We all need to act on climate change because it’s happening right now. Some examples are given in the book, which are important for the reader to understand the issues. Climate change is not simply warming temperatures. It affects so much. Sea level rise, increased storm size and intensity, increasing fires and drought, and more. The young people are affected in various ways. In fire country, the kids can’t go outdoors during wildfire season due to air quality issues. In places where warming is happening, drought can affect food crops, etc. So, it’s not just one issue. There are many effects and all the plaintiffs are affected in different ways.

It can be a difficult read because these issues seem hopeless at times. It took me a while to read because I had to take breaks and try to think about the issues from afar for a while before digging back in. Imagine the young people though, who have their entire lives ahead of them, and inherited this mess. That’s the core of what this book is about. It is their story.

The epilogue says the lawsuit was dismissed by the court, but one can hope that a higher court will hear the case and make a difference. After all, it is all of our futures at stake.

This is a detailed and at times distressing look at the landmark fight taken by young activists against the activities which cause climate change. Along the way we are shown forests being killed by bark beetles that are kept down by cold winters, but cold enough winters have not occurred in decades. We meet a teen girl whose bedroom flooded before the rest of the home did, due to excess rains, and whose family had to strip out the ground floor of their home without flood insurance.

Why wouldn't people sue? Especially if they are young and this is what they face living with for the rest of their lives. They did not create the pipeline for oil, sell the air conditioners or fridges. They have lived through two one-thousand-year floods. How many more will there be?

The author follows the progress of the Juliana case through courts, but returns to tell us how a teen was ostracised in school. It's not easy being green, as a Muppet used to tell us.

This is quite a scholarly work of journalism which may be too heavy for young readers but should suit journalists, adult activists and anyone involved in the science of the warming planet.
Notes from P.256 in my e-ARC, index P.291 - 304.
No illustrations, graphs, photos or maps in my book; they would be appreciated.