Product Description
The story of carbon—the building block of life that, ironically, is humanity’s great threat. Carbon has always been the ubiquitous architect of life: Indeed, all living things need it to stay alive, and carbon cycles through organisms, ground, water, and atmosphere in a kind of global respiration system that helps keep Earth in balance. Yet, since the start of the industrial era, carbon dioxide emissions have sped up the carbon cycle, and chlorofluorocarbons are destroying the ozone layer and warming the planet. In The Carbon Age, science writer Eric Roston evokes this essential element, illuminating history from the Big Bang to modern civilization, and chronicles the often surprising ways mankind has used carbon over centuries. Blending the latest science with original reporting, Roston charts how we reached the brink of catastrophe, making us aware, as never before, of the seminal impact carbon has on our lives.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 10 reviews)

Awful editing and writing make for an awful book by L. Byrne (RI United States)

1 Stars
July 03, 2009
Understanding the carbon cycle and carbon's basic chemistry are vital to understanding global climate change and energy issues. I love learning about these issues. Thus, I was excited for this book. The title and back cover made it sound like it was going to be an engaging read. I was sorely disapointed. The writing and editing were just awful--shockingly awful. Adjacent paragraphs that don't belong together topically. Long random tangents throughout the book that the author fails to relate directly back to his thesis. (For example, in chapter 11 about biological fuels, a lot of information is discussed about basic genetics and the human genome project. Exactly why was never revealed and the chapter never presented in-depth info about biofuels.) The lack of a strong conclusion or forward-looking set of recommendations made the book end on a very unsatisfying note. These among other problems made for a less than spectacular read. I found myself skipping through big sections because I was so frustrated with the poor writing, both structurally and topically. One will obtain a better basic sense of the global carbon cycle from the Wikipedia entry than from this book. I don't recommend it in the least.

The Carbon Age by Tim Smith

5 Stars
April 13, 2009
While I do lots of reading, most books are obtained from the library to be enjoyed, then simply returned in a timely manner. Not only did I buy this book, I initially bought two copies, one as a gift and one to keep. Shortly thereafter I purchased an additional copy for another gift. I most certainly recommend this excellent book for others to read.

Outstanding book with breadth and depth by noleander

5 Stars
December 04, 2008
This is a unique book, sweeping in breadth. On the surface, it is a typical science book, but the author manages to add grandeur by giving it a historical perspective. Historical in a couple of senses: First, charting the history of the earth, and second, delving into mankind's history and man's relation to Carbon. The author's research was phenomenal, and on every page there is some provocative or interesting fact that is new (to me at least, and Im rather well read). I do have a suggestion, and if the author ever publishes a 2nd edition, I seriously recommend it: The book could use one or two historical graphs showing trends over time. A picture is worth a thousand words, and if there is one message, one thought, that this book pronounces it is that there have been long-term, gradual changes in the earth's environment, and we need to understand those to survive and flourish. But words are not enough to convey that thought: I want a graph that shows some of the trends, not just the recent Kneeley curve of CO2 in the atmosphere, but the amount of O2 in the atmosphere. There was no O2 originally, then plants came along and pumped out O2, and animals were able to evolve, then they started exhaling CO2, etc. What is the long-term dynamics of plants/animals/O2/CO2? In summary, this is an interesting, educational book. It does focus on global-warming near the end, but that is not the primary aim of the book, and one shouldn't dismiss it as "just another global warming book". I highly recommend this to anyone interested in science or the environment.

A recommended pick for school science and general-interest libraries alike by Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)

5 Stars
November 14, 2008
This discussion of the basic element carbon and its journey from prehistory to modern times surveys the science of carbon, its impact on the civilized world, and the ways mankind has used carbon over the centuries. Modern science blends with original research into history and technology to create an involving survey of one of the basic building blocks of life, a recommended pick for school science and general-interest libraries alike.

Back to School by Jorge Madrazo (Nutley, NJ United States)

4 Stars
September 30, 2008
This book crams more information than a year of high school chemistry -- I hope that doesn't sound dull. Roston does brings a chemistry perspective on things from the big bang to evolution to the auto. When it comes to implications for our future due to greenhouse gases, it can be daunting and despairing; but that's the price for being informed. thanks Eric.

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