Reflections in Bullough's Pond: Economy and Ecosystem in New England

摘要: From the vantage point of a nearby pond in Newton, Massachusetts, Diana Muir reconstructs an intriguing interpretation New England's natural history and people who have lived there since pre-Columbian times. Taking radically new way to show general readers interrelationships between ecology human economics, weaves together imaginative dramatic account changes, massive subtle, that successive generations humankind such animals as sheep beavers worked on land.Her compelling narrative takes us England populated by individuals struggling live off land not generously endowed nature. The areas history, she argues, was string ecological crises from which only escape lay creating radical solutions apparently insurmountable problems. Young men women coming age 1790s faced bleak future. In time when farming virtually occupation, burgeoning population meant enough go around. Worse, had been worn out careless use. With no prospects options, like Eli Whitney Thomas Blanchard might resigned themselves life poverty. Instead, they started industrial revolution, power astonished world.Reflections Bullough's Pond is grand scale. Drawing scholarship fields ranging archaeology zoology, offers exhilarating tour Paleolithic megafauna, crisis natives period, introduction indoor plumbing, invention shoe-peg. At end, we understandourselves our world little better.