neoludification's review
4.5
A grandiose, sweeping diagnosis of the climate crisis and its colonialist/imperialist origins. What fascinates most is the statement that, contrary to the dogma of many (western) leftists, reducing the problem of anthropogenic climate change to a problem of political economy makes for an insufficient analysis. Ghosh loses me towards the end, when after all the huge structural problems he's analysed and critiqued so well, his solution lies in an almost naive notion of "more empathy." And surely, a vitalist politics compromises more than just telling better stories about ourselves and our environment?
isssa132's review
5.0
ten million stars, broke my heart, unbroke it again, etc etc it was so good thank you mr Ghosh i learned so much
hannahpings's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
required reading.
remarkably researched, presented, and synthesized. ghosh is a deft writer and storyteller, and with the nutmeg's curse presents (this is not hyperbole!) the most well-crafted work i've ever read. there was a moment about two-thirds of the way through the book that absolutely took my breath away: a clear conclusion that i couldn't have seen coming, but up to which every word i'd read so far––even seeming asides and discursions––had been leading. there's also a deep care here, an unflinching earnestness and kinship without which this book couldn't exist, and it's all the better for it.
remarkably researched, presented, and synthesized. ghosh is a deft writer and storyteller, and with the nutmeg's curse presents (this is not hyperbole!) the most well-crafted work i've ever read. there was a moment about two-thirds of the way through the book that absolutely took my breath away: a clear conclusion that i couldn't have seen coming, but up to which every word i'd read so far––even seeming asides and discursions––had been leading. there's also a deep care here, an unflinching earnestness and kinship without which this book couldn't exist, and it's all the better for it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Xenophobia, Racism, Genocide, Classism, Death, Colonisation, Pandemic/Epidemic, and War
Moderate: Slavery, Police brutality, and Trafficking
Minor: Suicide
aniblaahh's review
5.0
Climate change is caused by colonialism? Colonialism is/was caused by global political power struggles? Indigenous cultures had it right all along? We need to stop looking at climate change and global politics from a western lens?
All yes. My kind of book.
All yes. My kind of book.
bloodyfool0's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Exceptional. Who would've thought to link centuries old colonialism to shamanism in order to demonstrate the carnage colonial practices have on Gaia. This book transforms how we look at our present day circumstances on the living planet by contrasting bad practices we've been fully engaged in for centuries. Forget about merely hydrocarbons, but look at terraforming as well. We are driving anything that is not human to extinction. Even this "anti-woke" movement is another attempt at extinction - anyone who is not white is considered sub-human.