Society and the Environment

Book Reviews

The Assignment:

A) Environmental Classics. We will read 2 classic books in American environmental literature: Aldo Leopold's A Sand County Almanac and Rachael Carson's Silent Spring. We will have a class discussion of each of these books. At that time, you will also turn in an essay (3 - 4 pages) describing your reactions to the book. For the essay, discuss why this book is an environmental classic and what impact it has on you personally. Be specific and where possible use evidence. You will be graded on the substance of what you say and the persuasiveness and clarity of your arguments.

B) A recently published environmental book. The Hamilton Library has a large number of recent acquisitions related to environmental topics. I will provide you with a list of a variety of such books. You may select one from the list or find (and have approved) one on your own to review. Your 3 to 4 page review will:

Describe the thesis of the book and the topics covered.
Evaluate how well the author supports their argument.
Evaluate the potential impact of the book.
Provide a one paragraph (250 word maximum) summary.

The summaries will be printed in a booklet available to the entire class.

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