Megadrought and Collapse

Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals. -- Choice Environmental vulnerability in the face of climate change is often discussed in the context of future climate; as such, the perspective on past societal disruption presented in this volume is extremely valuable. The contributing authors are all first-rate experts in their fields. This thorough collection will be of broad interest to archaeologists, paleoclimatologists, anthropologists, social scientists, and many more. --Raymond S. Bradley, University of Massachusetts, Amherst Richly documented and wide-ranging, this compelling interdisciplinary history of megadrought and societal collapse stresses the subject of long-term human and environmental interaction, a topic constantly on our minds today due to global warming. With his selected mix of global case studies, Weiss provides us with an important and timely rejoinder against those who question or dismiss the potential impact of major climate change on humans and other organisms. --Tom D. Dillehay, Vanderbilt University There has been much speculation that drought has been a key driver leading to the collapse of ancient societies but corroboration of theory has often been less than robust. In this masterful and much-needed book, edited by Harvey Weiss, we at least have the opportunity to see all the evidence brought together and crystallized in one place. At a time when global warming is once again raising the prospect of widespread and catastrophic drought, no one who reads this book should have any doubt of the immense power of drought to devastate and destroy. --Bill McGuire, University College London