The Parrot and the Igloo by Lipsky

THE PARROT AND THE IGLOO by David Lipsky received the rare distinction of being recommended by LibraryReads even though it is a work of non-fiction. Lipsky, a professor of writing and literature at NYU and a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, adopts a narrative approach which will succeed in engaging readers as they learn more about the history of climate change and its denial. For example, Lipsky outlines the impact of events like the harnessing of electricity, increased use of fossil fuels, 1970's environmental movement, and the documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. The text is divided into sections on inventors (primarily Edison, Tesla, and Westinghouse), scientists (e.g., Jim Hansen, Roger Revelle, Svante Arrhenius) and deniers (and their links to the tobacco industry strategy). Some rather startling observations (e.g., discovery of greenhouse effect in 1824; a 1956 Time Magazine article warning that “in fifty years or so this process … may have a violent effect on the Earth’s climate”) contrasts with the better-known (and, sadly) ongoing political lobbying and inaction. At 496 pages, this is already a lengthy text so the endnotes are published online. THE PARROT AND THE IGLOO received starred reviews from Kirkus (“simultaneously captivating and disturbing”) and Publishers Weekly (“a first-rate entry in the field of climate denial studies”). Interested readers should definitely check out related titles like Greta Thunberg’s compilation The Climate Book.