The Nature Delusion - by Tom Oliver (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"A pathbreaking synthesis" Gus Speth

"Rigorous and compelling" Michael Foley

A one-of-a-kind book offering a unique perspective on how our connection with nature relates to the current environmental crisis.

Does the future of humankind lie in colonising a new planet, or uploading our minds to a digital metaverse?

Listening to certain billionaires and technophiles, you might think these are our best bets for escaping the increasingly hostile world we've made for ourselves. The Nature Delusion dismantles these ideas. It shows why technological and economic 'fixes' alone cannot solve the existential threat of climate change, and why they remain out of reach for most people. Instead, this book uncovers the root causes of our environmental crisis - from our disconnection from nature to our focus on short-term, self-centred priorities - and offers a hopeful vision for the future.

As the environmental crisis deepens, it's easy to feel powerless or overwhelmed. The Nature Delusion invites you to see humanity's place in the world in a radically new way and demonstrates how transforming our mindset can create a healthier, more resilient world.

Review Quotes

"A rigorous and compelling analysis of impending global crises and the proposed responses, with a bracing realism on the problems of each." Michael Foley, author of The Age of Absurdity

"A lucid critique of the global polycrisis that, remarkably, leaves you feeling that, just maybe, there is hope." Hugh Warwick, author and ecologist

"What are the deep changes of outlook that might enable us to face climate change? Tom Oliver answers this question in a book with quite extraordinary reach across different aspects and attitudes. As he steers us through so many questions, he remains expert, generous, clear and succinct. This is a major contribution." Richard Kerridge, Bath Spa University

"Billionaires aren't going to rescue us from the climate crisis. The real change we need must come from ordinary people. This excellent book helps us to better understand how we can trigger a positive transformation in our culture, and ourselves." Russell Warfield, Head of Communications at climate charity Possible.

"A pathbreaking synthesis - accurate in its science, fearless in its analysis, and promising in its prescriptions. It should be read by every college student, for example, because young people hold the promise of grasping and acting on the powerful insights Oliver offers. I love this book." Gus Speth, former Dean, Yale School of the Environment, and author of The New Systems Reader: Alternatives to a Failed Economy

"Passionate, engaging and illuminating... takes us down to the very heart of our current crises: a sense of separation from our world. Oliver's solution is compelling: to re-imagine what it means to be human and to recognise our deep interconnectedness with others and with nature. A much-needed resource for all of us wanting to see genuine, enduring change in these troubled times." Mick Cooper, University of Roehampton

"We are Homo deludians, a selfish species lost inside a dark technosphere. The Nature Delusion illuminates a pathway out of this cave and offers reconnection to Earth, nature and life." Glenn Albrecht, philosopher

"Sobering yet hopeful - this impeccable analysis offers key insights to transcend our sustainability delusions and transform our world." Lorenzo Benini, European Environment Agency

"Oliver breathes new life into the axiom, 'Humans are a part of nature, not apart from nature', while explaining how - and why - our peculiar nature is both the source and the solution to the environmental crises we face. He powerfully demonstrates that the only path forward is a transformation of our relationship with both nature and modern industry. But, such a radical transformation can be achieved through all of our tiny decisions and daily adjustments. Individual action is collective action, when we work together." Nathan H. Lents, John Jay College - CUNY

About the Author

Tom Oliver is Professor of Applied Ecology and Research Dean for Environment at the University of Reading. He is a prominent systems thinker, advising both the UK government and the European Commission. His first book The Self Delusion: The Surprising Science of Our Connection to Each Other and the Natural World (W&N, 2020) was published to critical acclaim and translated into Korean and Italian.