On Time and Water

De: Andri Snær Magnason, Lytton Smith - translator

Narrado por: Graham Halstead

A few years ago, Andri Snaer Magnason, one of Iceland's most beloved writers and public intellectuals, was asked by a leading climate scientist why he wasn't writing about the greatest crisis mankind has faced. Magnason demurred: He wasn't a specialist, it wasn't his field. But the scientist persisted: "If you cannot understand our scientific findings and present them in an emotional, psychological, poetic, or mythological context," he told him, "then no one will really understand the issue, and the world will end."

Based on interviews and advice from leading glacial, ocean, climate, and geographical scientists, and interwoven with personal, historical, and mythological stories, Magnason's response is a rich and compelling work of narrative nonfiction that illustrates the reality of climate change - and offers hope in the face of an uncertain future. Moving from reflections on how one writes an obituary for an iceberg to exhortation for a heightened understanding of human time and our obligations to one another, throughout history and across the globe, On Time and Water is both deeply personal and globally minded: a travel story, a world history, and a desperate plea to live in harmony with future generations. This is a book unlike anything that has yet been published on the current climate emergency.

©2020 Andri Snær Magnason; English translation copyright 2020 by Lytton Smith (P)2021 Tantor

Beautiful urgent stories

This book felt as important as it was beautiful. The stories and history behind it begin to create the modern mythology of climate change that Andri discusses.

Excellent

A superb account of Climate Change told from an Icelander’s perspective. Very informative about Climate Change and Iceland. Having visited Iceland twice, I agree with his perspective. The bit of Icelandic spoken adds to the veracity of the account.

Creating human vocabulary for climate change

Andri did a great job of framing climate change and climate inaction with new views, including how we don't have the proper language to communicate climate change. This view helps to not only understand climate change better, but to have empathy for our fellows who do not understand it and to develop new ways to discuss with them.

A touchingly human & poetic take on the climate crisis

Loved the book— a powerful and poetic read that interwove itself with the fabric of humanity.

It felt like a personal sneak-peak at a love letter that Magnason wrote and was about to seal away into a time capsule to be opened centuries from now. He comes across as a person in love with his planet, island, culture, and family— one that he draws us into via global connections that make even the foreign, personal.

The only complaint I have with the audiobook is that Magnason himself did not narrate it. He is an excellent speaker who mixes poetic delivery with a great narration voice. The narrator did a good job, but not having Magnason narrate just seems like such a big missed opportunity for the Audiobook Company.

In closing, I highly recommend the book. Really a beautiful work that I look forward to hearing again. (And if they get Magnason to narrate it, I would buy it again. Haha)