The Wizard and the Prophet

Two Remarkable Scientists and Their Dueling Visions to Shape Tomorrow's World

By: Charles C. Mann

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

From the bestselling, award-winning author of 1491 and 1493—an incisive portrait of the two little-known twentieth-century scientists, Norman Borlaug and William Vogt, whose diametrically opposed views shaped our ideas about the environment, laying the groundwork for how people in the twenty-first century will choose to live in tomorrow's world.

In forty years, Earth's population will reach ten billion. Can our world support that? What kind of world will it be? Those answering these questions generally fall into two deeply divided groups--Wizards and Prophets, as Charles Mann calls them in this balanced, authoritative, nonpolemical new book. The Prophets, he explains, follow William Vogt, a founding environmentalist who believed that in using more than our planet has to give, our prosperity will lead us to ruin. Cut back! was his mantra. Otherwise everyone will lose! The Wizards are the heirs of Norman Borlaug, whose research, in effect, wrangled the world in service to our species to produce modern high-yield crops that then saved millions from starvation. Innovate! was Borlaug's cry. Only in that way can everyone win! Mann delves into these diverging viewpoints to assess the four great challenges humanity faces--food, water, energy, climate change--grounding each in historical context and weighing the options for the future. With our civilization on the line, the author's insightful analysis is an essential addition to the urgent conversation about how our children will fare on an increasingly crowded Earth.

Thought-provoking and thoroughly gripping!

This book was so well-balanced between two frameworks a thought, I walked away persuaded in ways I had never imagined. Great read!

Competing and complimenting views.

This book title makes a strong thesis statement the author has no problem sticking with through every chapter. Mann is no stranger to this sort of research and writing as his previous volumes, 1491 and 1493 have also demonstrated. All of his work present clear notions of our collective past, present, and possible futures. There are more than a few driveway moments here!

Balanced, Considerate, and Informative

This is the best book I’ve read this year. Incredibly thought provoking and respectful of two very different views on how humanity ought to exist on this tiny island of ours in space.

Brilliant piece of work!

i enjoyed this book so much that i bought the hard copy to re-read and annotate. It will be a lifetime reference.

Best history of climate science

this book was sorely needed. it is the clearest eyed view of how climate science has developed and why people perceive climate science the way that they do. as the author suggests, it is not his job to prescribe future steps, there are plenty of people suggesting those elsewhere. But his role is to help us see more clearly why certain currents run through the waters of climate science debate. as someone who follows these debates very closely, I found myself constantly illuminated by this conversation. also, for audiobook listeners, Pinchot does an amazing job creating life in what could be a fairly straightforward and flat delivery as given by somebody less-skilled.