Transition Sheffield - Discussion Forum

Hi,

At the last hub meeting we decided it would be a good idea to share a list of good/interesting transitions related books we've read or would like to read. Sorry it's taken me so long to get round to starting this list!

Stating the obvious, but the place to start is probably The Transition Handbook,

http://transitiontowns.org/TransitionNetwork/TransitionHandbook

possibly a bit of an epic and I've not read it myself. There's a free online introduction to transition towns on the web, here:

http://transitionnetwork.org/Primer/TransitionInitiativesPrimer.pdf

For a general introduction to permaculture, which is the basis for the principles of the transitions movement, I'd recommend Permaculture in a Nutshell, by Patrick Whitefield.

http://www.green-shopping.co.uk/books/book_pages/permaculture.html#PIN

If you're after a major in depth how-to guide, Patrick Whitefield has also written The Earth Care Manual:

http://www.green-shopping.co.uk/books/book_pages/permaculture.html#ECM

I think it's meant to be a temperate climate equivalent to the original permaculture 'bible' of Bill Mollinson (the name of which escapes me at the minute, sorry, possibly Permaculture One??)

I'd also recommend The Permaculture Way by Graham Bell (available on the same webpage as above) as a general introduction to permaculture, and good, practical ideas of what you can do. I've got a copy of this if anyone would like a look. The same bloke also wrote The Permaculture Garden, which I also have a copy of, which is a more detailed book covering everything from different types of plants to soil types and wildlife.

This is a permaculture biased selection largely because those are the books I've read! So feel free to add a range of things that you think other people might like to read. I'll add more as I think of them

Jenni

Thanks for starting this thread Jenni.
Books I've read recently, all of which I'm happy to lend out:

Transition Timeline, by Shaun Chamberlain
A look at possible future scenarios in the context of peak oil & climate change.

The Long Descent, by John Michael Greer
A brilliant argument about the potentially protracted decline of industrial civilisation, and how we can prepare for it.

Shikasta, by Doris Lessing
A bit less obvious, this is a sort of science fiction novel by a great modern writer. Also an allegory about human history and, yes, the end of civilisation again...

Here Comes Everybody, by Clay Shirky
Explores the social consequences of the Internet for building groups and social movements.

I've read:

The Party's Over by Richard Heinberg. A very comprehensive book on Peak Oil taking a wide overview from an anthropologist. If you get just one book on peak oil I'd recommend this one. View inside on Amazon

The Rough Guide to Climate Change - a well written book giving a comprehensive overview.

The Last Oil Shock - Another good book on peak oil, this time written by a passionate Scottish journalist, David Strahn (who spoke in Sheffield at the Poly last year).

Half Gone - Another peak oil book this one written by Jeremy Leggett an oil geologist who changed careers for one in solar power. View bits of it on Amazon

Plan C for Peak Oil and Climate Change - Not read much of it yet. See inside @ Amazon


After watching the film End of the Line for Fish earlier this year, which says knowledge about the destruction of the world's oceans is about 20 year behind that of climate change, I've been meaning to read more about the current extinction event. Not that much out there but this one looks quite good:
Endangered: Wildlife on the Brink of Extinction