Cycle of Fire Series

This series delves into the profound and ancient relationship between humankind and fire, an element that has fundamentally shaped our planet. It explores how humans learned to harness fire and the subsequent impact this has had on the Earth's development. Readers will gain a deep understanding of this dynamic interplay and its lasting consequences for the natural world. It offers compelling insights for anyone interested in environmental history and human ingenuity.

Recommended Reading Order

Fire
Stephen J. Pyne
248 pages
9 hours of reading
4.1(12)Add rating
Over vast expanses of time, fire and humanity have interacted to expand the domain of each, transforming the earth and what it means to be human. In this concise yet wide-ranging book, Stephen J. Pyne--named by Science magazine as "the world's leading authority on the history of fire"--explores the surprising dynamics of fire before humans, fire and human origins, aboriginal economies of hunting and foraging, agricultural and pastoral uses of fire, fire ceremonies, fire as an idea and a technology, and industrial fire. In this revised and expanded edition, Pyne looks to the future of fire as a constant, defining presence on Earth. A new chapter explores the importance of fire in the twenty-first century, with special attention to its role in the Anthropocene, or what he posits might equally be called the Pyrocene.
Awful Splendour
Stephen J. Pyne
584 pages
21 hours of reading
3.0(2)Add rating
Fire is a defining element in Canadian land and life. With few exceptions, Canada's forests and prairies have evolved with fire; its peoples have exploited fire and sought to protect themselves from its excesses; and since Confederation, the country has devised institutions to connect fire and society. This book narrates the history of this saga.
The Ice
Stephen J. Pyne
448 pages
16 hours of reading
3.8(31)Add rating
Stephen Pyne's overwhelming fascination with Antarctica is the compelling force behind this major book on this stark and largely unknown continent. It combines a geophysical examination of the ice with an inspirational survey of how one of the most alien landscapes of our planet has shaped and affected man's life on earth throughout the centuries. The sheer immensity of the ice sheet is staggering. Its weight is sufficient to deform the globe. Interleaved with each scientific examination are historical surveys dealing with man's assimilation of Antarctica. Pyne reveals how Cook's voyages to Antarctica not only affected the history of science, but inspired such works as MOBY DICK and THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER.

Recommended Reading Order

Fire

Awful Splendour

The Ice