The Long Emergency -- James Kunstler

There are many appealing aspects to this book that justify a high pizza slice rating, but I am unable to 
dedicate enough slices for the reader to be full. The reason why I am reluctant to feast on this book is 
because the author and his tone remind me of one of the most horrifying elements of society: the dreaded
know-it-all. I can't help to feel that at one time the author was a graduate student who wanted to relate
everything in the world to his research topic. Famine? Oh, that is because of oil...Disease? Oh, that too
is related to oil...Continental Drift?...You bet, oil.

Despite my cynical view of this book, I do recognize many beneficial subjects that forced me to consider 
various systems in which we live in as "Americans". James Kunstler attempts to warn us that our lifestyle is
unsustainable and hinges on the rapidly depleting supplies of oil. He argues that our lives will be catapulted into
chaos once oil becomes more scarce and unaffordable. Although the author provides a laundry list of examples,
very few are supported with references. To me, this separates a good book from a great book. Claims need to be
supported with evidence (read any Chmosky book for exhaustive examples of this).

Overall, a major theme of this book can be summed up in this poignant line: "Americans threw away their communities 
in order to save a few dollars on hair dryers and plastic food storage tubs, never stopping to reflect on what 
they were destroying." I commend James for taking such a direct stance at times, but unfortunately, it becomes a 
run away freight train loaded with inaccuracies and over-generalized commentary. For example, the author claims
that climate variability will shift microbial presence which will then infect new populations and cause them to
become needy, but their needs won't be met with food aid since the deteriorating energy markets will not allow 
efficient food transport, thus resulting in mass migrations, conflict, war, and of course, more continental drift!
Obviously, he believes in the extreme worst case scenario. Personally, in my own narrow minded opinion, I get the
feeling that he makes such bold claims so that he can stand atop a pedestal one day and proclaim, "I TOLD YOU SO!"
He makes another broad statement that lost the book a few pizza slices by stating, "AIDS ought to be especially
worrisome, because even when people have lost everything, they still have sex." What a ridiculous statement!
First of all, this is such an elementary viewpoint on the severity of AIDS, but most of all he has it all wrong.
Because when I have lost everything, I will still be surfing dude! 

I do however thank James for the detailed descriptions of an unsustainable cheap oil based commuting lifestyle
that affects global trade, educational transportation, and daily life. If anything, this section of the book
is compelling. I think that this book would have been better had it been dissected into individual books and not chapters. The
spectrum of subjects is overwhelming and causes each topic to be overshadowed by the next. Plus, concise expertise
is preferred over rambling know-it-all generalizations on history, disease, transportation, engineering, etc...

To summarize, I give this book half a pizza pie (5 slices out of 10). But, the pizza was split with two toppings,
but I did not get to eat the better half. I saved the best toppings for last and was unable to eat them later, thus
always longing for more mushrooms. Somewhere in my heart I know that the mushroom half was discovered by another
hungry eater and was probably more satisfied with it than I would have been.