Extreme Cities

Chris Barsanti Rain Taxi
In this book, writes reviewer Barsanti, author Ashley Dawson sets out not just to prove how cities "are gravely threatened by climate change," but to also show how "capitalism and class feed into and even exacerbate that threat."

What does “local” mean? And is it really better?

Robyn Metcalfe New Food Economy
To understand the complex question of whether long or short food sup­ply chains are better for us and the environment, we need to settle on a way to measure distance
We consumers think that long distance travel for food must cost more, damage the food, require chemicals to extend shelf life, and consume fossil fuels that end up polluting our environment. But is this really true?

Useful Enemies

Christopher de Bellaigue The Guardian
This book examines the influence Islam had on European political thought between the 15th to the 18th centuries, as well as the complex relations between the Ottoman Empire and emergent modern Europe during that era.