Coming of Age at the End of Nature: A Generation Faces Living on a Changed Planet

This collection of essays, as often is the case, is somewhat uneven in quality. But most of the pieces are powerful statements that reflect the frustration, anger, and concern of a younger set who, as the title implies, came of age post-Bill McKibben's "The End of Nature." It is depressing, but important, to read the feelings of this generation, the one already being affected by the ravages of climate change. Their sense of helplessness is obvious, and invokes compassion.

The book didn’t have any flaws and wasn’t damaged. I needed it for my English class.

College

This was a beautiful book. Very well written. Bravo!

As a publisher of environmental literature, I have to say I was disappointed I didn’t think of this anthology, Coming of Age at the End of Nature (Trinity University Press), of voices of young writers faced with the reality of climate change, but the fact that one of my newest children’s book authors, Julie Dunlap (and co-author, Susan A. Cohen) did gives me renewed hope in the future and the power of words to transform and give voice to a whole generation. The passionate voices in this anthology need to be heard and they are gently shepherded by the editors as they come of age. In my favorite essay by the up-and-coming young writer, Sierra Dickey (who lives in Brattleboro, Vermont), she sums things up beautifully in her final paragraph on the fate of the plovers: “In order to love and live with what can’t last, we need to get oriented with vulnerability, and we need to move with gentleness.” Well said and food for thought for us all.

Such a great read. Wonderful to hear words of action from people in the younger generation.

Lovely book. Here is an interview with one of the editors that led me towards the book.[...]