Short History of Progress. This item is unavailable.Short History of Progress

2004 Massey Lectures series as broadcast on ABC radio The twentieth century was a time of runaway growth in human population, consumption and technology, all of which placed tremendous demands on earth, air and water-the very elements of life. The urgent question of the twenty-first century is how, or whether, this can continue. In A Short History of Progress, a runaway bestseller in his native Canada, Ronald Wright explains how our current predicament is as old as civilization. He brilliantly argues that only by understanding the patterns of progress and folly that humanity has repeated everywhere from ancient Rome to Easter Island can we learn to change our ways, and, with luck and wisdom, avoid a disastrous outcome.

"The author sifts the findings of archaeology and anthropology with thoughtful grace to build a potent argument." (Guardian)

"A compelling work of distilled wisdom." (The Times)

"Rarely have I read a book that is so gripping, so immediate and so important to our times. Jared Diamond will be jealous." (Robyn Williams)

"Ronald Wright is both trained academic and an acclaimed novelist and he has used these skills to page-turning effect in this work of non-fiction." (Morning Star)