I like to believe I’ve read a lot these three and a half years (even by my own somewhat Rabelaisian standards). Specifically, on the Australian environment movement/climate change/climate policy etc. I’ve read a few excellent books, a few stinkers and lots in between (thankfully mostly at the ‘excellent’ end, and towering piles of journal articles (I mean this literally).
And I seem to have inadvertently saves (one of) the best for last (or latest):
Ecological Pioneers: a social history of Australian Ecological Thought and Action by Martin Mulligan and Stuart Hill is an absolute delight (and largely neglected its seems – I’ve seen very few references to it anywhere else – so hat tip to William Lines’ Patriots, from 2006).
The authors have clearly been involved in various environmental battles, kept their eyes open and figured out who would be worth talking too. But beyond ‘the usual [and deservedly so] suspects’ of Judith Wright, Bob Brown, the Dunphys, Jack Mundey, Val Plumwood etc, but also great capsule portraits of Banjo Paterson, Henry Lawson, Russel Drysdale, the folks behind ‘Keyline’ (a land management system that inspired the Permaculture people – and there’s a great section on David Holmgren too).
Alongside that is a very necessary, well-written and downright useful section on indigenous views of nature/landscape/country and “ownership”, all the way up to the Mabo decision.
Look, I could gush for hours, and quote liberally (I spent three hours today typing up some ‘must-not-forget’ bits. The tl:dr is this: if you have any interest in ecological thinking, its provenance, Australia etc, then this is a must must read.
marchudson.net 
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