London Review of Books

Nature in Crisis

No. of episodes

12

Latest episode

2026-10-21

Where can you listen?

In a time of climate breakdown and mass extinction there is a new urgency to environmental writing, both as literature and as science. So In their series, Meehan Crist and Peter Godfrey-Smith consider some of the most significant books published in the last few years, along with classic texts by Rachel Carson, James Lovelock and Robin Wall Kimmerer – tracing a loose arc from biology to society via questions of plant intelligence, biodiversity loss, the rights of nature, ecofascism and green capitalism.Meehan Crist is writer in residence in biological sciences at Columbia University.Peter Godfrey-Smith is a professor in the School of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of SydneyNon-subscribers will only hear an extracts from the episodes. To listen in full, and to all our other Close Readings series, sign up:Directly in Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lrb.me/applecrna⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tureIn other podcast apps: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lrb.me/closereadingsna⁠⁠⁠tureBooks featured in the series:Rachel Carson, Silent SpringZoë Schlanger, The Light EatersHelen Czerski, The Blue MachineSunil Amrith, The Burning Earth James Lovelock, Gaia Robert Macfarlane, Is a River Alive? Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass Emily Raboteau, Lessons for Survival Roy Scranton, ImpasseAlex Moore and Sam Roberts, The Rise of EcofascismThea Riofrancos, Extraction: The Frontiers of Green CapitalismVenomous Lumspcuker by Ned Beauman and Helm by Sarah Hall