A fierce green fire; The American environmental movement by phillip Shabecoff.

$18. Island Press, 2003.

This is a timely revision of Shabecoff's 1992 definitive history of the American conservation and environmental movements, which brings the story up to the present with an ominous view of where the nation is headed: "As this is being written, the trend toward a rapidly deteriorating environment is not being altered but accelerated."

Lest you interpret this dire conclusion as the hubris of an environmental activist, you need only to review the record of this accomplished New York Times reporter of 30 years. This is a solidly researched book by a veteran journalist able to discover the drama of history as well as the facts. It is the story behind the American environmental movement and an affirmation that trend need not be destiny.

The first three chapters trace the dramatic transformation of the nation's natural environment and the earliest stirrings of concern, which became the roots of the conservation movement. Shabecoff sees this early stage as fitting "none of the existing political categories--it was neither right nor left ..."

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The six chapters that follow chronicle the growth of the environmental movement and the role of private and public institutions and their leaders in the last half of the 20th century. Shabecoff's ability to tell the story in human terms, with insight into the players' passions and motives, gives life to the era's history. In doing so, he sets the stage for the political battles described in the final five chapters, which assess the records of recent administrations from Carter to George W. Bush.

These final chapters make this book essential reading for anyone concerned about the future of America's landscapes and natural resources, especially on the eve of a presidential election and regardless of his or her political leanings.