This book is a jewel. In my opinion, everyone should have a copy of this book at home.
I first saw Yann Arthus Bertrand work during an outdoor exhibit in Paris. I was fascinated with the photos, and the next day I ran to buy the book (although some people to whom I have recommended it find it rather expensive).
Certainly, the photos are sensational, but that is hardly the point. Yann is a true citizen of the world, and represents globalisation in its 'kindest' -and most 'useful' form, if I'm allowed the expression.
In this book, Yann Arthus shows us that earth is sick. Whether it is the Amazon rainforests, Alaska, Africa or Australia, clear signs of decomposition appear in the photos. This book is a waking call for many of us, however, at the same time it reminds us how beautiful is everything around us, and how rich is this planet we live in.

I saw this amazing exhibit, "La Terre Vue Du Ciel", of Yann Arthus-Bertrand's in the Jardin du Luxembourg Senat when I was in Paris a few weeks ago. The exhibit included much larger-than poster-sized photos that are some of the same photos contained in the book. They were spectacular and breath-taking. Stunning really. But if you can't afford to go to Paris, or if you can't get a hold of a poster of his work, this book is a fantastic collection of awesome, thoughtful, inspiring, thought-provoking, and humanistic usually unseen images taken from above Earth, that have an incredible aesthetic beauty. I can't recommend this book more highly. I was going to purchase 3-4 of them myself for me and my family and friends. However, I waited to get back to the US before doing so since they are large and very heavy due to the high-quality paper the photos are printed on. I was sorry they would not fit in my luggage as I had wished to stare at the photos for many hours on the plane trip home. Many kudos to Yann Arthus-Bertrand for an outstanding artistic work! Bravo! I hope to see another exhibit by this talented photographer in Paris or the U.S. in the near future.

I first saw the work of this super talented photographer in the wee hours of August 20th, 2000 outside Palais du Luxembourg in Paris. I was so fascinated by the colors, the angles, the beauty, and the emotions conveyed that I pledged to get a copy of the book as soon as I returned to the US. The pictures portray everyday places and people that seem out of this world when viewed through the lens of Arthus-Bertrand. The photographer and his staff really did their homework when putting together the captions that accompany the pictures. They have gathered information on geography, history, ecology, anthropology, economics, sociology, politics, and popular culture to describe the sites, hence increasing our awareness of our precious and wondrous yet fragile world. Earth from Above will never make it to my bookshelf because it's so fascinating that I keep it out on my living room table to share the wonder!

I give good marks to each of the scientists providing their viewpoints. Each was thoughtfull and concise in his or her viewpoints.

Since 1984, the State of the World reports have been published, and since 1984 the overall tone has been one of impending doom avoided only by the most drastic of human changes.

If you picked up this book expecting to get an authoritative understanding of environmental and population trends, then you have made a big mistake. This book tells one side of the story- clearly the most attractive as it pulls on that side of us that feels lost in a world we don't understand. If you *really* want to find out both sides of the story, you should search out the counterpoints in scientific litterature. Kudos to you for trying to find out everything about the subject before going on. I recomend Earth Report 2000- a counter publication written specifically in response to this book.

After reading both books I am quite convinced that, as a percentage of all there is to know about the planet, we basically understand as much as we did 40 years ago. The information provided in this book is based on theories that, as a young human race, we can not validate for many years to come.

Read this book for ideas, but not answers. That is unless you are a doomsayer looking for an amen experience- in which case this baby is right up your alley.

Lester Brown et al have written an alarmist book. I grew up during the years when the word "environment" came to have meaning. Over the decades, I have read a number of books on the state of our environment.

Lester Brown et al write what amounts to saying that we are "going to Hell in a handbasket." The truth of the matter is that each age thinks it is on the "eve of destruction." (Don't remember that song? Okay, you are not as old as I am and
you do not remember how seriously we took this matter when this song came out.)

BTW, the picture painted by Lester Brown et al is one-sided. For example, I noted an AP article about the thickening of the Antarctic ice which means that the polar ice caps are not shrinking. The reader may not expect this type of information from this book. If one looked at _World Balance Sheet_ among other books, one would not see this type of driven agenda.

The world has always known people who were concerned about the shape of the environment. Some BCE writers are known.So are we on the "eve of destruction"?
or are we having to make decisions as we have so often before?

Reading State of the World 22 took me out of my cushy frivolous life and made me really think. I used to be of the frame of mind that sources of energy and the aids problem were nothing to do with me and someone else could deal with it and anyway to tell the truth it sort of bored me.Each time I read this book I would find myself crying as I turned the pages, it really is sad how down the world has gone and how much further it still has to fall if we dont change our ways of thinking. This book puts all the information on sustainable issues and world problems in straightforward english with interesting graphics and statistics in easy to read graphs so that even I (not quite a brain surgeon) can grasp the information.State of the world is not just a book moaning about what we have done wrong it also explains the solutions and what each person can to do help after all we are the cause and we can help be the cure.

Covers the main environmental issues facing us today in an easy to read style free of technical jargon. Although it covers many different topics, it is still able to include some great, detailed examples.

Well researched and thought out analysis of the major survival issues facing humans, and the planet in general. Also discusses possibilities for preventing, or at least alleviating, these problems - some points for hope. Reading this will make you reconsider your actions and behaviour in how you impact the rest of the world.