James Lovelock is the author of more than 200 scientific papers and the originator of the Gaia Hypothesis (now Gaia Theory). He has written several books on the subject, including Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth, The Ages of Gaia and The Vanishing Face of Gaia as well as an autobiography, Homage to Gaia. In September 2005 Prospect magazine named him as one of the world's top 100 global public intellectuals.

James Lovelock's bestselling The Revenge of Gaia: Why the Earth is Fighting Back - and How we can Still Save Humanity is a dire warning against the unchecked growth of civilization.

'Despite all our efforts to retreat sustainably, we may be unable to prevent a global decline into a chaotic world ruled by brutal warlords on a devastated Earth...'

For thousands of years, humans have exploited the planet without counting the cost. Now Gaia, the living Earth, is fighting back. As the polar icecaps shrink and the global temperature rises, we approach the point of no return. Sustainable development, Lovelock argues, is no longer possible, and the only open to us may be a 'sustainable retreat'. This is the one book you must read to find out what is happening, how bad it will get - and how we can survive.

'The most important book for decades'
Andrew Marr

'The most important book ever to be published on the environmental crisis ... Lovelock will go down in history as the scientist who changed our view of the Earth'
John Gray, Independent

'Truly terrifying ... Lovelock's arguments carry more conviction than anyone else's now writing'
Peter Forbes, Daily Mail

Released in the Christmas meet up

As an environmentalist, this look great. I'd heard of it before but never quite got round to finding a copy. And it's short so should be released again in the next 12 months.

Science meets spirituality - looking at Earth as part of the biosphere and anylises the breakdown of the global temperature regulation system which makes life possible. Interesting in places, preachy in others. But I did take away some useful points.

Picked up in Brigantes, Micklegate, York.