Wide ranging and compelling...a remarkable achievement. - Times Literary Supplement Devastating. - The San Francisco Chronicle A masterly account of climatic, economic and colonial history. - New Scientist A hero of the Left, Davis is part polemicist, part historian, and all Marxist. - Dale Peck, Village Voice Davis has given us a book of substantial contemporary relevance as well as great historical interest ... this highly informative book foes well beyond its immediate focus. - Amartya Sen, The New York Times Davis's range is stunning... He combines political economy, meteorology, and ecology with vivid narratives to create a book that is both a gripping read and a major conceptual achievement. Lots of us talk about writing 'world history' and 'inter-disciplinary history': here is the genuine article. - Kenneth Pomeranz, author of The Great Divergence The global climate meets a globalizing political economy, the fundamentals of one clashing with the fundamentalisms of the other. Mike Davis tells the story with zest, anger, and insight. - Stephen J. Pyne, author of World Fire