The World Without Us

Remember: this book was written for a popular audience, he wanted the everyman to read it, as it should be. Unfortunately, a popular audience tends to like things like this (Twilight? Thank god trees aren't Adonis-like). Also, the the book is this way to get the reader "into" the subject matter, particularly in the first half. I agree it is irritating in the initial part of the book, but just try to ignore it and don't get into how it is written, because like you said, the issues are what should be attended to, not the style, and I strongly think this is a book everyone should read. As you get further into the book, the pace quickens, and things get darker, more irreparable and hopeless. The thesis, if not the title, of this book should really be "We're fucked: stop procreating and kill yourself now." The chapters really WORTH reading are everything from plastics onwards. The beginning is preaching the power of nature to overcome and overtake everything we have done, and yeah it's romanticized but interesting nonetheless, but then the second half is all "Oh, just kidding! We have actually done too much damage to even consider repairing." Weisman really butters you up with the "Good News" first, which in my opinion is strategic considering the majority of the audience wouldn't read on if it started with the worst because nobody wants to be told we're all screwed.