COLLAPSE How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed

Pulitzer Prize-winning author of GUNS, GERMS AND STEEL and UCLA Professor Jared Diamond exhibits interests in physiology, evolutionary biology, and biogeography, which uniquely qualify him to write this huge and passionate book. Looking at such diverse phenomena as the extinction of the Easter Islanders and the Rwandan genocides, Diamond traces the impact of environmental damage, hostile neighbors, and other forces in the survival of cultures. Narrator Michael Prichard is efficient enough, but inflectionless, making Diamond's compelling work flat. It's not all doom and gloom, and Diamond offers hope for these thorny issues, though, again, Prichard's reading seems out of step, missing opportunities to engage listeners. The print version may be the better choice. D.G. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 05]