I Killed a Penguin An Ecological Memoir Fritzie von Jessen 9781448979653 Books
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Growing up in Denmark, Fritzie von Jessen came to the U.S. in the early 1960s—at the time of the “green revolution.†In her book I Killed a Penguin, she poignantly compares how we were just 50 years ago, to the developments that have led to present-day threats of global warming and climate change. She suggests ways each individual can assume personal responsibility without changing our comfortable lifestyle—small changes that lead to significant impact on our environment. Showing the importance of nature for our physical, financial, and emotional health, I Killed a Penguin, is a serious book with an important message, written in an easy-to-read, lighthearted style.
I Killed a Penguin An Ecological Memoir Fritzie von Jessen 9781448979653 Books
If there were a prize for "Most Ambitious Book of the Year," Fritzie von Jessen's book, "I Killed a Penguin: An Ecological Memoir" would surely be in the lead. There are dozens of books of the "Save This " or "Protect That" variety and tales of "Waste Not, Want Not" Puritanism for various aspects of our planet, trees, animals, fish, water, oil, etc etc BUT, author von Jessen promises to do it ALL in one slim volume of 66 bite-sized chapters. Her book is a steady progression of one who learned from World War II shortages in Denmark and who later became a wife who owned 148 blouses (not including the off-season ones). On the way, author von Jessen takes us through the ecological problems that threaten the plant, dilemmas most of us defend as problems of life style and cultural choice. Those are ideas, she claims, that must be addressed if we're to be effective in an ecologically sane environment.Each of these small chapters is generally devoted to one idea or product that needs guarding from its major predator, generally man or machine. It is the promise of this book, not the resolution, the dozens of concepts and hundreds of details that is nothing short of breathtaking.
One of the Joys of "I Killed a Penguin" is no doubt tied to the title word "Memoirs," a casual stroll through the author's life and travels, "up close and personal" as they say. The promise of the word "Memoir" guards against the preachiness so common in books about "Saving the Planet for YOU". To the extent that "I Killed a Penguin" stays with her newsy personal story line author von Jessen is able to paint this very serious subject in a backdrop of very human events.
Fritzie von Jessen's book with her encyclopedic presentation of dozens of concepts and hundreds of examples is a momumental work. It's a good and important book, but like the "Family Book of Medicine" or "The Holy Bible" the reader can never be expected to remember so many facts, no matter how delightful. For example, we learn in these pages that (1) a quarter pound burger processes eight pounds of CO2; (1) a single cotton tee shirt takes 700 gallons of water to grow the cotton; and, (3) it takes a pound of coal to power an hour of television. These startling "throw away stats" can change one's way of thinking forever.
Despite its small size, this book is truly big and needs to be like a family Bible, one read and referred to many times in the days to come. To that end an Index could be invaluable for references when problems and questions arise. You'll always want to read "I Killed a Penguin" with a notebook to record the important points at the end of each chapter to summarize what you're read for future references. As it is, however, you're assured of a good read whether you're an experienced eco-watcher or a newby just getting your hypothetical feet wet.
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I Killed a Penguin An Ecological Memoir Fritzie von Jessen 9781448979653 Books Reviews
This is wonderfully written book that takes each aspect of our daily lives and presents ways we can change them to minimize our impact on the environment. I loved the first chapter. First, a quick look into the plight of the penguin (sad statistics on how many species are struggling to survive) and then the highlights of the author's average day...drive to the grocery store, buy stuff for dinner, throw some stuff on the grill, etc. How did these small actions of one average consumer contribute to the death of a penguin? It is a sobering thought and one that really brings to light the impact that our every day choices make on the world around us.
There are 66 chapters in this book, but each one is only 2 to 3 pages and covers a huge array of topics from clothing, food, water, and shelter, to natural resources, transportation, and the plight of the ocean. The author provides a great overview of numerous topics with a few resources and statistics scattered throughout, but not so many that you feel like you are reading a text book. Along with discussing the issues, she presents simple changes we can make in our every day lives that will lesson our ecological footprint.
As a scientist, there are one or two statements that I found a bit extreme. In the discussion of antibacterial soaps, the author mentions the controversial use of Triclosan and it's toxicity to the liver. While I am completely against the use of antibacterial soaps for the general public, I have to wonder at WHAT LEVEL it shows liver toxicity. Many laboratory trials use extremely high doses, which would not be found in the bottle of soap you buy from the shelf. I have no doubt that it IS toxic to the liver but that is not the reason I avoid these products. I am more concerned with bacterial resistance than any other issue. There are only a few areas in this book that I stopped to question but it is meant to be an easy to read guide for greening up our lives. There is a brief bibliography in the back that lists the resources she used to help guide her writing if you would like to do further research on any of the topics mentioned in the book.
Disclaimer I received one copy of this book in exchange for my review. All opinions expressed here are mine and mine alone.
If there were a prize for "Most Ambitious Book of the Year," Fritzie von Jessen's book, "I Killed a Penguin An Ecological Memoir" would surely be in the lead. There are dozens of books of the "Save This " or "Protect That" variety and tales of "Waste Not, Want Not" Puritanism for various aspects of our planet, trees, animals, fish, water, oil, etc etc BUT, author von Jessen promises to do it ALL in one slim volume of 66 bite-sized chapters. Her book is a steady progression of one who learned from World War II shortages in Denmark and who later became a wife who owned 148 blouses (not including the off-season ones). On the way, author von Jessen takes us through the ecological problems that threaten the plant, dilemmas most of us defend as problems of life style and cultural choice. Those are ideas, she claims, that must be addressed if we're to be effective in an ecologically sane environment.
Each of these small chapters is generally devoted to one idea or product that needs guarding from its major predator, generally man or machine. It is the promise of this book, not the resolution, the dozens of concepts and hundreds of details that is nothing short of breathtaking.
One of the Joys of "I Killed a Penguin" is no doubt tied to the title word "Memoirs," a casual stroll through the author's life and travels, "up close and personal" as they say. The promise of the word "Memoir" guards against the preachiness so common in books about "Saving the Planet for YOU". To the extent that "I Killed a Penguin" stays with her newsy personal story line author von Jessen is able to paint this very serious subject in a backdrop of very human events.
Fritzie von Jessen's book with her encyclopedic presentation of dozens of concepts and hundreds of examples is a momumental work. It's a good and important book, but like the "Family Book of Medicine" or "The Holy Bible" the reader can never be expected to remember so many facts, no matter how delightful. For example, we learn in these pages that (1) a quarter pound burger processes eight pounds of CO2; (1) a single cotton tee shirt takes 700 gallons of water to grow the cotton; and, (3) it takes a pound of coal to power an hour of television. These startling "throw away stats" can change one's way of thinking forever.
Despite its small size, this book is truly big and needs to be like a family Bible, one read and referred to many times in the days to come. To that end an Index could be invaluable for references when problems and questions arise. You'll always want to read "I Killed a Penguin" with a notebook to record the important points at the end of each chapter to summarize what you're read for future references. As it is, however, you're assured of a good read whether you're an experienced eco-watcher or a newby just getting your hypothetical feet wet.
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