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Dark Age Ahead (Hardcover)

by Jane Jacobs (Author) "This is both a gloomy and a hopeful book ..." (more)

4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

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Product details

Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Random House (May 2004)
Language English
ISBN-10: 1400062322
ISBN-13: 978-1400062324
Product Dimensions: 21.1 x 14.7 x 2.4 cm

Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 485,644 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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This is both a gloomy and a hopeful book. Read the first page

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	50% buy the item featured on this page: Dark Age Ahead 4.0 out of 5 stars (2)
	27% buy Death and Life of Great American Cities (Modern Library) 5.0 out of 5 stars (4) �12.09
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4.0 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)

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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Doomsday picture written with surprising appeal, 12 Jul 2006

By	Rolf Dobelli "getAbstract.com" (Switzerland) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

Despite the topic - the threat of culture collapsing into another dark age in the near future - this is a surprisingly charming, readable book. That is due to the way author Jane Jacobs combines a lifetime of research and thought on urban planning and the way societies function with very practical stories based on personal experience. Jacobs moves smoothly from a discussion of medieval tax strategies to accounts of a Sunday drive, and uses both to illustrate her ideas. Her style is friendly, almost casual, and at times she meanders from one topic to another in the style of the pedestrian-friendly cities she so clearly loves. However, while this provides a great deal of the book's charm, it also provides its two weaknesses. Problem one: the book often relies on scattered evidence - albeit by a world-class scholar - to address deeply serious problems. Problem two: Jacobs spends more time discussing society's failings than how one might fix them. The result is a fascinating book that is difficult to apply. As a result, we suggest this book to reflective readers who want an intelligent take on the issues involved in shaping the future of our cities, communities and countries.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and important, 8 Jun 2009

By	AVW (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dark Age Ahead (Paperback)

I agree with everything the previous reviewer stated, particularly that the book is surprisingly light and easy to read for such a potentially depressing subject. It is very disturbing that all the indications of a society's imminent collapse are so evident in ours, such as the abandonment of scientific thinking or unfair, dumbed-down taxes. It is appropriate that Jacobs refers to Jared Diamond in the text, because his 'Collapse' is the perfect companion to this book. Together, they form a formidable argument...that we are in deep trouble.

The two weak areas are, yes, the lack of positive advice - but then the book is primarily a wake-up call - and also the lack of references. For example, the case of Ireland's cultural dark age having been thwarted by the power of song and art, is an interesting one; but when she refers to Ireland now surpassing the productivity of England, one questions what the source for that information could be.

This is possibly one of the most important books around right now but should be read in conjunction with others such as 'Collapse' to get a more complete picture.

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