An Illustrated Journey Through Our World Under Climate Change

Book review of H is for Hope: Climate Change from A to Z by Elizabeth Kolbert (2024).

By Dee Phillips, Anna Maki, Kaylynne Dennis, Nicole D’Arienzo, Connor Gabel and Bopi Biddanda
Annis Water Resources Institute, Grand Valley State University, Muskegon, MI 49441.

“Hope is what enables us to keep going in the face of adversity. It is what we desire to happen, but we must be prepared to work hard to make it so”
– Jane Goodall (2022)

Author of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize winning book The Sixth Extinction, journalist Elizabeth Kolbert continues her exploration of Earth's future in her latest book H is for Hope. Those who are informed about Earth’s changing climate often find it daunting and too overwhelming to face. A 2020 study by Clayton and Karazsia on the psychological effects of climate crisis showed that distress about the issue of climate change its association with depression and anxiety, particularly in younger generations. For people who care about the planet’s health and comprehend the immensity of this problem, Kolbert approaches the subject of climate change in a refreshing manner, emphasizing possible solutions and the positive work already being done. When faced with the harsh realities of the climate crisis, one can feel “burnt out,” like the problem is too big for them to face; as Kolbert states in her chapter on Narrative, “a diet of bad news leads to paralysis.” Many initially become active in movements preventing climate change because of fear, but fear can’t sustain a movement. For that, you need hope.

Book Under Review: H is for Hope: Climate Change from A to Z by Elizabeth Kolbert
(https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/743289/h-is-for-hope-by-elizabeth-kolbert/, Penguin Random House, pp. 158, ~$25, Mar 26, 2024, ISBN 9781984863522).

What is this book about? Kolbert’s 26 essays written from A to Z dive into climate-related topics from the past, current climate initiatives, and plans for the future. Starting out in A for Svante Arrhenius, the man who developed the first climate model in 1894 and predicted a global temperature increase due to CO₂ emissions, all the way to Z for a future with Zero carbon emissions. Kolbert covers a wide range of subjects, addressing technical aspects and political hurdles while including personal anecdotes and hopeful stories. These essays were originally published in The New Yorker and have been compiled and complemented here with illustrations to prepare this easy-to-read graphic book.

Illustrations: Each essay is delightfully paired with an illustration by Wesley Allsbrook that clarifies the complex processes discussed and adds depth to the narrative. The graphic format makes elaborate and technical concepts, such as the process of “reverse rusting”, more accessible to a broader audience. Don’t be fooled by its picture-book-esque format, this book is suitable for a more mature audience and deals with complicated issues related to climate change. “H is for Hope” does not sugarcoat the issue of climate change in the slightest. The author describes climate issues with urgency, making the gravity of the situation clear –  leaving the reader with a new-found responsibility in resolving the issue.

Author’s Inquiries: Each of the topics included in H is for Hope are extensively researched by the author. Kolbert is well informed on the latest innovative green companies, includes personal anecdotes of her visiting their offices and learning from them first-hand. Kolbert travels around the world to search for new technology dedicated to sustainability. By visiting these companies and speaking face-to-face with the individuals developing technologies to combat climate change or lessen emissions, Kolbert humanizes the work being done and reinforces the hope climate activists hold for the future.

Who is this book written for? H is for Hope has something for everyone. With its blend of education, personal experience, and visual storytelling this book offers new information and perspective for most readers. The essay and illustration pairings provide a comprehensive overview of climate change. This makes it particularly suitable for a wide audience, including high school students, educators, and general readers concerned about our planet’s future. Educators can choose a pair of somewhat opposing topics such as Despair and Hope, or Capitalism and You, or Leapfrogging and Quagmire, or Uncertainty and Zero for sparking in-depth classroom discussions. For the more discerning reader, Kolbert has provided a list of primary sources she used to develop this book (e.g., Arrhenius: From Iconic Theory to the Greenhouse Effect by Elisabeth Crawford) and offers suggestions for further reading (e.g., Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Plat itself Out? by Bill McKibben).

Overall, H is for Hope is a thought-provoking and visually engaging examination of ongoing climate change. Kolbert’s essays paired with Allsbrook’s captivating illustrations create a sprawling mosaic of climate change. While the book starts on an optimistic note, it ultimately confronts the harsh realities of our climate crisis. This may dampen the initial sense of hope, but despite this, it remains a valuable read for anyone interested in understanding the complex challenges and potential solutions to one of the most pressing issues of our time. Indeed, the mix of hope and pessimism in the book is difficult to reconcile. Indeed, all of us experienced negative emotions from reading the depressing aspects of some of the topics that are discussed. However, it only reflects the reality of ongoing anthropogenic change in the modern world – especially how it disproportionately impacts the most impoverished, under-privileged and vulnerable communities – and offers potential solutions to this dystopian reality. As Eleanor Gordon Smith (2024) argues, “Hope is something we choose and sustain for the sake of others”.

The preface to H is for Hope begins solemnly with: “Climate change resists narrative – and yet some account of what’s happening is needed. Millions of lives are at stake – upward of a million species. And there are decisions to be made, even if it’s unclear who, exactly, will make them”. In writing this book structured as a rather awkward but effective alphabet soup narrative of issues on climate change (some sequences of essays flowed nicely whereas transition among others were somewhat abrupt), Kolbert has succeeded in providing an unbiased accounting of ongoing climate change with both pros and cos. Indeed, she concludes even more solemnly with an honest assessment of our predicament, challenges and the urgency for action – “Whatever we might want to believe about our future, there are limits and we are up against them”. After reading H for Hope, we are left with no doubt that in the rapidly emerging Anthropocene, our endangered biosphere is counting on humanity’s collective hope and timely response to fix its fraying life-support boundaries.

“We had better choose to cultivate hope instead of waiting for it because that’s the only way we’ll be able to show up for the ones who have it worse than us.”

– Eleanor Gordon-Smith (2024).

Literature Cited:

Clayton, S., and B. T. Karazsia. 2020. “Development and validation of a measure of climate change anxiety.” Journal of Environmental Psychology, vol. 69, June 2020, p. 101434, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2020.101434

Goodall, J., et al. 2022. The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times. Thorndike Press, a Part of Gale, a Cengage Company, 2022. The Guardian, July 11, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/article/2024/jul/12/i-feel-despair-about-the-state-of-the-world-how-can-i-find-the-courage-to-not-abandon-hope

Gordon-Smith, E. 2024. I feel despair about the state of the world. How can I find the courage to not abandon hope? The Guardian July 11, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/article/2024/jul/12/i-feel-despair-about-the-state-of-the-world-how-can-i-find-the-courage-to-not-abandon-hope