The world is juggling existential challenges: extreme weather, sentient AI, nuclear tensions, and the looming threat of another pandemic. It’s not clear which will claim the spotlight—or us—first.
But here’s a question: if the magnitude of a problem is reflected by the books written about it, which would win?
I found my answer last Friday in a Berlin bookstore. A dedicated stand for AI boasted dozens of titles, from dystopian tales to tech-savvy how-to guides. The climate section? Seven books. Six of them fiction.
AI, clearly, wins the marketing and entertainment contest. And as a cyberpunk fan, I get it—AI makes for thrilling storytelling. Yet, the reality is that climate change is no less monumental than AI, perhaps even more so. But where’s the literary reflection of this?
🔮 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻? It’s been decades since 𝘋𝘶𝘯𝘦 gave us a sweeping environmental epic. Kim Stanley Robinson’s works—like 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦—are modern highlights of climate fiction, but the list is short. I struggle to name any other climate fiction, apart from 𝘡𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘤 by Neal Stephenson.
📖 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗙𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻? 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝘆. On the non-fiction front, climate, and energy transition books are few and often lack depth. Many are either overly simplistic or gloss over critical technical and economic nuances. That’s why I started reviewing the best of them on my blog. It’s a collection I’m constantly expanding.
💡 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻
What are your go-to books on climate change or energy transition? Fiction or non-fiction, I’d love to hear your recommendations. Drop your favorites in the comments—I’m always on the hunt for the next great read!