The Gulf oil spill is one of those events that people erroneously assume is completely fixed, but only time will show the full extent of how the spill will impact the Gulf ecosystem, and the lives of those communities that rely on the Gulf for their livelihoods. But what Jacobson shows is that humans have been impacting the Gulf long before the BP spill in its quest to maintain the status quo of development, beginning with the Army Corps misguided stabilization of the Mississippi River.

Perhaps the entire book could be summed up with this one line: "...we need to remind ourselves that natural systems are much more finely tuned than we think, and if we like the way they currently work, then we should try very, very hard to not screw with them."

Jacobson intersperses his own experiences in the Gulf, both during and after the oil spill with chapters on the history, ecology, and culture of the Gulf, and a few chapters detailing the Deepwater Horizon explosion and its aftermath. Doing so really gives a good sense life along the Gulf and how much has already changed through the decades, and made me think depressingly of how much will continue to change, given the spill.
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A well-researched book. A major disaster, like the Deepwater Horizon could have long-term effects to coasts around the world and ocean ecosystems. The author's passion is clearly evident. ( )

This is not an area I am familiar with, but this struck me as a well-written, well-researched book on a topic that affects us all, wherever in the world we live. A major industrial accident like the Deepwater Horizon could have long-term or permanent consequences to your coast, ocean ecosystems, or other unspoiled natural areas. The author's passion and concern comes through clearly. Anyone interested in the Gulf coast area or ecological issues in general should read this book. ( )

Thought-provoking and informative. Those are words that come to mind as I consider Shadows on the Gulf. This is about more than an oil spill in the Gulf. Rowan Jacobsen takes us on a journey as the subtitle says, "A Journey Through Our Last Great Wetland". A journey that explores the oil spill and it's causes, it's subsequent effects as far as is known to the time of writing, and the why of how it happened in the first place. I found myself agreeing and nodding my head on occasion while reading this book. Rowan Jacobsen tells us in very clear and understandable language about the issues surrounding the Gulf and the Mississippi delta in particular, and why we should care. For such a small book, 206 pages, he manages to bring home to us very clearly the road taken and the devastation that has happened that brings the Mississippi delta area and northern Gulf coastline to the brink of distruction. He shows us the connections, the delicate ecosystem that depends on conditions that have developed over centuries, and man's dependence on that ecosystem. Not only in that small area, but in a wider sense, this disaster affects us all....all the way up the food chain. The world is losing a valuable natural resource, a habitat for life that may never be reclaimed, a beautiful, wild natural resource that we may never be able to fix. The few pictures included manage to be very graphic when studied along with the writing. The problems that date back to WWII have major consequences today and even the simple fact of man settling in the delta region and attempting to make nature conform to his needs have exacted a terrible toll. I could go on as this is a subject that I feel strongly about, but I'll simply say. Read this book. If you have the opportunity...visit this area. Then you will understand. ( )

#55 (from 2011). Shadows on the Gulf : A Journey Through Our Last Great Wetland by Rowan Jacobsen (2011, 223 pages, read Dec 16-24)

Jacobsen had just finished a book on oysters, a major gulf coast food, when Macondo exploded. This put him in a strong position to pursue the environmental fall out of Macondo and, more importantly, to put it in perspective. Here he covers the cause of the blow-out in some detail and looks into the environmental after affects, as far as seems to be known. But then he goes on the make the point that spill is not the worst thing to happen to the Gulf of Mexico, possibly not even all that significant. What is much more serious is the massive and rapid loss of Louisiana wetlands to open sea water, this being the key nursery for the base of the Gulf food chain. The affects of this are complex, but the causes point largely (but not wholly) toward the oil industry.

The book develops into a look at what the oil and gas industry means to the US specifically. What have we compromised and what have we lost for this fuel. Also, how and why we haven’t put in the slightest effort to do anything about it. And what stands out is how well Jacobsen presents this.

Of the five books I’ve read (plus one I quit reading) about the Macondo oil spill, Jacobsen’s is only one that doesn’t reveal its rushed writing. All the other books are flawed on some level in writing quality, structure, completeness, or some other kind of roughness…things necessary for those authors to get their books out while the information was still relevant. Unique to Jacobsen is the clean structure and completeness. Jacobsen spent time thinking things out and presents his information, observations and ideas coherently. The result is very thought-provoking.

2011
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