By Dan Bloom
CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan — Diane Ackerman is the author of a new non-fiction book, set to be published by Norton Books this fall, in which she delves into an important cultural awakening currently taking place. The title of her book says it all.
In a mere 200 years, humans have changed the look, chemistry, plants, animals, and weather of the whole planet, she says. In The Human Age: Our Epoch Changes to Self, Nature, and Planet,’ Ackerman explores what scientists have dubbed the Anthropocene, that is to say “The Human Age.” We are living in it now.
Writing about fascinating people in science and biology and adding her own personal narratives and revelations about the many ways we humans have altered our bodies, our planet, our minds, and our future, Ackerman delivers the goods. It’s not only great writing by a master prose stylist, it’s also a wake up call.
We are at a unique turning point as a species, Ackerman says, noting that we are a different kind of animal from any the planet has ever known, and one able to reinvent ourselves and our world. Written with a passion for truth and a poet’s eye, The Human Age is about how we’ve reshaped the planet to suit us as well as how we’re changing ourselves as a species-both mentally and physically. In this sense, as I wrote above, her book is a wake up call.
In a recent email exchange, I asked Ackerman a few questions about her new book.
When asked what the book of collected essays is about, she responded: “I’m deeply concerned about climate change, and in The Human Age I explore how it’s changing ecosystems, and driving many animals to migrate; how it’s creating the first climate refugees in several countries; what people around the world are doing to either ease climate change in their locale or adapt. I address climate change from many points of view. I’m optimistic, because we still have time to lessen climate change’s impact, and many creative people around the world are designing ways to ease, offset, and adapt to it. I introduce readers to some of them.”
I asked the author if she had heard the term cli fi yet as a new genre of literature. She replied: “No, I haven’t heard the term cli-fi, but sci-fi abounds with dystopian novels, many set after some environmental disaster.”
I also asked her how reporters and editors and writers should refer to the Earth in print, as a word — with a capital ”E” or lowercase ”e.” She didn’t miss a beat in her reply, writing: “Yes, I’d prefer for Earth, our home planet, to be capitalized.”
*
Bloom is Taiwan correspondent for San Diego Jewish World and a dedicated web surfer who frequently develops stories from email interviews. He may be contacted via dan.bloom@sdjewishworld.com
A professor in Washington DC read this and agrees, noting:
Dear Dan,
Loved your post about capitalizing “Earth”!
I had that argument with my own editor on one story.
The guidebooks are somewhat equivocal on this point.
Here’s Chicago Manual of Style (16E):
“‘Earth.’ In nontechnical contexts the word ‘earth,’ in the sense of our planet, is usually lowercased when preceded by ‘the’ or in such idioms as ‘down to earth’ or “‘move heavens and earth.’ When used as the proper name of our planet, especially in context with other planets, it is capitalized, and ‘the’ is usually omitted.”
The confusion results, of course, from the fact that we use the same word to signify the ground (or soil) and our planet. But this double usage dates back to the time before we knew we lived on a planet, something that revolved around the sun like those other “wanderers” (the meaning of “planet”) in the night-sky.
Urging writers/editors to drop the usual “the” in front of Earth might help you make your case. Although we don’t find it odd to say “the earth is warming,” we wouldn’t say “the Mars is warming.”
So, capitalize the “E” and strike the “the”!
Michael