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If you loved
Books like The Wizard and the Prophet
A sweeping, intellectually thrilling exploration of the two competing philosophies that will determine the fate of our species. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with The Wizard and the Prophet.
- contemplative
- intellectually stimulating
- anxious
- expansive
- 01
The Alchemy of Air
Thomas Hager · 2008
A gripping, tragic narrative history about the brilliant minds who pulled bread from the air and inadvertently unleashed a century of unprecedented destruction.
- 02
Losing Earth
Nathaniel Rich
A gripping, infuriating historical thriller about the decade we almost saved the world, and the human flaws that stopped us.
- 03
The Invention of Nature
Andrea Wulf
A sweeping, globe-trotting intellectual adventure that fundamentally changes how you look at the natural world.
- 04
Green Illusions
Ozzie Zehner
A provocative, paradigm-shifting critique that strips away the shiny veneer of green technology to reveal the deeper social changes required to save the planet.
- 05
A short history of progress
Ronald Wright · 2004
A sobering, sweeping look at the ghosts of fallen empires that serves as a chilling mirror for our modern world.
- 06
The Long Emergency
James Howard Kunstler · 2005
A blunt, sobering wake-up call that strips away the comforts of modern industrial optimism to reveal the fragile scaffolding beneath.
- 07
American Prometheus
Kai Bird; Martin J. Sherwin · 2005
A sweeping, tragic portrait of a brilliant mind caught between the thrill of discovery and the crushing weight of its world-altering consequences.
- 08
Hot, flat, and crowded
Thomas L. Friedman
A sweeping, anecdote-rich wake-up call that transforms climate anxiety into a blueprint for global innovation.
- 09
Energy in world history
Vaclav Smil · 1994
A sweeping, deeply pragmatic lens on human history that reveals the hidden physical forces shaping our world.
- 10
Invention of air
Steven Johnson · 2009
A thrilling intellectual treasure hunt that connects the discovery of oxygen to the founding of a nation.
- 11
The Sixth Extinction
Elizabeth Kolbert
A sobering, globe-trotting journey through deep time and fragile ecosystems that fundamentally alters how you view humanity's footprint.
- 12
The Precipice
Toby Ord
A sobering yet awe-inspiring confrontation with the fragility of our species and the staggering moral weight of our long-term future.
