Carbon

The Book of Life

De: Paul Hawken

Narrado por: Peter Coyote

A journey into the world of carbon, the most versatile element on the planet, by the New York Times bestselling author Paul Hawken

Carbon is the only element that animates the entirety of the living world. Though comprising a tiny fraction of Earth’s composition, our planet is lifeless without it. Yet it is maligned as the driver of climate change, scorned as an errant element blamed for the possible demise of civilization.

Here, Paul Hawken looks at the flow of life through the lens of carbon. Embracing a panoramic view of carbon’s omnipresence, he explores how this ubiquitous and essential element extends into every aperture of existence and shapes the entire fabric of life. Hawken charts a course across our planetary history, guiding us into the realms of plants, animals, insects, fungi, food, and farms to offer a new narrative for embracing carbon’s life-giving power and its possibilities for the future of human endeavor.

In this stirring, hopeful, and deeply humane book, Hawken illuminates the subtle connections between carbon and our collective human experience and asks us to see nature, carbon, and ourselves as exquisitely intertwined—inseparably connected.

Riveting

I stand with Paul Hawkin! A must read for all humans on earth. He helps us understand the complexity all around us and underneath us.

A book for all humans

I listened to an interview with the author about a week before the book launched, and because of that I preordered the Audible edition, which was delivered the day the book was released, March, 18, 2025. I have listened all the way through twice and to most of the chapters 3 to 5 times. It is so well written, and the narrator is excellent. It is a very insightful and informative as well as a personal exploration of what is life, and how one might expand their connection and experience of it. A perfect mix of science and traditional wisdom. It is not a downer of gloom for the future. Sobering yes, but a comfort too.
I particularly loved the first chapter and the last, but all the chapters in between are also exquisite and are the weft on the warp of the first and last.
I loved it so much that I have ordered a hard copy. There are wonderful quotes throughout the book and particularly good are the ones at the beginning of each chapter. I need to have the book to hold in my hand, but I am sure I will re-listen to the audio version often as well. It is not a text that manipulates or shames, but sheds light and wonder on this existence and encourages one to connect and find balance in the web of life.

Best book of the 2020’s!

Book addresses man’s arrogance in subtle ways about plant and animal intelligence and so much mor. Each chapter is a learning, reconsidering adventure!

Brilliant, sensitive, compassionate!

The exquisite description of the diversity and complexity of the natural world. The ending clarifies the threshold we find ourselves and a way to approach it

Outstanding!

I deeply appreciate Paul Hawken for his many years of outstanding books, talks and interviews. This book Carbon is a masterpiece: so well written, clear, concise, engaging, entertaining, informative, and more! Peter Coyote is a great voice to express this genius. May this book become a number one best seller worldwide… a healing for our world! Thank you Paul, Peter, Audible, and our precious,loving, infinitely intelligent Mother Earth! 🙌 ❤️ ☀️

beauty

all was good .....I loved all of the knowledge it shared ...thank you ....and great reading

Writing style

I enjoyed this book and am interested in a hard copy. In the final pages the author inspires the reader to engage and would love to see a companion book that might be a starting point for such an endeavor.

Mind blowing

The whole book was written like an immortal, life-altering poem.
It lays it all out efficiently and eloquently with necessary history and present day complexities. Ultimately there is only one solution to our global crisis and it’s not a job for others to fix.
Beautiful and hopeful at a most grim time

I am deeper because of this….

Please read this book. We are on the edge of extinction or renewal. Let’s choose renewal. “Carbon” lights the way forward.

Fascinating and inspiring

I wish everyone would read this captivating book. Inspires a sense of awe in the natural world.