The world in a grain: the story of sand and how it transformed civilization
(Book)
Author:
Published:
New York : Riverhead Books, 2018.
Physical Desc:
294 pages ; 24 cm
Status:
Description
A finalist for the PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award
The gripping story of the most important overlooked commodity in the world—sand—and the crucial role it plays in our lives.
After water and air, sand is the natural resource that we consume more than any other—even more than oil. Every concrete building and paved road on Earth, every computer screen and silicon chip, is made from sand. From Egypt's pyramids to the Hubble telescope, from the world's tallest skyscraper to the sidewalk below it, from Chartres' stained-glass windows to your iPhone, sand shelters us, empowers us, engages us, and inspires us. It's the ingredient that makes possible our cities, our science, our lives—and our future.
And, incredibly, we're running out of it.
The World in a Grain is the compelling true story of the hugely important and diminishing natural resource that grows more essential every day, and of the people who mine it, sell it, build with it—and sometimes, even kill for it. It's also a provocative examination of the serious human and environmental costs incurred by our dependence on sand, which has received little public attention. Not all sand is created equal: Some of the easiest sand to get to is the least useful. Award-winning journalist Vince Beiser delves deep into this world, taking readers on a journey across the globe, from the United States to remote corners of India, China, and Dubai to explain why sand is so crucial to modern life. Along the way, readers encounter world-changing innovators, island-building entrepreneurs, desert fighters, and murderous sand pirates. The result is an entertaining and eye-opening work, one that is both unexpected and involving, rippling with fascinating detail and filled with surprising characters.
The gripping story of the most important overlooked commodity in the world—sand—and the crucial role it plays in our lives.
After water and air, sand is the natural resource that we consume more than any other—even more than oil. Every concrete building and paved road on Earth, every computer screen and silicon chip, is made from sand. From Egypt's pyramids to the Hubble telescope, from the world's tallest skyscraper to the sidewalk below it, from Chartres' stained-glass windows to your iPhone, sand shelters us, empowers us, engages us, and inspires us. It's the ingredient that makes possible our cities, our science, our lives—and our future.
And, incredibly, we're running out of it.
The World in a Grain is the compelling true story of the hugely important and diminishing natural resource that grows more essential every day, and of the people who mine it, sell it, build with it—and sometimes, even kill for it. It's also a provocative examination of the serious human and environmental costs incurred by our dependence on sand, which has received little public attention. Not all sand is created equal: Some of the easiest sand to get to is the least useful. Award-winning journalist Vince Beiser delves deep into this world, taking readers on a journey across the globe, from the United States to remote corners of India, China, and Dubai to explain why sand is so crucial to modern life. Along the way, readers encounter world-changing innovators, island-building entrepreneurs, desert fighters, and murderous sand pirates. The result is an entertaining and eye-opening work, one that is both unexpected and involving, rippling with fascinating detail and filled with surprising characters.
Copies
Location
Call Number
Status
Carmichael
620.191 B423 2018
On Shelf
Central
620.191 B423 2018
On Shelf
Fair Oaks
620.191 B423 2018
On Shelf
Pocket-Greenhaven
620.191 B423 2018
On Shelf
Location
Call Number
Status
Woodland Public Library
620.191 Bei 2018
On Shelf
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Subjects
LC Subjects
More Details
Format:
Book
Language:
English
ISBN:
9780399576423
Notes
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 261-284) and index.
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Citations
APA Citation (style guide)
Beiser, V. (2018). The world in a grain: the story of sand and how it transformed civilization. New York, Riverhead Books.
Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation (style guide)Beiser, Vince, 1965-. 2018. The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization. New York, Riverhead Books.
Chicago / Turabian - Humanities Citation (style guide)Beiser, Vince, 1965-, The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization. New York, Riverhead Books, 2018.
MLA Citation (style guide)Beiser, Vince. The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization. New York, Riverhead Books, 2018.
Note! Citation formats are based on standards as of July 2022. Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy.
Staff View
Grouped Work ID:
90f84795-791a-5d66-0801-bd1e533b30d0
Record Information
Last Sierra Extract Time | Mar 15, 2024 09:38:13 PM |
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Last File Modification Time | Mar 15, 2024 09:38:29 PM |
Last Grouped Work Modification Time | Mar 28, 2024 02:11:39 AM |
MARC Record
LEADER | 01415pam 2200373 i 4500 | ||
---|---|---|---|
001 | 2017053122 | ||
003 | DLC | ||
005 | 20180801100230.0 | ||
008 | 171117s2018 nyu b 001 0 eng | ||
010 | |a 2017053122 | ||
020 | |a 9780399576423 | ||
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049 | |a JRSA | ||
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