There may come a time when you’re standing in the stacks, book in one hand, DVD in the other. What to do!?! Have no fear. It’s Book vs. Movie.
Book: An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore (QC981.8.G56 G67 2006, 3rd Floor)
Movie: An Inconvenient Truth directed by Davis Guggenheim (QC981.8.G56 I53 2006, 1st Floor)
If Al Gore had a song it would go something like:
It’s getting hot in here, so hot!
So build a wind turbine.
Earth is, getting so hot,
It’s gonna melt the ice off.
I’m sure I’m not the first person to think of that, but I’ve scoured YouTube for some video action and got next to nothing. Someone needs to make a really good parody music video. Seriously.
In many ways, today’s Book vs. Movie post is unique. This is the only instance where the book came after the movie. It’s also the only documentary on my list of reviews and it’s the most politically polarizing I’ll get here in Lupton. It is, however, a really important film (and book). Al Gore is doing for global warming what Rachel Carson did for the pesticide DDT. It should come as no surprise, then, that neither has won any universal popularity contests. Nobody relishes being told that their convenient bug spray or giant Hummer is killing everybody else’s fresh air buzz.
An Inconvenient Truth is not a feel good movie. By this point, its plot is well known, whether you’ve actually seen it (or read the book) or not. The CO2 released by burning fossil fuels is causing the earth’s temperature to rise, which in turn causes devastating changes in weather patterns, arable land, and sea level. It’s like watching The Walking Dead only replace zombies with CO2 and crazy love triangles with PowerPoint slides. That is to say, it’s apocalyptic. By the end of both, I find myself rather exhausted. In much the same way that The Walking Dead examines the tension between the individual and the community when survival is dubious, An Inconvenient Truth makes a direct call for each person to examine how his or her actions affect the community — for better or worse.
If you want an easy introduction to global warming without the slightly monotone note of Al Gore’s voice, An Inconvenient Truth is the book for you. It’s perfect for the visual learner, being absolutely filled with images, graphs, and fold-outs. While it recaps and adds to the basics of the movie, it’s really only an introduction to the subject. Anyone who has seen the movie and is interested in learning more about global warming would probably do better to check out other titles on the science of global warming and the benefits of sustainable design.
P.S. Why are Lupton’s librarians so zombie oriented? I’ve only been here for six months and I’m throwing down zombie references. It’s like it’s catching.
Winner: Tie
What about you? Book or movie?