{"title":"Vaclav Smil","description":"\u003cp\u003eFind your next read from \u003cstrong\u003eVaclav Smil\u003c\/strong\u003e. Popular titles include \u003cem\u003eSpeed\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eHow the World Really Works\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003ePenguin How to Feed the World\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShop all our Vaclav Smil books below, delivered across South Africa.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"9781405982191","title":"How the World Really Works","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout How the World Really Works By Vaclav Smil\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom energy and food production, through our material world and its globalization, to risks, our environment and its future, How the World Really Works offers a much-needed reality check - because before we can tackle problems effectively, we must understand the facts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this ambitious and thought-provoking book we see, for example, that globalization isn't inevitable and that our societies have been steadily increasing their dependence on fossil fuels, making their complete and rapid elimination unlikely. Drawing on the latest science and tackling sources of misinformation head on - from Yuval Noah Harari to Noam Chomsky - ultimately Smil answers the most profound question of our age: are we irrevocably doomed or is a brighter utopia ahead? __________ 'Very informative and eye-opening in many ways' HA-JOON CHANG, author of 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism 'If you are anxious about the future, and infuriated that we aren't doing enough about it, please read this book' PAUL COLLIER, author of The Future of Capitalism\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Topline","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43950556479603,"sku":"9781405982191","price":199.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2291\/7991\/files\/9780241989678__72913.1750240253.jpg?v=1759412320"},{"product_id":"9780241999509","title":"Penguin How to Feed the World.","description":"Penguin How to Feed the World ABISBOOK Penguin.","brand":"BOOKSITE","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45358985838707,"sku":"9780241999509","price":280.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2291\/7991\/files\/3708633482274.jpg?v=1789490737"},{"product_id":"9781405977494","title":"Speed","description":"In a world that feels like it’s moving faster than ever, Smil examines how our relentless pursuit of speed – in areas such as production, travel and communication – shapes not only our technological landscape but also our social and environmental realities. And through engaging anecdotes and striking statistics, Smil challenges the assumption that faster is always better.\r\n\r\nHe invites readers to reconsider the implications of our collective obsession with speed, and its intricate relationship with nature and innovation. For example, he highlights the surprising fact that erosion can actually accelerate mountain growth, and he points out that the rapid adoption of mobile phones – achieving 90 per cent penetration in just nineteen years – reflects historical patterns of technological adoption, suggesting that our world may not be moving significantly faster than in the past.\r\n\r\nWhether exploring the tiny mites that can traverse 300 times their body length in a second or the societal impacts of high-frequency trading, Speed invites readers to engage in a more balanced conversation about the role of speed in our lives, in an age defined by haste.","brand":"BOOKSITE","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45359022604403,"sku":"9781405977494","price":288.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2291\/7991\/files\/15971423482688.jpg?v=1789925227"},{"product_id":"9780241645406","title":"How to Feed the World A Factful Guide","description":"In this ambitious, myth-busting book, leading scientist and internationally bestselling author Vaclav Smil investigates many of the burning questions facing the world today- Why are some of the world's biggest food producers also the countries with the most undernourished populations? Why is food waste a colossal 1,000kcal per person daily, and how can we solve that? Could we all go vegan and be healthy? Should we? How will we feed the ballooning population without killing the planet?\n \n How Food Really Works shows how we misunderstand the essentials of where our food really comes from, how our dietary requirements shape us, and why this impacts our planet in drastic ways. Ultimately, this data-based, rigorously researched guide explains how we will survive and thrive long into the future.","brand":"BOOKSITE","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45359153807475,"sku":"9780241645406","price":418.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2291\/7991\/files\/167603482274.jpg?v=1789321294"},{"product_id":"9780241754542","title":"Speed","description":"Explore how speed influences every aspect of life on Earth, from the slow grind of geological processes and the fleeting lifespans of organisms to the astonishing speed of light and the remarkable adaptations of creatures like the swift antelope and the soaring albatross. In this ambitious and wide-ranging ideas book, internationally bestselling author Vaclav Smil uncovers the intricate connections between speed, nature, and human innovation.\n \n With counterintuitive insights, such as how erosion actually accelerates mountain growth, Smil challenges long-held myths. For example, Smil debunks the notion that our modern lives are accelerating at an unprecedented pace- the rapid adoption of mobile phones - from 0% in 1983 to 90% in 2002 (19 years) - is like the spread of earlier technologies such as radio (22 years), colour television (24 years) and even microwave ovens (17 years).\n \n In SPEED, Smil combines his trademark compelling statistics with insightful analysis to take readers on a captivating journey through the vast timescales of Earth's history and the complexities of modern life. He explains how we measure speed and reveals the theoretical limits that shape our societies, offering a thought-provoking exploration of the forces that define our world. This eye-opening book encourages readers to see speed's vital role in everything around us.","brand":"BOOKSITE","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45359170912371,"sku":"9780241754542","price":455.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2291\/7991\/files\/1258963482274.jpg?v=1787567659"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.readerswarehouse.shop\/collections\/vaclav-smil-books.oembed","provider":"Readers Warehouse","version":"1.0","type":"link"}