McConaghy crafts a tale that reads like a love letter to a dying planet. The environmental changes she depicts feel visceral and immediate, you can almost taste the salt spray of encroaching seas.

Tom Steyer's "Cheaper, Faster, Better" presents a paradox that's hard to ignore. Here's a billionaire who made his fortune in hedge funds – an industry with deep ties to fossil fuel investments – now positioning himself as a champion of renewable energy and climate action. The author's voice in non-fiction carries the weight of their lived experience and credibility in ways that fiction simply doesn't. When Tom Steyer writes about climate solutions we can't separate his billionaire hedge fund background from his arguments the way we might separate a novelist from their fictional characters.

Samantha Harvey’s Orbital the 2024 Booker Prize winner, offers a unique lens through which to examine our planet's fragility and the pressing issues of climate change. 

Set aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the novel follows six astronauts as they complete 16 orbits around Earth, each lasting 90 minutes. This setting serves as a powerful backdrop for exploring themes of isolation, perspective, and the human impact on the environment.

In Playground, Richard Powers crafts a poignant and timely narrative that subtly but powerfully addresses the pressing issue of climate change. While not a traditional climate change treatise, the book weaves environmental concerns into the storyline, making the consequences of a warming planet feel deeply personal and immediate.

When I sat down to watch Wicked, I expected dazzling visuals, catchy songs, and a twist on the classic Wizard of Oz. What I didn't expect was a surprisingly powerful message about animal rights, systemic injustice, and the importance of speaking up for those who can't.

Genevieve Guenther's book "The Language of Climate Politics" delves into the intricate relationship between language and climate discourse. As the founding director of End Climate Silence and an expert in climate communication, Guenther brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to the table, making her work a significant contribution to the ongoing conversation about climate change and policy. 

The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green is a poignant exploration of the human experience in the context of the Anthropocene, a term that denotes the current geological epoch characterised by significant human impact on the Earth. This book which is a collection of essays adapted from his popular podcast, offers a blend of humour, personal reflection and sobering insights into the state of our planet. I've tried to pick out and look for anything particular to climate change.  

Cormac McCarthy's The Road is a haunting exploration of a post apocalyptic world, capturing the desolation of a planet ravaged by an unnamed catastrophe. The novel's sparse, poetic prose conveys a profound sense of love and resilience as a father and son journey through a dying landscape in search of hope. Their bond - tender yet strained by the brutal realities of survival - forms the emotional core of the story, raising questions about humanity's capacity to endure in the face of collapse. 

Monkey Banana Beginnings invites readers into a vibrant jungle filled with adventure and discovery. This enchanting tale centres around a curious little monkey who finds a magical banana suit, enabling him to communicate with and assist the various animals in his jungle home.

The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket by Benjamin Lorr is a compelling expose that delves into the intricate and often hidden world of the grocery industry. Through meticulous research and engaging storytelling, Lorr uncovers the complex supply chains, labour practices, and economic forces that shape the way we shop for food. 

The Pivotal Generation: Why we have a Moral Responsibility to Slow Climate Change Right Now by Henry Shue is a compelling and ethically charged call to action. Shue, a prominent ethics scholar, extends his significant contributions to international climate justice by crafting a convincing reflection on the urgency of climate action against the background of justice imperatives (Generation Investment Management & MIT Press).

"The Great Acceleration: An Environmental History of the Anthropocene since 1945" by J.R. McNeill and Peter Engelke is a significant work that delves into the profound environmental changes that have occurred since the mid-20th century. A period that the authors argue marks the beginning of the Anthropocene - a new epoch in Earth's history defined by human activity being the dominant influence on the environment.

Sixty Harvests Left is a compelling book that exposes the devastating impact of industrial farming on our planet and our future. The author, Philip Lymbery, is an expert on animal welfare and environmental issues, and he takes us on a journey across the world to witness the consequences of our food choices. 

The Heat Will Kill You First is a gripping and eye-opening book that explores the devastating consequences of rising global temperatures on human health, society, and the environment. Jeff Goodell, an environmental journalist and author of several books on climate change, travels to various places around the world that are already feeling the impacts of extreme heat, such as Paris, Chennai, the Sonoran Desert, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Arctic and Antarctic regions.

"Ultra Processed People" by Chris van Tulleken is a thought-provoking and insightful exploration of the effects of ultra-processed foods on our health and well-being. Driven by his own personal experiences and professional expertise as a medical doctor, van Tulleken delves into the world of processed foods to uncover the hidden dangers they pose to our bodies.

Climate Wars by Gwynn Dyer is a thought-provoking and compelling exploration of the potential global conflicts that may arise due to the impacts of climate change. Dyer, an experienced journalist and military historian, skilfully combines scientific research, geopolitical analysis, and engaging storytelling to paint a vivid picture of the possible future scenarios we may face.

I often like to pick up books and have no clue what it is really about. So, I found this book on a recommended reading list from Bill Gates and a colleague mentioned that they have cited Vaclav Smil in a dissertation. The title already gives some clues of what to expect: The science behind how we got here and where we're going. (This is also a great cover design!)

This book invoked the twin deities of terror namely climate anxiety and climate depression simultaneously. The further I ventured into the book, I couldn't shake the sense of doom. We, the human race, are going to end up in the underbelly of Hades' lair - not a land of torment but a place where the dangers are real enough.

Elizabeth Kolbert wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning book: The Sixth Extinction: an Unnatural History. I must admit I have not read it. 2014 is quite a while back and unfortunately books tend to become dated fairly quickly in the realm of climate change. To add, Kolbert is an American, a journalist and visiting fellow at Williams College. I mention that she is American because I had to look up a lot of people, places and other references, as the book is America-centred. As a result I obtained a bucketload of new knowledge

Bill Gates has a strong writer's voice, perhaps due to his well-known presence in the world of computers, philanthropy and entrepreneurship. It is precisely this geeky voice that created an easy read filled with warnings, ideas and advice. Gates is right about the scale and urgency of the problem of climate change, and explains in a simple and understandable way, how net-zero works.