The Five Horsemen of the Modern World by Daniel Callahan

4 Stars

416 Pages
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Release Date: May 17, 2016

Nonfiction, Science, Health, Mind, Body, Climate Change

The book is divided into the following parts and chapters

Part 1: Mapping an Irregular Terrain
Chapter 1: Our Overheating, Fraying Planet
Chapter 2: Feeding a Growing Population
Chapter 3: Water – Not Everywhere and Not Always Fit to Drink
Chapter 4: Chronic Illness – Rich or Poor, Few Escape
Chapter 5: Obesity – The Scourge of Bad Diets and Sedentary Habits

Part 2: Examining the Pathways Through the Thickets
Chapter 6: Always More People and Ever More Elderly Caring and Paying
Chapter 7: The Technology Fix – A Way Out?
Chapter 8. A Volatile Mix – Public Policy, the Media, and Public Opinion
Chapter 9: Law and Governance – Managing Our Public Planet and Our Private Bodies

Part 3: Toward the future – Progress, Hope, and Fear
Chapter 10: Progress and Its Errant Children – More is Never Enough
Chapter 11: The Necessary Coalition – Social Movements, Legislatures, and Business

The author has chosen climate change, water issues, hunger, obesity, and chronic illness as the five issues of today’s world. He goes into detail on each of the topics and explains why these issues need to be addressed.