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The nature vs. technology debate has existed for decades and takes many nuanced forms. In this book, Mathews uses broad strokes with technology, including cars, guns, phones, fossil fuels, plastics, and AI. Nature is focused both on the health of the earth and oceans as well as on the animals and humans inhabiting the earth. Through a collection of fifteen chapters, Mathews discusses some of the good and the bad, which are byproducts of both technology and the natural world. Some of her discussions involve cyber-bullying and school shootings, plastics in the ocean and the dangers to the coral reef, forever chemicals, meditation, and climate change brought on by industry and burning fuels. She has included a wide variety of resources to support her findings.
Mathews’ concise book will give readers a vast overview of many topics surfacing in this ongoing dialogue. She makes her feelings known but does not become overly belligerent or accusatory in her stances. There are some grammatical issues and times when the overall focus gets lost through the inclusion of interesting facts and details that distract somewhat from the narrative flow. However, the beauty of a work such as this is that it whets the appetite of readers looking to take a deeper dive into the subject matter. With its extensive range of information and topics, Mathews’ book could serve as a good springboard for those just entering the discussion. The nature vs. technology debate shows no signs of stopping, and Mathews’ book may prove of interest to those either actively engaged in it or curious to explore it.