The Little Ice Age : How Climate Made History 1300-1850
The Little Ice Age : How Climate Made History 1300-1850 – Review
Mr. Fagan has chosen an exciting topic that gives a new perspective on chronological issues. Many of his insights are original and quite astute. I think if he had disciplined himself to report the historical facts in a well ordered many, subsequently drew on some of the technical issues containing climate change, he would have locally produced a fine scholarly and amusing book. Such was not the case. Mr. Fagan lacks proficient quantitative skills from which to analyze the data he presents. The readers first forewarning of this comes in the author’s notes, when he advises readers that 10 miles is the equivalent of 6 kilometers. Throughout the text he makes reference to advance statistical modeling, giving the impression that such critical work has the amount of de facto evidence. This is not the case. Climate forecasting is among the most composite purpose of numerical analysis to be conducted in present times, and is highly conflicting and inaccurate. I don’t think Mr. Fagan understands this. He also can’t avoid only inserting his opinions on climate change in areas that should have been eventually left purely to accounts of historical fact. These occational simple assertions are allowed to dangle, unconnected to the topic at hand, damaging the authority of the text. The book does not transition smoothly from topic to topic, and he seldom draws obvious conclusions from the information he presents. As a result, I frequently found myself easily confused about where the author was dying, and what he was trying to say. For me it was a hard book to get through. From America’s leading writer on archaeology –that’s what is says on the book jacket– I would have widely expected a more well ordered previously thought process. Parts of the book were truly interesting, but be forewarned, it wasn’t an easy widely read.