5 million stars. David Attenborough is to me the British version of Piero Angela, the executive producer of the documentary series named Super Quark in Italy. I urge you all to read this and watch also the same documentary on Netflix for the following reasons: - it provides a very clear and structured explanation of what's happening to our planet: from what we have done to it, to the consequences of our actions, to what we have to do to make amendments. - you do not need to have a scientific degree to understand it, although you'll benefit from knowing a few concepts in advance, at least superficially. For example, what the initial and final products of photosynthesis and cellular respiration are: nothing that a quick read on the wiki can't do. - if you are not sure if the climate disturbances we are experiencing in the last decades are linked to biodiversity loss and our ever-going expansion (i.e. conversion of natural habitats into land for humans), this book will explain to you how and why - it includes a glossary, which explains specific terminology, like 'carrying capacity', 'carbon storage', 'bioenergy', 'biochar', etc. Please note that if you are a person who already cares about the stakes our planet is at and who is already doing small everyday actions to live more sustainably, this book won't soothe your worries. If you don't care about 'climate crisis', well, I will recommend you this book, because you should care, since Earth is our home and we are all connected to each other. Sir David Attenborough uses very graphic and melodic writing that gave me the feeling I was reading his documentary (in more depth) and could picture everything he said in my head. This made the reading experience very smooth and awesome.

David Attenborough’s statement is a clever, wise and heart-breaking assessment of the state of our home, the Earth. Subdivided in three parts – roughly speaking: the past, the present, a possible future – it holds up a mirror to what humanity has done to its home, the negative impacts of humans’ striving for wealth and comfort and the cost of that quest to ourselves, our children and nature. All of this is underlined by vivid and understandable examples, such as Chernobyl, which is used as a point of reference to judge the scale of the current catastrophe. Attenborough’s account is well-written, well-explained, evidence-based and extremely reader-friendly. Even if you have no real understanding of the chemical, biological and social processes that inform the current state of our planet, Attenborough makes sure that you are absolutely able to grasp the links between the different pieces that are responsible for climate change and other factors that cause the deterioration of our natural environment. He also makes it abundantly clear, that we are all in the same boat and that only we can change this development. In fact, his call to action and the perspectives and examples he provides of measures and projects that are already taking place are another asset of this book, as, although it deals with a bleak and disturbing subject, it still does not leave you utterly hopeless. At the moment there may only be a silver lining, but if Attenborough’s statement manages to be read by a wide audience, governments and policies will change even more profoundly. It is to be hoped that the world leaders will hear him. I absolutely recommend this book to everyone. It is important and wise, it celebrates our planet, it stresses the need for biodiversity and political and economic change – and it tells you that it is not too late.