Over the Seawall

Tsunamis, Cyclones, Drought, and the Delusion of Controlling Nature

By: Stephen Robert Miller

Narrated by: Jon Vertullo

In March 2011, people in a coastal Japanese city stood atop a seawall watching the approach of the tsunami that would kill them. They believed—naively—that the huge concrete barrier would save them. Instead they perished, betrayed by the very thing built to protect them. Erratic weather, blistering drought, rising seas, and ecosystem collapse now affect every inch of the globe. Increasingly, we no longer look to stop climate change, choosing instead to adapt to it.

Never have so many undertaken such a widespread, hurried attempt to remake the world. Predictably, our hubris has led to unintended—and sometimes disastrous—consequences. Academics call it maladaptation; in simple terms, it's about solutions that backfire. Over the Seawall tells us the stories behind these unintended consequences and the fixes that can do more harm than good. From seawalls in coastal Japan, to the reengineered waters in the Ganges River Delta, to the artificial ribbon of water supporting both farms and urban centers in parched Arizona, Stephen Robert Miller traces the histories of engineering marvels that were once deemed too smart and too big to fail. In each he takes us into the land and culture, seeking out locals and experts to better understand how complicated, grandiose schemes led instead to failure, and to find answers to the technologic holes we've dug ourselves into.

©2023 Stephen Robert Miller (P)2023 Tantor

Critical history of water planning around the world to help inform future decisions

This was an informative book about three vastly different water systems and resources that could help to inform future decisions as climate change disrupts traditional water systems decisions. The author provides societal, political, business and historical influences on decisions affecting the manipulation of major water resources and systems in Japan, Bangladesh and the desert Southwest. The book is well researched and resourced and should be on anyone’s reading list if they are interested in this critical topic.

Limits of technology

A detailed look at a few disasters and the limitations of technology to negate them. In some cases the technology has only enhanced the capabilities of the disaster.