Land
How the Hunger for Ownership Shaped the Modern World
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from Wish List failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Land
Buy Now for $26.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Simon Winchester
-
By:
-
Simon Winchester
About this listen
From the bestselling author Simon Winchester, a human history of land around the world: who mapped it, owned it, stole it, cared for it, fought for it and gave it back.
In 1889, thousands of hopeful people raced southward from the Kansas state line and westward from the Arkansas boundary to stake claims on the thousands of acres of unclaimed pastures and meadows. Across the twentieth century, water was dammed and drained in Holland so that a new province, Flevoland, rose up, unchartered and requiring new thinking. In 1850, California legislated the theft of land from Native Americans. An apology came in 2019 from the governor, but what of the call for reparations or return? What of government confiscation of land in India, or questions of fairness when it comes to New Zealand’s Maori population and the legacy of settlers?
The ownership of land has always been complicated, opaque, and more than a little anarchic when viewed from the outside. In this book, Simon Winchester explores the the stewardship of land, the ways it is delineated and changes hands, the great disputes, and the questions of restoration – particularly in the light of climate change and colonialist reparation.
A global study, this is an exquisite exploration of what the ownership of land might really mean – not in dry-as-dust legal terms, but for the people who live on it.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2021 Simon Winchester (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers LimitedCritic Reviews
‘Winchester makes a convincing case.... Succeeds resoundingly in making us think more deeply about the everyday objects we take for granted. It challenges us to reflect on our progress as humans and what has made it possible. It is interesting, informative, exciting and emotional, and for anyone with even some curiosity about what makes the machines of our world work as well as they do, it’s a real treat." (New York Times)
"Simon Winchester’s new book is a tale of many triumphs.... His delight in words cannot be bridled, so that even 'Exactly,' which is, after all, a nonfiction treatment of technology, brims with amusing and rare nouns such as bagatelle, bijoux, cynosure, seraglio and susurrus. These whir smoothly alongside the argot of the machine shop. Mr. Winchester covers more than 200 years of fine-tuning in this work, and corrals a large cast of eccentric individuals." (Wall Street Journal)
"An ingenious argument that the dazzling advances that produced the scientific revolution, the industrial revolution, and the revolutions that followed owe their success to a single engineering element: precision. An enthusiastic popular-science tour of technological marvels...readers will love the ride." (Kirkus)
What listeners say about Land
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 04-09-2023
Brilliant
So many interesting insights. Simon is a master at storytelling and revealing our, often tragic,history
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 28-08-2021
Gem
I struggled listening through the first hour or so where he goes on and on about his land but once I was past that, I was hooked. The content was so enlightening on the politics of land. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sandra Stone
- 19-12-2022
Never disappoints
Regardless of the subject, Simon spins history into storytelling so that the mind never wanders. Highly recommended.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tanveer
- 28-08-2021
I found it very informative.
I learned a lot of interesting pieces of history. It's true that what western civilization has sold us as progress for centuries, has been nothing less than catastrophic for rest of humanity and other creatures. The greed and continuous hunger for economic growth has accelerated climate change and natural destruction. And we are still in this process, destroying the Amazon and the forests in Borneo. This book has made my convictions stronger about the tragical effect of human greed and ambition of prosperity that will one day bring our downfall.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ian
- 13-11-2021
Enthralling
A fascinating story of intrigue, greed, despair and hope across history. I have enjoyed all of Simon Winchester’s books immensely and this one just as much. Highly recommended.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 27-01-2022
Wonderfully thought provoking
Exceptionally well written and read with the kind of grand fatherly tone that just makes one feel like they are learning and by gosh will you learn alot. So worth the time!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Paul Hellard
- 05-01-2023
How much do we need!
Loved the fact Mr Winchester narrated this incredible stream of work. He carries you along with so many encyclopedic insights. I have the paperback as well.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- Jennifer H Lindsay
- 12-08-2021
One sided view
i got very tired of having a lecture about the evil ways of the modern world. More people than ever before are able to feed themselves in no part due to modern farming. We absolutely need to learn from past mistakes and change but there has to be a balance . Didn't make it to the end.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 22-08-2022
Not what I was hoping for
I didn't find that this book taught me how the hunger for land shaped the modern world. I found it to be a string of anecdotes intended to support the authors opinion that land should be communally owned.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- Anonymon
- 29-07-2021
If you believe it
This book is beautifully narrated but I tired of the “billions of years” and “millions of years” etc etc of the earth’s age and evolution. Boring.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful