John F. Richards (–2007)

An important work of global environmental history of impressive scope. Argues that the centralization of states and pushing into frontiers, both contiguous and across oceans, drove resource use, exploitation, and ecological change. Rising populations forced expansion and greater resource, particularly energy, usage. Some states/societies made better choices and/or had better luck than others. Lots of very interesting facts and nuggets of information in this book.

By focusing on North America, Siberia, and the North Atlantic, this brief, but detailed and effective, book tells of the how the commodification of wildlife for furs and oil affected colonization, the settlers, the global economy, the indigenous peoples, the animals, and the ecosystems.