another thing about bill mckibben is that he was right on about climate change way early on--one of the first in fact. see his "the end of nature" recently reprinted. he also wrote a book called (i think) "long distance" about his year spent seriously nordic skiing. i really dig his books.
one thing that bothers me about these sort of books though is that the only people who read 'em are folks like us. it's preachin' to the choir. it'd be really good if say cheney and bush and those idiots would read it. but they won't.
oh yeah, i think i've mentioned him before and i'm sure some or most of yall have read or heard about him, but james howard ****sler is also a thinker to be reckoned with. check out his "the long emergency".