First published 2021
The last tree on Easter Island stands defiant against the barren landscape, a solitary witness to the island's environmental ruin. As Jared Diamond unravels the complex history, we see how the islanders' own hubris and resource mismanagement led to this tragic deforestation. With the fate of the final tree hanging in the balance, Diamond's narrative becomes a poignant meditation on humanity's capacity for self-destruction – and our chance to learn from past mistakes before it's too late.
Genres: history, environment, non-fiction, academic
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: cautionary-tale, man-vs-nature
Setting: Easter Island
87 pages · Paperback · Penguin Classics