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Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Book

Horsemen of the Apocalypse

The Men Who Are Destroying Life on Earth And What It Means for Our Children

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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Controversial
  • Eye Opening
  • Background

Recommendation

Climate change is a real crisis which threatens the very future of humanity, activist Dick Russell asserts in this strident book. While humans’ use of fossil fuels is the cause of global warming, a shift to less harmful energy sources is possible, Russell argues. However, a powerful force stands in the way: The billionaire Koch brothers, former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson and a handful of other wealthy energy executives who have devoted huge amounts of time and money to confusing the public and undermining legitimate science. Russell tours the fracking fields of Oklahoma and the halls of power in Washington and Houston, giving a swift but harrowing overview of the forces shaping the climate change debate. In his telling, the Kochs and Tillerson are “enemies of life on earth.” The harsh tone might win applause from those who already agree with Russell’s point of view, but it’s unlikely to win over the significant chunk of the American electorate that has bought into the notion that climate change isn’t a legitimate threat. getAbstract recommends this book to anyone interested in the debate over global warming.

Summary

The “Dark Lords” Deny Climate Change

The planet is warming rapidly, and extreme weather events are growing more deadly and costly. There’s a clear scientific consensus that human activity – namely, the use of fossil fuels – is creating devastating changes to the earth’s climate. Yet a small group of powerful players refuses to acknowledge this reality, putting civilization at risk. These “horsemen of the apocalypse” include former ExxonMobil CEOs Lee Raymond and Rex Tillerson, along with the Koch brothers. These billionaire oilmen spend heavily to stoke doubt about the legitimacy of climate change. The horsemen’s lies confuse the public about climate science, and thwart government and private sector efforts to move toward cleaner, more sustainable sources of power. Though they pose as benevolent men who love their families and want everyday workers to thrive, in fact, these “dark lords” are depraved beings. They luxuriate in their fortunes and feel no guilt as the global climate collapses. 

Rex Tillerson and ExxonMobil

Rex Tillerson, the former head of ExxonMobil and later US secretary of state to President ...

About the Authors

Dick Russell is an environmental activist and author. His previous titles include Striper Wars: An American Fish Story. He also co-authored four books with former professional wrestler and Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura.


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