A bestseller in the 1960s, it is an update on the Malthusian thesis of impending starvation. There have been technological improvements in food production since then, but more importantly the declining birth rate as average affluence rises (notably today in China) has reduced the rate of population rise. Good, but like so many bestsellers - simplistic. ( )

A much criticized book, but it showed us we have a problem. There are so many of us on the planet, and we are not caring very well for each other. ( )

With the benefit of hindsight, most of this book fortunately has not come true. I'm reviewing it about 50 years after I read it. ( )

I would like to thank Dr. Ehrlich
For digging deep asking the tough questions and purposing the hard choices. He did a fine job of explaining the sources of angst among humanity, the dire threats to human-kind and the impending suffering that looms for us all if no actions are taken to ensure a brighter future for the coming generations.
Yet, with all the graphic descriptions of the poisons, pesticides, plagues and prophecies, this scholarly gentleman, who obviously believes in the Most-High, Lord, God, Jehovah, has failed to target the genuine, root cause of all the calamity – which is not over-population, but the greed of the 1% who desire world domination at the expense of Billions of lives.
When Jehovah mandated that we “Go forth and multiply,” He knew what He was doing. Hunger is not the result of too many mouths to feed, but of a system that deems most of humanity unworthy of wealth, prosperity, comfort and/or joy.
Consider the many technologies that have the power to suppress suffering, propel mankind into unlimited knowledge and harmony: Clean-renewable, FREE energy, vast organic nutrition, applications that desalinate sea water and systems to share information on massive scales.
Instead, our world is monopolized by a monstrous few who use propaganda, fear and pharmacology to keep the masses stressed, weak and oppressed. Their tools are the media, controls of currency and inferior educational standards. These are the true weapons of mass destruction.
Dr. Ehrlich knows the truth; he states it emphatically! ( )

Interesting discussion of overpopulation, environmental degradation, and possible policy solutions. The book is pretty dated, and it’s not without problematic aspects, but it’s interesting to see the 1960s perspective on the population debate, as well the arguments against pesticides, overconsumption, car culture, air pollution, and poisoning lakes and rivers, from 50 years ago. ( )