Most Popular Books by James Howard Kunstler

The author of The Long Emergency explains why technology can''t solve all our problems, and how excessive optimism can endanger our future . The Long Emergency quickly became a grassroots hit, offering a shocking vision of our post-oil future and capturing the attention of environmentalists and business leaders alike. As discussion about our dependence on fossil fuels and our dysfunctional financial and government institutions continues, the author returns with Too Much Magic—evaluating what has changed and what has not, and what direction we need to take in this post-financial-crisis world. "Too much magic" is what James Howard Kunstler sees in the bright utopian visions of the future dreamed up by optimistic souls who believe technology will solve all our problems. Their visions remind him of the flying cars and robot maids that were the dominant images of the future in the 1950s. Kunstler''s image of the future is much more sober. With vision, clarity of thought, and a pragmatic worldview, Kunstler argues that the time for magical thinking and hoping for miracles is over—and the time to begin preparing for the long emergency has begun. "A sharp critic of energy-sucking, big-box landscapes." — Winnipeg Free Press

In his landmark book The Geography of Nowhere James Howard Kunstler visited the "tragic sprawlscape of cartoon architecture, junked cities, and ravaged countryside" America had become and declared that the deteriorating environment was not merely a symptom of a troubled culture, but one of the primary causes of our discontent. In Home from Nowhere Kunstler not only shows that the original American Dream -- the desire for peaceful, pleasant places in which to work and live -- still has a strong hold on our imaginations, but also offers innovative, eminently practical ways to make that dream a reality. Citing examples from around the country, he calls for the restoration of traditional architecture, the introduction of enduring design principles in urban planning, and the development of public spaces that acknowledge our need to interact comfortable with one another.

Argues that much of what surrounds Americans is depressing, ugly, and unhealthy; and traces America''s evolution from a land of village commons to a man-made landscape that ignores nature and human needs.

Humanity hangs on after the fall of civilization in this "wily, funny, rip-roaring, and profoundly provocative page-turner" ( Booklist, starred review). After the collapse of the old world—the pandemics, the environmental disasters, the end of oil, the ensuing chaos—people are pursuing a simpler and sometimes happier existence. In Union Grove, New York, the townspeople are preparing for Christmas . . . the perfect time for a long-lost member of the community to return. Robert Earle''s son, Daniel, has come home after two years exploring what is left of the United States. He brings news of three new nations arisen from what was once America—and the dangers and possibilities they may hold. Meanwhile, a horrific murder threatens to turn the community of Union Grove against itself—and what is supposed to be a time of peace and togetherness is overtaken by suspicion and fear. In this vividly depicted look at a world that may be on our own horizon, "Kunstler skewers everything from kitsch to greed, prejudice, bloodshed, and brainwashing" in a gripping story of hope, hate, and humanity''s last chance at survival ( Booklist).

In this "wonderfully entertaining" novel, a famous domestic diva finds her perfect life falling to pieces (Candace Bushnell, author of Sex and the City). She''s the goddess of hearth and home, America''s millionaire media maven of domesticity, Connecticut''s most dazzling hostess, and everything in her world is perfect—except that Maggie Darling''s picture-book life has suddenly gone off the rails. Amid the extravagant trappings of a Christmas Eve bash, she spies her swinish stockbroker husband slipping out of a powder room moments after his creamy young colleague. The ensuing matrimonial meltdown launches Maggie on a year of romance and misadventure, starting with an ill-fated fling with a British rock star-turned-movie-actor. Back home, a sniper is loose on the Merritt Parkway and a gang known as the Businessman''s Lunch Posse is terrorizing patrons of Manhattan''s four-star restaurants. Meanwhile, Maggie''s son Hooper drops out of college and falls into the company of the sinister gangsta rap group Chill Az Def. As calamity piles on catastrophe, even Maggie Darling''s legendary organizational skills may not be able to restore civilization as we wish we knew it . . . "Deliciously funny." — Publishers Weekly

The World Made by Hand postapocalyptic saga concludes with this "suspenseful tale spiked with suffering and violence, rough justice and love" ( Booklist). The small town of Union Grove has adapted, struggled, and thrived in the new age of civilization. But early spring is full of hardships: Fresh food is scarce and the winter stores are almost gone. Despite the time of privation, young explorer Daniel Earle resurrects the town newspaper, and the town trustees ask him to help revive the Hudson River trade route. But even as the townsfolk strive forward, a group of visitors remind them that nothing is easy in the new world. They proclaim themselves as representatives of the Berkshire People''s Republic, spouting high-minded, near-fanatical rhetoric of social justice and absolute equality—all while demanding tribute from the citizens under slyly veiled threats. Now, the townspeople of Union Grove will have to decide just how far they are willing to go to keep the freedom and peace for which they have fought so hard . . . With this glimpse into a future that could become reality all too soon, James Howard Kunstler delivers "a slyly folksy, caustically hilarious, unabashedly proselytizing, and affecting finale in a keenly provocative saga." ( Booklist).

In this "richly imagined" dystopian vision, mankind must find a way to survive as modern civilization slowly comes apart ( O, The Oprah Magazine). When Earth ran dry of oil, the age of the automobile came to an end; electricity flickered out. With deprivation came desperation—and desperation drove humanity backward to a state of existence few could have imagined. In the tiny hamlet of Union Grove, New York, every day is a struggle. For Mayor Robert Earle, it is a battle to keep the citizens united. As the bonds of civilization are torn apart by war, famine, and violence, there are some who aim to carve out a new society: one in which might makes right—a world of tyranny, subjugation, and death. A world Earle must fight against . . . In his shocking nonfiction work, The Long Emergency, social commentator James Howard Kunstler explored the reality of what would happen if the engines stopped running. In World Made by Hand, he offers a stark glimpse of that future in a work of speculative fiction that stands as "an impassioned and invigorating tale whose ultimate message is one of hope, not despair" ( San Francisco Chronicle). "Brilliant." —Alan Cheuse, Chicago Tribune "It frightens without being ridiculously nightmarish, it cautions without being too judgmental, and it offers glimmers of hope we don''t have to read between the lines to comprehend." — Baltimore City Paper

A "frightening and important" look at our unsustainable future ( Time Out Chicago). A controversial hit that has sparked debate among business leaders, environmentalists, and others, The Long Emergency is an eye-opening look at the unprecedented challenges we face in the years ahead, as oil runs out and the global systems built on it are forced to change radically. From the author of The Geography of Nowhere, it is a book that "should be read, digested, and acted upon by every conscientious U.S. politician and citizen" (Michael Shuman, author of Going Local: Creating Self-Reliant Communities in a Global Age).

This title takes an in-depth look at the history, development and state of architectural and societal success of cities, including London, Rome, Berlin, Paris and Mexico City.

Recounts the story of the man who traveled west planting apple seeds to make the country a better place to live.

The dystopian epic of World Made by Hand continues in a novel hailed as "Larry McMurty''s Lonesome Dove, set in the dystopian world of The Road" ( New York Journal of Books). A new age has begun on Earth. Oil is no longer a resource. Some parts of America are nuclear wastelands. Civilization has devolved into a constant struggle for food, water, and shelter. In the tiny hamlet of Union Grove, New York, the US government is little more than a rumor. Wars are being fought over dwindling resources and illness has a constant presence. Bandits roam the countryside, preying on the weak and a sinister cult threatens the town''s fragile stability. It is up to every citizen of Union Grove to decide what they are willing to fight for, kill for, and die for . . . This is a tale of humanity at its shining best and brutal worst woven together in a "suspenseful, darkly amusing story with touches of the fantastic in the mode of Washington Irving" ( Booklist). "Kunstler''s postapocalyptic world is neither a merciless nightmare nor a starry-eyed return to some pastoral faux utopia; it''s a hard existence dotted with adventure, revenge, mysticism, and those same human emotions that existed before the power went out." — Publishers Weekly

James Howard Kunstler (born October 19, 1948) is an American author, social critic, public speaker, artist, and blogger. James created these oil paintings of the landscape around Washington and Saratoga counties of New York. All were painted sur le motif. ufeffufeffJames Howard Kunstler is best known for his books The Geography of Nowhere (1994), a history of American Suburbia and urban development, The Long Emergency (2005), and Too Much Magic (2012). In The Long Emergency, he imagines peak oil and oil depletion resulting at the end of industrialized society, forcing Americans to live in smaller-scale, localized, agrarian (or semi-agrarian) communities. He branches into a speculative fiction depiction of this future world in his book World Made by Hand.

Relates the true story of Davy Crockett, one of the Old West''s outstanding hunters, frontiersmen, and legislators.

A picaresque novel of the American West in 1803. An historical comedy about two bumbling botanists sent into the southern wilderness by Thomas Jefferson to look for something that isn''t there. A novel in the spirit of Lewis and Clark (who make cameo appearences). Replete with wild Indians, river pirates, the kidnapped son of King Louis XVI, the lost colony of Roanoke, and much more. A non-stop romp full of life and humor and the sensibility of early America.

She was an angel in buckskin on a big spotted horse. With two six guns blazin'', Annie Oakley was the star of Buffalo Bill Cody''s famous Wild West Show for almost 20 years. Your entire family will enjoy this spirited tale of a talented frontier woman whose sharp-shooting exploits brought her international fame.