The rise of China and its status as a leading global factory are altering the way people live and consume. At the same time; the world appears wary of the real costs involved. Fantasy Islands probes Chinese; European; and American eco-desire and eco-technological dreams; and examines the solutions they offer to environmental degradation in this age of global economic change.Uncovering the stories of sites in China; including the plan for a new eco-city called Dongtan on the island of Chongming; mega-suburbs; and the Shanghai World Expo; Julie Sze explores the flows; fears; and fantasies of Pacific Rim politics that shaped them. She charts how climate change discussions align with US fears of Chinas ascendancy and the related demise of the American Century; and she considers the motives of financial and political capital for eco-city and ecological development supported by elite power structures in the UK and China. Fantasy Islands shows how ineffectual these efforts are while challenging us to see what a true eco-city would be.
#3242115 in eBooks 2014-08-26 2014-09-12File Name: B00NK8XPXS
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. In order to understand Herod as a great builder in the LevantBy sarakThere are many books about Herod the builder; by Netzer; Shalit and others. All of what I read is emphasized on the architecture per se. Roller brings it from a different angle all together. In order to understand Herod as a great builder in the Levant; we need to understand Herods world; background. His exposure to Hellenistic; Roman and Egyptian art and architecture. And this is what Rollers book is all about. One can also understand Herods influence on the future urban and landscape planning;Also it is written in such a fluent language. Roller really opens your eye to understand and even visualize the Levant at Herods times and future..2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. An academics dreamBy G. R. ThompsonWell researched after many years in the field it is exactly what I wanted but not a bedside read. Herods building program was the most ambitious of antiquity; and a technically gifted effort. If the Romans had not torn down the Temple Mount I believe it would still be standing. Lots of detail in inside.1 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Herod the Great BuilderBy SusanIts really amazing in this day and age that more people dont know about the building program of Herod the Great which was truly monumental. Throughout the East; in the Levant and Greece; Herod built cities; palaces; temples; villas; amphitheatres; harbours and fortresses. First and foremost; he rebuilt the Second Temple in Jerusalem that had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in the 5th century B.C. leading to the Babylonian captivity by the Assyrians. Herods Second Temple would subsequently be destroyed by the Romans after the Jewish Revolt of 70AD. Herod built the magnificent cities of Sebaste and Caesaria on the Mediterranean coast and Tiberius on the Sea of Galilee as well as the fortresses of Herodion; Machaerus and Masada. This book details Herods building program over a thirty year period beginning with Antipatris in Rhodes in 40 BC to his death in 4BC. Whilst he created marvels in the East that outclassed some of the finest Roman architecture; it was at the expense of a heavy burden of taxation on the people that made him unpopular. King Herod makes a brief apppearance in The New Testament around the time of Jesus birth in the episode described as the Massacre of the Innocents. History has yet to accord Herod a greater place as a master builder of neo classical architecture.
