Amitav Ghosh's The Great Derangement explores climate change through literature, history, and politics. Critics praise its urgent, interdisciplinary approach and eloquent prose. However, some find its arguments occasionally disorganized or repetitive. Overall, it’s a thought-provoking work that challenges readers to reconsider humanity’s relationship with nature.

Readers who enjoy The Great Derangement by Amitav Ghosh are typically drawn to works that explore climate change, environmental issues, and socio-political commentary. They appreciate books like Naomi Klein's This Changes Everything and Elizabeth Kolbert's The Sixth Extinction for their in-depth analysis and compelling narrative on ecological crises.

In The Great Derangement, Amitav Ghosh critiques modern literature's failure to address climate change, exploring how cultural narratives and consumerism contribute to the crisis. He examines historical and contemporary connections between empire, industrialization, and environmental degradation, calling for a shift in literary and cultural approaches to inspire global action against the climate crisis.

Informative / Contemplative / Mysterious / Challenging / Melancholic

- The Great Derangement by Amitav Ghosh is not just a critique of literature and its response to climate change; it also delves into the broader cultural and political aspects that contribute to environmental neglect.
- Amitav Ghosh, in this work, juxtaposes the perceived "improbability" of climate events against the traditional narrative structure, challenging writers to reconsider their storytelling methods in the context of climate change.
- The book emerged from a series of lectures Ghosh delivered at the University of Chicago in 2015, which addressed the intersection of literature and environmental crisis, marking a departure from his usual fictional narratives.

**Amitav Ghosh**  
An acclaimed Indian author and scholar known for his complex novels addressing themes like identity, colonialism, and climate change. In the text, he analyzes and references various topics and figures to explore climate issues.

**Pope Francis**  
The 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, known for his dedication to social justice and environmental issues. Ghosh discusses his encyclical Laudato Si’, highlighting its significance in addressing climate change.

**Bruno Latour**  
A French philosopher and sociologist whose theories, such as actor-network theory, challenge traditional views of modernism. Ghosh uses his work to argue the challenges modernity presents in depicting climate change.

**Henry Piddington**  
A British meteorologist credited with coining the term "cyclone" and contributing significantly to the understanding of weather patterns in the Indian Ocean. Ghosh references his early warnings about climate risks.

Amitav Ghosh

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Background

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1, Chapters 1-9

The Great Derangement Part 1, Chapters 1-9 Summary & Analysis

Part 1, Chapters 10-18

The Great Derangement Part 1, Chapters 10-18 Summary & Analysis

Part 2 The Great Derangement Part 2 Summary & Analysis

Part 3 The Great Derangement Part 3 Summary & Analysis

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The Great Derangement Index of Terms

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Important Quotes

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The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable

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