Climate Change: Now in Your New Favorite Book

Duke Libraries has a rundown of some of the best choices in cli-fi — a writing genre that wraps climate change into the narrative

An image with three books related to climate change

This is a summary of a story originally published by Duke Libraries.

Ever heard of “cli-fi” ? Short for climate fiction, it’s a genre of writing that uses climate change as a central element that shapes a book’s plot, characters and settings. With April being Earth Month, the folks at Duke Libraries compiled a helpful list of climate fiction titles for you to explore. They range from the quirky and optimistic to the downright dark and dystopian.

The books in this collection conjure new and different worlds marked by changes in climate.

Want something really bleak?

Check out The Island of Last Things by Emma Sloley.

Duke Libraries’ synopsis:

“In a near-future world ravaged by mass extinctions, Alcatraz Island becomes home to the last zoo on Earth. Camille, a lifelong zookeeper who prefers animals to people, meets Sailor, a new arrival with a daring vision of freedom for the captive creatures. As they form a bond and hatch a risky escape plan, their world shifts between routine care and radical upheaval.”

Or maybe you want something more science-y. In that case:

Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson

Duke Libraries’ synopsis:

“In a near-future world pushed to the edge by climate change, billionaire T.R. Schmidt takes matters into his own hands, launching a vast geoengineering project that fires sulfur into the atmosphere to cool the planet. As governments, activists, and ordinary people react, their stories intersect: from a Dutch queen navigating politics to a Texan hog hunter and an Indian-Canadian pilot drawn into the chaos. Termination Shock explores the ambition, risk, and human cost of trying to fix the world on our own terms.”

For more climate fiction book tips, read the whole story on Duke Libraries..