In these acclaimed CBC Massey Lectures, Ronald Wright argues that the twentieth century was a time of runaway growth in human population, consumption, and technology, placing a colossal load on all natural systems. But our modern predicament is as old as civilization, a 10,000-year experiment we have participated in but seldom controlled. Only by understanding the patterns of human triumph and disaster can we recognize the experiment's inherent dangers and, with luck and wisdom, shape its outcome. In this edition, illuminating illustrations and sidebars complement Wright's arguments, and allow readers to witness further evidence supporting his cautionary tale.