This is one of the best books I have ever read. It is a boldest taking stock of the state of affairs with respect to environmental harm and welfare in our country, without any apriori ideological blinkers, that leaves the reader with so many uncomfortable truths that evoke “the deepest sighs and the frankest shadows”, so to speak.The author, Sunita Narain (who also represents the spirit of Anil Agarwal the journalist and environmentalist) is the Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi; Director of the Society for Environmental Communications, and the editor of the fortnightly magazine, Down to Earth. She indeed represents the most exemplary tradition of political activism for common good in our country, and gives us its concrete flavour through this book.