Winners
The University of Pennsylvania Libraries is pleased to announce that The Darkness Manifesto: On Light Pollution, Night Ecology, and the Ancient Rhythms that Sustain Life by Johan Eklöf (Scribner, 2024) has been named the inaugural winner of the Penn Libraries Book Prize in Sustainability.
About the Author
A bat scientist and writer most known for his work on microbat vision and more recently, light pollution, Johan Eklöf lives in the west of Sweden, where he works as a conservationist and copywriter. He has studied bats for almost 20 years and now has his own consultancy company, hired by authorities, wind companies, municipalities, city planners, and environmental organizations as an expert on bats, night ecology, and nature-friendly lighting. The Darkness Manifesto is his second book to be translated into English.
About the Book
Praised as “rich in revelation and insight…lyrical” by The Wall Street Journal, The Darkness Manifesto draws attention to the hidden impact of our constantly illuminated world. All living organisms have evolved to operate in the natural cycle of day and night. In this book, Swedish conservationist Johan Eklöf describes the widespread effects of artificial light on insects, birds, and even humans, ultimately advocating for the preservation of natural darkness.
2024 Shortlist
The Great Displacement: Climate Change and the Next American Migration by Jake Bittle (Simon & Schuster)
The Darkness Manifesto: On Light Pollution, Night Ecology, and the Ancient Rhythms that Sustain Life by Johan Eklof (Scribner)
Humanity's Moment: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope by Joëlle Gergis (Island Press)
Carbon Colonialism: How Rich Countries Export Climate Breakdown by Laurie Parsons (Manchester University Press)