Act Now, Apologize Later

By Adam Werbach

Book Overview

The 23-year-old president of the Sierra Club, the country's largest grassroots environmental organization, sounds an impassioned clarion call against Washington's alarming assault on the environmental laws.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060175508
• ISBN13: 9780060175504
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Why don't the big environmental groups get it?

I heard Mr. Werbach speak on NPR recently and bought the book used. It's interesting to see how his thinking has progressed from when he was 23. I enjoyed reading this book and I bought it for two friends after I was finished. I recommend that readers who enjoy this book should also look for Henry David Thoreau's early works -- this book reminds me of Civil Disobedience.

I read about him in the NYT and bought this book...

I have to say it's an interesting experience reading a book by someone that they wrote when they were 23 -- almost a decade ago. I read about Werbach in the NYT this month about the deep-think essay he did on the death on environmentalism. I read some of the other reviews that seemed to say that the book was a light read -- which, for me, was a good thing, since if you've read his speech it's very complex, and something lighter was nice. The book tells a compelling coming of age story, blended with the telling stories of Werbach's experience at the heart of some of the most important environmental battles of his time. I certainly am looking forward to reading whatever he does next. I hope he turns his speech into a book. Does anyone know him?

I love this book.

I read this book when I was in high school and it changed my life. I recently picked it up again (I'm in my final year of college) and it still holds up. My guess is that a lot of older activists won't get this book -- it's too raw. But it's honest, powerful and well-written. It's a quick, good read. If you've read Werback's recent speech on the death of environmentalism then you can see where he's at today. It's a much thicker read though. The nice thing about Act Now is that it's completely accessible. mteeter

Inspiration is Step One: Adam's Book is Superb

Readers looking for a "how-to" of activism need to check out THE FUTURE IS OURS (John W. Bartlett, Ed.), to which Adam contributed a chapter, instead of harping on Adam's book for not providing one. ACT FIRST, APOLOGIZE LATER offers young readers what they need before seeking out the "how-to" -- inspirational success stories, a window into the grueling fun of Adam's own experiences as an activist, and some foundational principles for activism and life -- in an accessible and conversational tone. Simply put, Adam's book gives readers a sense of possibility for themselves and the world. Because it does that, it is invaluable.

Being young does not mean you can't be wise

While others have complained that this is not a "how to ..." book, it was refreshing to have someone show how something is done, rather than just telling you to do it. Many of the stories are inspirational and show that there is no need to force the language of revolution on a public that largely agrees with an agenda. The disparate forces of religion, pop culture, business and politics can be used together to protect the planet. We are all in this together, and it still is amazing that so many expend their energy in hand-wringing and pointing the finger at each other that they don't take the time or responsibility onto themselves. I think the future is not quite so dark after reading this book, and I hope Adam Werbach can continue to pull together people striving for a better tomorrow.