Sea of Grass

“Prior to the explosion of industrialized farming, America’s breadbasket was one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. Two journalists explain what this staggering loss of grasslands means for the world at large, and what we can do to fix it.”—The New York Times Book Review“Astounding … Although the book contains a variety of sobering stories about the destruction of grasslands, wetlands and the contamination of waterways from agricultural runoff, the authors end the chronicle on a hopeful note.”—Billings Gazette“This exploration of the American grasslands—from soil, water, and insects to farmers, plows, and buffalo—dismays, yes, but also invigorates. In the face of soil degradation, water pollution, and punishing economics, innovators are making a difference. The authors’ arguments in defense of the prairie and its people deserve attention.”—The Christian Science Monitor“Dave Hage and Josephine Marcotty chronicle an environmental crisis most Americans are unaware of: the ongoing destruction of the country’s great prairies. Sea of Grass is eloquent both on the complexity of this amazing ecosystem and its fragility.”—Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Under a White Sky“As radiant as its subject, Sea of Grass reclaims the North American prairie—too long dismissed as a wasteland—as a true wonderland of ecological brilliance and beauty, reminding us that like all of nonhuman nature, the prairie is wiser and more resourceful than the species determined to conquer it.”—Jack E. Davis, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Gulf“Like an expanse of tallgrass, this book bursts with surprising life—you’ll meet maverick farmers, rogue environmentalists, and ornery bison, all engaged in the vital project of saving our most vital biome from the vast forces that imperil it.”—Ben Goldfarb, author of Crossings and Eager“One of our human frailties is a short memory; Sea of Grass is an antidote, freshening our cultural recollection with abundance, beauty, and ecology of what was. This captivating book offers tears of repentance wiped away with renewed hope for the future.”—Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farm and editor of The Stockman GrassFarmer“Balanced, nuanced—but overpowering.”—Bill McKibben, author The End of Nature“[A] scintillating study … This troubling wake-up call will galvanize readers.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review“A sweeping history of the American prairie … a welcome addition to the literature of America’s grasslands, which need all the champions they can get.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Dave Hage oversaw environmental and health reporting at the Minneapolis Star Tribune for a dozen years, editing projects that won a Pulitzer Prize and an Edward R. Murrow Award, among other honors. His previous books include No Retreat, No Surrender- Labor’s War at Hormel, and Reforming Welfare by Rewarding Work. A Minneapolis native, he lives in St. Paul with his wife.

Josephine Marcotty is an award-winning environmental journalist who has spent her life in the Midwest. She was a reporter for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, where she covered complex, science-based topics. Sea of Grass is a natural expansion of her reporting on the vanishing prairie and the consequences of intensive agriculture. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband.