To give full context for the story, this is partially a biography of Henry Ford and a history of the Amazon. The pacing and weaving together of storylines is excellent, and paints a vivid picture of the hubris and hopes of the project.

The epilogue could be done without. The author seems to feel he needs to close with a condemnation of “capitalism” as a whole, casting the Fordlandia folly as a specific consequence of capitalism. Keeping in mind the Soviet Union’s destruction of the Aral Sea, this rings hollow and ends an otherwise excellent book on environmental destruction, colonialism, and yes, self-impressed capitalism, on an unconvincing screed.