''Carbon Dreams'' was Susan M. Gaines's first novel, published in 2000 and reissued in 2022. It was an early example of realist climate fiction, "science in fiction," and what is now known as Lab lit.

Synopsis

Set in the 1980s, the story follows the organic geochemist Tina Arenas, who studies climates of the distant geologic past— but her data has unexpectedly modern implications. As she struggles to obtain research funding, Tina finds herself being dragged into the media spotlight on global warming and falling in love with a local organic farmer, who has his own ideas about climate, the media, scientific funding, and commitment. Set in the early 1980s, when the oil industry was beginning its climate change denial campaign, CARBON DREAMS is the story of one scientist’ s struggle to reconcile her conflicting responsibilities to science, to society, and to her own loved ones. The novel is seen as one of the earliest to deal with the global climate-change debate and how science theory is used in various ways by policy-makers.

Influences

Gaines has stated that

Norman Rush Norman Rush (born October 24, 1933) is an American writer most of whose introspective novels and short stories are set in Botswana in the 1980s. He won the U.S. National Book Award and the 1992 ''Irish Times''/Aer Lingus International Fiction Pr ...

’s ''Mating'' (1991),

Rebecca Goldstein Rebecca Newberger Goldstein (born February 23, 1950) is an American philosopher, novelist, and public intellectual. She has written ten books, both fiction and non-fiction. She holds a Ph.D. in philosophy of science from Princeton University, and ...

’s ''The Mind-Body Problem'' (1983), and

A.S. Byatt Dame Antonia Susan Duffy (; 24 August 1936 – 16 November 2023), known professionally by her former married name, A.S. Byatt ( ), was an English critic, novelist, poet and short-story writer. Her books have been translated into more than thirt ...

’s ''Possession'' (1992) influenced her thinking and broadened her conception of what a novel could do.

Reception

The novel received praise from reviewers at the ''

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. ...

,''

Booklist ''Booklist'' is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. ''Booklist''s primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is ...

, and

New Scientist ''New Scientist'' is a popular science magazine covering all aspects of science and technology. Based in London, it publishes weekly English-language editions in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. An editorially separate organ ...

References

{{reflist 2000 American novels Environmental fiction books 2000 debut novels