''Carbon Dreams'' was

Susan M. Gaines Susan M Gaines is an American writer. She is the author of the novels ''Accidentals'' (2020) and ''Carbon Dreams'' (2001), and co-author with Geoffrey Eglinton and Jurgen Rullkötter of the science book '' Echoes of Life: What Fossil Molecules Re ...

'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 Lab lit (also "lablit") is a loosely defined genre of fiction, distinct from science fiction, that centers on realistic portrayals of scientists and on science as a profession. Definition Unlike science fiction, lab lit is generally set in some ...

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 ( Drabble; born 24 August 1936), known professionally by her former marriage name as A. S. Byatt ( ), is an English critic, novelist, poet and short story writer. Her books have been widely translated, into more than t ...

’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. de ...

,''

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 av ...

, and

New Scientist ''New Scientist'' is a 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 organisation publishe ...

References

{{reflist 2000 novels Environmental fiction books 2000 debut novels