I really have only glanced through the pictures so can't give an accurate review at this time.

A picture tells a story better than a thousand words. The author presents socially conscious photographs. i.e.

o 5 cent rental rooms in 1889
o a 1968 Saigon street execution
o inside an ice cave up North
o the dwindling Penguin population
o glacial changes in Athabasca and Pasterze
o windmill farms

Each photo is presented in breath-taking color. The volume is worth the price of admission.

The stories in this book could serve as a primer for being a globally-aware citizen in an evolving world. Despite the grim nature of some of these photos, the book's message is not one of despair, but of hope, as evidenced by the thorough "What You Can Do" section in the back.

Some of the most interesting work in the book is from photographers under most people's radar. Shehzad Noorani's Children of the Black Dust and Stephen Voss's Economic Miracle, Environmental Disaster both examine underreported issues with excellent photos and strong writing. The book's impact comes not just from the photographs, but the excellent writing that accompanies them. I highly recommend What Matters as a hard-hittng and opinionated book that is both journalistically-sound and passionate.