Speaker's Corner

Talking about a revolution . . .

Ten particularly inspiring books . . .

The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception and Language in a More-than-Human World by David Abram

This fascinating volume looks at our relationship with the animate world, and the ways that this relationship is disrupted by a print-oriented culture. (Quite a challenging premise for those of us devoted to the art of the printed word!) I've long lost count of the number of times I've re-read Abram's book (particularly when I was writing The Wood Wife), finding fresh inspiration each time. For a taste of his work, read his short article, "Earth Stories," on the Resurgence website.

Getting Off: Pornography and the End of Masculinity by Robert Jensen

In one of the most thought-provoking books I've ever read about gender issues in contemporary culture, Robert Jensen looks at our "pornographied" world from the personal point of view of a social justice activist. His challenging, smart, big-hearted book has made him one of my heroes. For an introduction to Jensen's ideas, watch his video interview on the Media Mouse website.

Dwellings: A Spiritual History of the Living World by Linda Hogan

Native American essayist, poet, and fiction writer Linda Hogan explores what it means to live a life in balance with the natural world around us. Beautifully written and deeply spiritual in all the best ways. You can read an interview with Hogan on the Terrain website.

The Gift: Creativity and the Artist in the Modern World by Lewis Hyde

I adore this book, which explores the differences between gift-exchange and consumer cultures, and then looks at the role of the artist in an increasingly money-oriented world. Like David Abram's book above, this is one I return to again and again and again. Hyde's other books are terrific too, but this one has had a particularly strong influence on my life and art. You can listen to a conversation with the author here.

No Logo by Naomi Klein

Klein looks at consumerism, multi-national corporate culture, and the politics of "branding," sketching out the lines between the sweatshops of the Third World (some of which operate like slave-labor camps) and the products we innocently scoop up in the mall. I know this sounds like a depressing read, but Klein is a terrific writer and makes the subject thoroughly engrossing. Since reading this (and her equally riveting new book, The Shock Doctrine), I see the world through entirely new eyes, and I wish these books were required reading for every politician in the US and UK. Click here to see a short, inspiring video of Klein discussing the roots of her activism.

New and Selected Poems by Mary Oliver

Some people drink or pop pills when they get down. I reach for Mary Oliver's poems, which are earthy, evocative, and delicately spiritual. They always remind me why life is worth living. Here's one of my favorites, "Wild Geese."

The Practice of the Wild by Gary Snyder

Nine gorgeous essays on life, spirit, nature, myth, and art from one of the great essayists and poets of our time. Truly inspiring. (You'll find a good article about Snyder and his work here, on the Shambhala Sun site.)

The Devil's Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea

Essayist, poet, and fiction writer Luis Alberto Urrea explores the human side of U.S. / Mexican border policy, revealing much about the souls of both countries in the process. This beautifully-written book is gripping, enraging, and tugs at your heart. (His other books are great reads too, and it was hard to pick just one to list here.)

The World Without Us by Alan Weisman

I alway knew Alan Weisman was a terrific writer -- but in this book he completely bowled me over with the scope of his vision, the breadth of his knowledge, and the depth of his passion for the world we share. The premise: What would happen to the planet if mankind suddenly disappeared? Alan traveled around the globe posing this question and finding answers both frightening and awe-inspiring. (You can listen to an audioclip from the book here.)

A Room of Ones Own by Virginia Woolf

Based on lectures Woolf gave at Cambridge University in 1928, this feminist classic seems remarkably (or is it depressingly?) relevant nearly a century later. If you're a woman or man in the arts today, don't miss Woolf's influential volume, which reminds us how far women have come and how far we still have to go.

"I am a feminist because I dislike everything that feminism implies. I desire an end to the whole business, the demands for equality, the suggestion of sex warfare, the very name feminist. I want to be about the work in which my real interests like, the writing of novels and so forth. But while inequality exists, while injustice is done and opportunity denied to the great majority of women, I shall have to be a feminist. And I shan't be happy till I get . . . a society in which there is no distinction of persons either male or female, but a supreme regard  for the importance of the human being. And when that dream is a reality, I will say farewell to feminism, as to any disbanded but victorious army, with honour for its heroes, gratitude for its sacrifice, and profound relief that the hour for its necessity has passed."

  -  novelist and activist Winifred Holtby, writing The Yorkshire Post, 1922