Remember back in high school when the teacher handed out a summer reading list and you biked down to your local library to check out the required books? While we promise not to make you read “The Mill on the Floss,” or “Lord of the Flies,” we will encourage you to get these books from indie bookstores.
Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden, Camille Dungy
We’re really looking forward to reading this new memoir by poet and scholar Camille Dungy. Earlier this month we had a preview when Point Reyes Books hosted her in conversation with fellow poet Ross Gay. We won’t spoil anything by letting you know that Dungy chronicles her journey of transforming her suburban garden in Northern Colorado into something wild, complex and native-focused. She uses the garden as a metaphor to highlight both the threat of homogeneity and the importance of diversity in the face of social and climate instability.
Doughnut Economics: 7 ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist, Kate Raworth
Published in 2017 “Doughnut Economics” became an instant classic. The doughnut refers to the shape of a visual framework combining planetary boundaries (e.g. biodiversity loss, ocean acidification) with social boundaries (e.g. food, health). Regardless of whether or not you are well-versed in economics or are a novice on the subject, this is one econ book that really ought to be required reading.
Working to Restore - Harnessing the Power of Regenerative Business to Heal the World, Esha Chhabra
Wondering how to apply regenerative principles to your business? In this new book journalist Esha Chhabra profiles trailblazing companies that are creating models of restoration and regeneration across nine critical areas: agriculture, waste management, supply chain logistics, inclusive collective prosperity, women’s empowerment in the workforce, travel, health, energy and finance.
This slim anthology invites us to reframe our thinking about climate. Being the Rebecca Solnit fans that we are, we especially recommend her essays which motivate climate activists with insights like this: “...the main job is not to convince climate deniers and the indifferent (and there are a lot fewer in either of those categories than there were a decade ago). It’s to engage and inspire those who care but who don’t see that they can and should have an active role in this movement, who don’t see that what we do matters —that it’s not too late, and we are making epic decisions now.”
Happy Reading!