No Impact Man by Colin Beavan

Book Review - No Impact Man, The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal Who Attempts to Save the Planet, and the Discoveries He Makes About Himself and Our Way of Life in the Process, By Colin Beavan.

In this remarkable book the author, a young man living in Manhattan with his wife and   infant daughter, decides to do a nearly impossible experiment.  He decides to live for an entire year without making any impact on the environment.  He does this, along with his wife and daughter.  He covers all aspects of modern living --transportation, food, travel, recreation, paper and cardboard used in packaging, even Kleenex and toilet paper.  He decides to buy and use only food produced within 250 miles from his home. He walks or uses a bike, never a car, and sets a strict limit on flying.  He buys cloth diapers for the baby, and uses neither elevators or subways, and electricity only for washing clothes.(As he and his wife are both authors, they have flexible time. 

Beavan does an amazing amount of research on the impact on the environment that is done word-wide, especially by Americans.  Here are some of his findings:  The average American produces 4.6 pounds of trash every day, roughly 17,00 pounds per year; - In the Pacific there is a swirl of garbage, mostly plastic, the size of the U.S.; -  A child by age two, goes through some 4,000 plastic diapers; - There are 46,000 pieces of plastic in every square mile of the ocean (U.S. Environment Program); - Food packaging makes up to 20% of our solid waste nationwide; -  Many plastics take hundred of years to deteriorate; -  While 1 billion of people in the world lack clean drinking water, Americans flush 2.5 trillion gallons a year down the toilet; - A single round-trip by plane pours  three tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, as much as an entire year of driving by car.  (These are merely a few of his discoveries.)  

The author acknowledges that perhaps no one could do the drastic experiment that he did.  But he said that it's imperative that we all do something.  He ends with an appendix of sources and ideas…some 25 pages… to help those who decided to make an impact on the environment, on the harm we are doing daily to our earth.  He writes with humor, conviction, and a realistic admission of the problems he encountered in his attempt to "save the planet."  His is a book well worth reading.  (It will soon be in our library.)

The Sign of Jonas by Thomas Merton

Book Review - The Sign of Jonas, by Thomas Merton

This is a marvelous book, a diary written by Merton during a five-year period of his living as a Trappist Monk at Gethsemani Abbey in Kentucky.  Some of his entries are brief and others are quite lengthy, including philosophical wonderings, poetic   descriptions of the beauties of nature he sees all around him, theological treatises and remarks about  his daily experiences, with bursts of delightful humor sprinkled in.  He gives a detailed description of the life of a Trappist, the perpetual silence, the hand signs they learned    for non-verbal communications, the long hours of prayer, beginning in the early morning, the long hours of work in the monastery and outdoors, the frugal diet and the simplicity of life.

Merton had a great passion for writing and his Abbot recognized his remarkable talent.  He gave him various assignments such as document for the monastery and lives of the saints, and also allowed him time for the many books he was inspired to write.  The problem Merton had in being faithful to his duties as a monk and finding time for writing caused him several physical breakdowns, with time spent in the infirmary. The publication of his autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain, brought him instant fame, even internationally, and the countless letters from all over the world, the stream of visitors and a number of speaking requests made this problem all the more difficult. He   eventually had to compose a general response to his letters and to have help with his letter-writing.

When Merton began his diary he was not yet an ordained priest, nor even a deacon, and he expresses his fervent longing for this to happen. His depth of spirituality is evident in the eloquent prayers and preparations he made before ordination, and the joy he felt at being able to offer the sacrifice of the Mass. But in his religious fervor he still remained the lovable, remarkable human he had always been. You would enjoy this book, as well as some of the countless others he has written, a few of which have reviews in this blog.  

Beauty and the Soul: The Extraordinary Power of Everyday Beauty to Heal Your Life by Piero Ferrucci

The author, an Italian  psychotherapist and philosopher, tells us that beauty is essential for a fully human and satisfying life.  It is not an "extra," as many people think, but it is a genuine human need.  Different people find beauty in different things, and not only in  such universal appeals as a sunrise, a sunset, lovely music, good art, a newborn baby and the smile of a child.  A man who is attracted to old cars might find beauty in an old wrecked automobile.  A woman found beauty in the vegetable peels that others simply throw away. She sees the delicate lines of an onion peel, the rich color of a ripe tomato and other remains of such beauty that she displays them in water to better admire them.

Ferrucci says that beauty is all around us, but we need to look for it and to take time to allow it to enrich our life. The aesthetic appreciation of beauty can be overpowering, and it can come to us through any of our senses, not only sight or hearing. It is not always easy to find, as immigrants experience in a new land, where the music, the food, the people, the art and architecture and even the natural landscapes are unfamiliar and do not appear to them as beautiful.  With time and greater exposure, the unfamiliar may become familiar and beautiful.  Beauty expands intelligence, breaks down stereotypes, helps us understand other cultures, and gives joy.

In the final chapter, entitled "Beauty Is The Opposite of War", the author says that beauty cannot stop a war, but that it is incompatible with aggression, violence, hatred, killing, nuclear threat, and all the horrors of warfare, that it has the power to dispel or reduce violence and fear, and that a society based on the enjoyment of beauty would not likely be a warrior society…a thought worth pondering.     

Peace Reader: Essential Readings on War, Justice, Non-Violence and World Order, edited by Joseph Fahey and Richard Armstrong

Peace Reader: Essential Readings on War, Justice, Non-Violence and World Order contains 475 pages of selective readings including documents, statements, case studies, letters, essays, points of view, and non-violent strategies for social change and national security. It is divided into four sections:  War and the Arms Race; Justice for All; Non-Violence: Philosophy and Strategy;  Other Forms of Conflict Resolution; and World Order.  Each of the sections has a variety of writings on various aspects of the main topic, each of them preceded by an introduction and followed by  questions for discussion.  It is a valuable resource for high school and college courses, for adult education programs, and for individuals dedicated to peacemaking.

To indicate the thorough treatment of each topic, here are the titles included in Section One, War and the Arms Race:  The Causes of War; Escalation of Arms Races; Military Spending and Economic Decay; Militarism in America; Deep Roots of the Arms Race; Nuclear Terror: Moral Paradox; ROTC Today and Tomorrow; Investigation of New Conflicts and Defense; Military Service; and The Conscientious Objector.

Of the letters written, you will find most interesting three of them in Section Two on Justice for All:  Chief Seattle's message to President Pierce, on his acceptance of the request to sell his tribal lands to the U.S. Government (in which he says that to his people, all land is sacred and they cannot understand how anyone can "own" land, but that yes, he would agree to sell it to the "Great Chief in Washington"…as he knows that if they do not accept the offer, it will be taken from them by force); a long letter by Martin Luther King from a Birmingham Jail (explaining  to his fellow-clergymen  the urgency of taking action in the form of demonstrations to achieve social justice for Black people); and a letter of William Penn to the Delaware Indians, (offering peace and signed with "I am your loving friend.") 

You will find this peace compendium a treasure, informative and  thought-provoking.

Simplicity: The Art of Living by Richard Rohr

Once again, Richard Rohr, an international spiritual leader, calls the Church back to its roots in his book, "Simplicity: The Art of Living."  The book contains a series of talks he gave in Germany, full of insight, wisdom and challenge.  Each talk is followed by questions and answers.  The author speaks with authority, citing the joy that follows a life of simple living and love of God and of all creation, as lived by St. Francis of Assisi.

As usual, Rohr used provocative titles for some of the chapters in his book -- "God the Father --God the Mother?"; "Getting Rid of the Church;"  and  "What is this "Women's Stuff?"  He also speaks of the challenge of contemplation, the political commitment of Christians and their vocation to live the simple life.  He gives guides to that simple life, evoking the principal that "Less is More."

Of our concept of God, he says many of us have a Santa Claus image, others a Zeus-image, of a god who hurls thunderbolts. But when God calls Jesus "dear son", and even speaks of himself as a hen gathering chicks under her wings, and Jesus calls God "Abba", we see something of the feminine in God, the sympathy, compassion, love and  forgiveness. It may be our need for the feminine that we have a devotion to Mary, God's Mother.

Of the Church, Rohr reminds us of Jesus' speaking of the Church as a community of human beings, a little flock, the yeast, the leaven, not the "whole thing."  But we often see the Church as only institutional, sectarian, legalistic.  The early Christians and the base communities in Latin America portray another image of "church" and their reciprocal relationship with the institutional Church.

Richard Rohr offers surprising and original thoughts about the Church, the Reign of God, the importance of the simple life, prayer, contemplation, the Body of Christ, the Christian vocation in the social and political life of the world and the "patriarchal view" vs. the women's contribution to Church and society.  I invite you to read his book.

The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community by David C. Korten

Dr. David Korten is founder and president of the People-Centered Development Forum.  His many books include  When Corporations Rule the World, an international great-seller.  The Great Turning begins with 22 expressions of praise of the book, written by such "greats" as Matthew Fox and several Founders, Executive Directors , co-Founders and board Members of Human Rights groups, of other People and Peace-oriented organizations and the Earth Charter.  The book is acclaimed as "prophetic";  "a call to compassion and a blueprint for survival";  "a profound and inspiring masterpiece";  and "a must-read" for everyone who yearns to create a positive, human future" --among other praises.

Korten traces the history of the human species from the very beginning of its existence, and he claims that the people of the first billions of years lived as "Earth Community," in harmony with creation and in relative peace with one another.  But in the past 5,000 years, gathered into villages, cities and nations, humankind has yielded to greed and the desire for power, and they governed in the Empire model.  Throughout the centuries, attempts were made, primarily by the Greek Hellenists and leaders of the American colonies, to create democracies with "people power" and equal rights.   But all these attempts were flawed.  The very proponents of equality were the wealthy elite; some had slaves with no rights at all; servant s had very little rights, and the same can be said of  women  in those days.   Proclaiming the presence of   equal rights and "democracy" was merely political rhetoric.   Korten claims that we are not a true democracy and we never were, that in reality we are still in the Empire mode, governed  by a wealthy elite of predominately white men.  We have kept our position by force, might and warfare.

He does see signs of hope, however, as a growing number of Americans are "waking up" to reality.  Read the book.  It is powerful!  

Finding My Way Home, Pathways to Life and the Spirit, by Henri Nouwen

In this book Nouwen, one of the greatest spiritual writers of our time, speaks of the concept of power and of powerlessness, understood in various ways.  First, power as related to success and productivity, measured by how busy we are, what work we do, what our accomplishments are, how many friends we have, how much money we make, how our children do, and what our titles are.   People with this kind of power tend to force, enslave, and to cause envy and fear in others.  They can go where they want, and do whatever they want to do.  The author says that God wants nothing to do with this kind of power; in fact, God has chosen the path of powerlessness, coming into our world as a tiny baby, totally vulnerable and dependent on others. 

God became human, in the mystery of the Incarnation.  And where did this bring Jesus, the incarnate God?  It brought him to the cross, where he refused to save himself from death and suffering by a show of power.  It was only after redeeming humankind by freely offering his life,

that Jesus rose again, using his divine power to complete the Paschal Mystery.  In his ministry Jesus  taught, "Blessed are the poor", Blessed are they who mourn."  His self-portrait is that of the powerlessness of God.  He used only the power to forgive sins, the power to heal, the power to bring life, the power to multiply food for hungry people.

Nouwen also explores powerlessness which can be interpreted as weakness, being totally overcome, but the theology of powerlessness can also claim the power of God, admitting of one's weakness, and relying on the transforming power of God's love.  It is through our admission of powerlessness that we can become brothers and sisters together in need of God.                                                       

Nouwen speaks eloquently of the path of peace, of the path of waiting, of life and death, and he dwells on his favorite topic, that we are God's beloved.  He says that if we truly believe in this relationship, we will not be so afraid when the day comes for us to leave this life and to be with the God Who loves us with an unconditional love.

This review is one of several in this blog of a book by Henri Nouwen.  If you have not yet read any of his writings, please do.  His wisdom and insight, written in small, conversational style, easy-to-read form, will delight and inspire you.