Green Ideas - Pengiun Classics

"Over the past 75 years, a new canon has emerged. As life on Earth has become irrevocably altered by humans, visionary thinkers around the world have raised their voices to defend the planet, and affirm our place at the heart of its restoration. Their words have endured through the decades, becoming the classics of a movement. Together, these books show the richness of environmental thought, and point the way to a fairer, saner, greener world."

In this collection of twenty short books, Penguin Classics bring new and old voices together to talk about the ideas that have changed the way we think about the living Earth. From the basic science to the in depth philosophies of life, these stories bring a rounded view about the world we live in and the inevitable climate disaster we face if we do not change. 

The Green Ideas collection is set for release on 26th August 2021. 

This Can't Be Happening - George Monbiot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In this collection of short essays and speeches spanning just over two years, Monbiot explores the many different ways people are able to turn a blind eye to the inevitable capitalist climate distaster we are facing, whether through dissonance and ignorance. Drawing on his own experiences from Extinction Rebellion to scientific observations - each essay is succinct, factual and evokes a visceral emotional reaction from the reader. There is a clear message of anger and urgency throughout each essay - but this anger is clearly utilised into passionate action rather than outright aggression. Now, there is no ground-breaking research or revelations in these pages, but it is an excellent peice of literature for anybody who wants to start learning or just reflect on the environmental and societal issues we are all facing. 

"What you see is not what others see ... What is obvious to some is invisible to others." 

You can find out more about Extinction Rebellion here. 

The Dragonfly Will Be The Messiah - Masanobu Fukuoka 

Translated by Larry Korn ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Fukuoka, who spearheaded the 'do-nothing' farming movement, uses this short collection of essays to call us to reassess and restructure our outlook on farming for a more sustainable future. Delving into the radical changes the world must make to avoid catastrophe and the many layers of misunderstandings and misinformation we'd need to unlearn to really understand. Again drawing on his own history in plant pathology to raise some interesting arguements and not only giving us the science but posing ethical and spiritual queries for the reader to think about. Full of strikingly beautiful prose at points, this invoked a very real connection with a nature - this definitely read more like a thought experiment or manifesto.

You can find out more about his work and life here.

Uncanny and Improbable Events - Amitav Ghosh ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"It is as though in the literary imagination climate change were somehow akin to extraterrestrials or interplanetary travel." 

Here Amitav Ghosh brings together his own experience and the works of several other writers to give his thoughts on just why we as a society struggle to grasp the severity of climate change. Providing an interesting and cleverly thought out exploration into the literary world where climate issues only appear in the fiction section, this was deeply personal and thought provoking providing plenty of room for introspection. 

Uncanny and Improbably Events is probably the 'wordiest' of the collection I've read so far and is quite dense, but in just under 100 pages it is definitely a must-read especially for other writers. 

The Democracy Of  Species - Robin Wall Kimmerer 

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In The Democracy of Species, Kimmerer encourages a more symbiotic, respectful relationship with nature - with the animals we share our planet with, the trees and plants around us - to foster a more nurturing and sustainable world. She writes from ethical, ecological and spiritual viewpoints - beginning with the power of the language we use. Sharing her own experience of seeing her own native language and culture shrinking down to just a handful of people - she gives a valuable insight into their beliefs and their respect towards nature itself. In just three sections, this was not only beautiful writing but created a true sense of kinship with the world and the writer that we could all use in the fight against climate change. 

"We need acts of restoration, not only for polluted waters and degraded lands, but also for our relationship to the world."

Man's War Against Nature - Rachel Carson ⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Man has forgotten his origins and is blind to the very conditions that are more essential to his survival..."

Carson, who was a marine biologist and activist, dedicated a lot of her life to the study of synthetic pesticides and their damaging impact on the environment. In this short story, we see her explorations into how man-made pesticides have destroyed wildlife and have been a contributing factor in the ongoing climate crisis. Very informative and concise, she explains the obvious and less obvious effects they can have on the Earth and the chain of events this can trigger. Clear, informative and well ahead of it's time, this delves into one specific area that many of us probably haven't given much thought in the past.