What books, authors have been important to you?

Discussion in 'The big picture' started by christopher, Nov 27, 2005.

  1. heuristics

    heuristics Junior Member

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    What books, authors

    Yeah! Vandana Shiva – she was on the telly the other night, no idea what program or why. Was already do six things at once so I could only eaves-drop on what she was saying, but I was going “yeah”, yeah” as she talked about seed saving in India. (and defiance of the new rules attempting to outlaw seed saving. She cited someone called Gandhi as a precedent for public disobedience, in India, of all places (!).
    The interviewer had NO IDEA what she was on about, re the seeds, and why it was important diversity be retained. She delicately, politely, charmingly devoured him for dinner. If he wasn't already one of your chemical company stooges, Chris, he has a second career path wide open to him. Was great stuff, wish I could have seen more of it, and I will be watching for anything she writes.
     
  2. christopher

    christopher Junior Member

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    Richard and Heuristics,

    I think Vandana Shiva (spelled her name wrong earlier) is amazing. She really sees what the problems are and addresses them.

    She has been a vocal oponent of agrotech and hybrids. India had literally thousands of varieties of rice, which they are losing, slowly.

    Tam is doing amazing work on keeping unusual and older varieties of poultry alive, and the near extinction of many of those breeds closely parallels the perils that India faces in the onslaught of chemical/hybrid/gmo marketing.

    In a few years, much of that WILL BE LOST, and once its lost, it can't be brought back.

    I am sorry I missed that. I have only read her books, she is a fantastic and powerful writer, and apparently she is a fantastic and powerful speaker, too, which I can believe from what she writes.

    I wish I could have seen her talking to someone who didn't get it, because its hard to communicate these concepts to people who find them threatening, or who don't have enough of a foundation for that information to fit into, or who accept the dominant paradigm, the petroleum dependent etc, etc, (will stay off my pebble, everyone must be tired of hearing it anyway :lol: ), and feel that if they say it enought, if they believe it with all their heart, the system will not collapse... and I know she is very good at transferring information, good at communicating her ideas.

    Anyway, she is amazing, and I am glad her message is getting out. What she is saying is extremely important.

    C
     
  3. frosty

    frosty Junior Member

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    well tezza WE may be missing something but I am inclined to agree :roll:

    and maybe everyone is ignoring us :lol: :lol: :lol:

    as I said on the other topic I think spare money would be better invested in self sufficiency

    christopher did say you could barter with gold but food surely would be better

    frosty
     
  4. christopher

    christopher Junior Member

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    Frosty and Tezza,

    Gold is a convenient medium of exchange, but things of true value (been thinking about calorie economics since Jonathans post last night), like food, seed, trees, tools (axes, machetes, shovels, hoes, all energy intensive to forge), gas, diesel, etc, um, at the risk of being flamed, guns and ammunition, will be worth more than gold if the equivalent of tulip mania happens with currency and/or gold.

    And I understand pacifism, and I respect it, but in the world, unfortunately, there is a place for guns. I just shot two agoutis last evening to feed the volunteers. They eat all our cassava, coco yam and breadnut otherwise, and breed like rabbits, (hence the local name of "rabbit", though they are not really rabbits). The calories in those shells is less than the calroies in the agoutis, but you can't eat the shells, and the shells are less than the cost of the meat, and the volunteers, whinging about our beans, beans and more beans (its not really all beans, but to hear them talk about it) were supremely grateful, tho one of them didn't want to be involved in the gutting and cleaning....the big carnovore wimp... :lol:

    Paradigm on gold: You're hungry, theres a 20 lb brick of gold and a 20 bag of nuts, you have to walk somewhere far, several days journey, but you can only carry one... the gold is only worth more if it is exchangeable, the food is edible, yet I suspect a high percentage of people would be so programmed as to decide the gold is worth it. If they make it, that would set them up for life..... which one is worth more?

    My advice is to sink money into the farm. Infrastructure, pumps, iorrigation systems, photovoltaics (the NEW gold standard!), wind turbines, etc, etc, etc, are all monies well spent.

    Back on topic, anyone ever read any Bill Bryson? He writes humourously, and I have read several of his books, tho I am embarassed to admit I haven't read "In a Sunburned Country" about Australia. (In fact, I just placed that on my list, too).

    His "A Short History of Nearly Everything*" is wonderful, dense, thick, overfowing with information, information overload, really, but really well written and, as all of his writing is, fun.

    C
     
  5. murray

    murray Junior Member

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    what a great post chris, touching on many interesting insights and subjects.

    bill bryson's one of my favorite authors. on the one occasion i've met the man i had him sign my book. when i looked at it, it said: "murray, i wish you all the luck i've had while travelling. Bill."

    if you've read any of his books, you'll know that's quite a thing to wish on someone.. but still -- it's one of my treasured possessions..

    ps: save an agouti, shoot a volunteer. 8)
     
  6. christopher

    christopher Junior Member

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    Murray,

    Thank you for the nice words!

    Lucky you on meeting Bill Bryson! I really enjoy his books. He is funny, does excellent research, and his command of the English language is like a master masons skill in building with stone. He writes brick shoit houses of books, solid, substantial funny as all get out, and he uses such precise worring, with the right mix of descriptive phrases, dry fact and heavy handed humour that he rates up there as one of my favorite contemporary writers.

    Have you read Michael Pollan? He wrote some excellent books, but the one I thnk would have the mopst universal appeal here is "Botany of Desire" where he examines humans relation ship with several species, and posits the thesis that the species selected certain genetic expressions so that WE would take care of THEM. He looks into Apples, Tulips (all about tulip mania, part of why my brother sold all of his internet companies and the stock he had in "Pet Foods.com".. which he bought a shamefully high amount of shares at USD3, and it hit USD36 when he sold it, climbed to USD40 a few weeks later, where it peaked, stayed there for another month or so, then, crash, and is now defunct, out of busines and no longer exixts....), Potatos and Marijuana, with huge amounts of detail, and a wonderful perspective.

    Once you read this book, you'll never look at any of your plants the same way again.

    Umm,
    You are not a rigid and inflexible idealogue of the animal rights persuasion, are you? I really am opposed to rigid idealogues, unless they are condemning Ro... um, well, never mind. See, we need the volunteers. They keep our spread thin little operation moving. Plus, I don't think the agoutis will eat the volunteers, (tho every now and then, really very seldom, we get a volunteer I woudn't mind testing that theory on...)

    Hope you are well,

    C

    [/quote]
     
  7. christopher

    christopher Junior Member

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    EDITED BY PERMACULTURE BOARD TO REMOVE SILLY NONGS POSTS WHEN THEY POST TWICE IN ONE MINUTE. CHRISTOPHER HAD COMPLETELY SPACED OFF AND SENT IT TWICE. SINCE HIS POSTS AARE LONG WINDED ANYWAY, WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BEST TO AVOID FORCING ANYONE TO EITHER READ IT TWICE, OR TO IGNORE IT TWO TIMES, AS THE CASE MAY BE.

    THANK YOU

    PERMACULTURE BOARD TO REMOVE SILLY NONGS POSTS WHEN THEY POST TWICE IN ONE MINUTE
     
  8. christopher

    christopher Junior Member

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    Has anyone read "Natural Capitalism", by Amory Lovins? It is a wonderful book, full of reasons saving the environment is more cost effective than destroying it. Lots of info, examples of true cost accounting, etc.

    Gardelen wrote about water uses, using water three times in one cycle in the thread on saving water, which is wonderfully sensible. I was reminded of this book, which shows what I think of as industrial permaculture, where busineses that generate by products, minerals, heat, other energy, etc, are st up to "nutrient cycle" energy and materials throughout the industrial "ecosystem". Its a fascinating thing that IS taking place....

    Very interesting...

    Anyway, it is one of those "Top 50 Books" that have had a significant impact in how I view the world, and I thought I might mention it.
     
  9. bella

    bella Junior Member

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    < BUMP >

    This thread deserves to continue. And anyway, I wanna have my say...

    I have just bought and am into Permaculture: A Designer's Manual by Bill Mollison. I'm reading it s-l-o-w-l-y to try to put some of it to use. Usually I have permie books from the library and have to read and return quicker than I'd like.

    I also enjoy Linda Woodrow's The Permaculture Home Garden because it makes permacultre seem manageable on a small scale. Her diagrams and instructions are simple... It's the only other Permie book I own.

    I have quite a few Jackie French books and I like her because she gives permission to do whatever works, to keep putting effort in and to try again. She's also pretty handy for recipes for surplus harvests!

    My collection of various self-sufficiency and gardening books are probably more practical and less philosophical than the ones many of you shared here.... The bibliophile in me is :shock: at the possibilities!

    I did just aquire The Silent Spring, as mentioned by Christopher, and am keen on starting that too.

    The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight by Thom Hartman was an eye-opener and one I'd recommend in a second. It's about ecology, but it's a whole lot more.

    I enjoyed the Celestine books as well, whomever mentioned those. Read them years ago now, maybe time to re-read?

    Someone mentioned The Good Life - I loved that BBC series as a kid. Maybe it is one I can hunt down for my kids? They love any permie vids/dvds I find at the library. They also love the Little House series for the same reasons (the semi-self-sufficiency lifestyle). They are my great motivators. Kids are *excited* by the notion of self-sufficiency!

    Green or Gone by David Shearman is an Aussie book about health, ecology and more. Another eye-opener!

    Anything by SARK makes me smile. And think.

    Sarah Ban Breathnach's Simple Abundance books helped me along...

    Anita Diamant's The Red Tent recently got me thinking. These three are aimed at women-folk, mostly...

    The Shelter of Each Other by Mary Pipher is about families and communities. Very enriching. I have just started her book Reviving Ophelia, since I'm on the verge of raising teenaged daughters.

    (Yes, I've just started a number of books, I know - I have one in most rooms so if I've a moment to spare I can grab any of them and read awhile...!)

    Keep talking books! I'm going to be annoying my library-ladies for inter-branch loans all through 2006! Actually, there's gotta be a very green soul amongst our library staff here, there are heaps of books on alternative-everything in our l'il library. :D

    Love,
    Bel
     
  10. christopher

    christopher Junior Member

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    Hi Bel,

    Nice to see this thread come back from the ibid thickets...

    I've never read any Jackie french books, tho I read a article someone (Joel, maybe?) listed the URL to, and it was realy good. I liked her writing, immediately, and felt like she must be a really nice person...

    Silent Spring is a truly revolutionary book. Anyone who ever may be exposed to chemicals should read it....

    I also read The Red Tent, and liked it. It was a bit depressing (male guilt?), though.

    I have been thinking Australia recently... all of the great Aussies I have had the pleasure of communicating with... and while these two books are not agriculture, ecology or permaculture related, I thought I should ask here if anyone has read either of these two great Aussie writers: I was wondering, has anyone read "Illywhacker" (sp?). It is a really, really good yarn, very lovely...

    And, the guy who wrote "Schindlers List", Thomas Keneally, researched his own Irish ancestry, and how he ended up being an Australian, and wrote a fantastic book called "The Great Shame" about mid 19th to early 20th century diaspora... a really fantastic book that anyone who is interested in history, Irish, Australian or American history (the scope of the book is large) will love this book!

    C
     
  11. Stacm

    Stacm Junior Member

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    Thanks for this great list..
    my favourite lately have been:
    The Party's over by Richard Heinberg - great discussion on the end of oil
    The Long Emergency by James Kunstler - kind of bleak but interesting future projections of world without oil
    Diet for a dead planet by christopher Cook and Not on the label by felicity lawrence - both do a great job on discussing agri-business and food miles
    Coming Back to Life by Joanna Macy - on the great turning and deep ecology
    Fiction wise I've enjoyed..
    Secret life of Bees by Sue Monks
    Small planet by Andrea Levy
    and still love my all time favourites..
    Peter Bennett - organic gardening whatever edition (all those pics of big zucchinis), Annie Dillard Pilgram at Tinker Creek and Jeffery Hodges' chapter on communicating with your plants in Natural Gardening
    Stacm
     
  12. Tezza

    Tezza Junior Member

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    Yeah i bought up about the Celestine prophecy books The film of the Book is due to be released net march ...Cant wait, Im on a list for a dvd..

    Jeffrey Hodges yes I loved and understood his Gardening methods and still beleive in them after 15 years...

    Tezza
     
  13. biofarmag

    biofarmag Junior Member

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    Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy was a great read. You can even get the four books in one, entitled "A Trilogy in Four Parts".
     
  14. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    G'day All,

    Great thread! Thanks for all the critiques, I may even get the opportunity to read some of the previously mentioned.

    My current list includes:

    THOREAU, Henry David (1817 - 1862)
    PROUDHON, (Pierre-Joseph Proudon (1809 - 1865)
    GEORGE, Henry (1839 - 1897)
    TOLSTOY, Leo Nikolayevich (1828 - 1910)
    KROPOTKIN, Prince Peter Alexeevich (1842 - 1921)

    I keep coming back to these writers/visionaries, I think it's the old anarchist coming out in me.

    HOLMGREN, David

    I'm on the third reading of "Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability".

    YEOMANS, P. A. (1905 - 1984)

    The famous australian "Keyline" man:

    (1954) "The Keyline Plan"
    (1958) "The Challenge of Landscape"
    (1966) "Water for Every Farm"

    and my personal favorite:

    (1971) "The City Forest - The Keyline Plan for the Human Environment Revolution"

    Other titles I grab from the shelf (and invaribly stack up beside my bed) from time-to-time include:

    John Seymour's "The Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency"

    Anything by Alistair Knox, Gregory Ah Kat, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Lama Thubten Yeshe and His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.

    I've recently started reading (well, for about the last 5-years) anything to do with IC's (Intentional Communities) and these have included:

    SKINNER, B. F. "Walden Two" (a work of fiction, but fascinating all the same)
    MANNHEIM, Karl "Ideology and Utopia"
    BETTELHEIM, Bruno "The Children of the Dream"
    SEAL, Herb "Alternative Life Styles - A study of communes, intentional communities, group marriages and other non-nuclear families"

    I could go on here for hours, but I will not :)

    Peace to you all, and may you all find great inspiration in all that you read and do.

    Cheerio, Mark.
     
  15. Franceyne

    Franceyne Junior Member

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    Not sure if it has been mentioned yet, but has anyone read Tim Flannery's The Weather Makers?

    I three quarters of the way through and it has changed the way I view our world.

    If anyone has read it I'd be interested in your opinion and thoughts.

    Cheers,
    Fran.
     
  16. heuristics

    heuristics Junior Member

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    what books

    This was on my Christmas wish list, but haven't acquired it as yet, but will do so.
    I need to be retired, so I can do all the outdoors things that need attention, and also have time to read!
     
  17. Franceyne

    Franceyne Junior Member

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    I recommend it Heuristics. I'd be interested in hearing what you think of it and it's message.
     
  18. christopher

    christopher Junior Member

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    Fran,

    Amazon.com, my only available book store, does not have The Weather Makers available, yet.... grrrrrr. I have been meaning to get it, so went to Amazon and ordered some other books, and when I was ready to click off on that... not avaiulable yet.... and no indication when...

    It has been recommended in this thread, several times, so it is on my list!

    C
     
  19. LittleFish

    LittleFish Junior Member

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    A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
    He was both a better writer and a better naturalist than Thoureu.
    Really intimate and inspiring writing about observing the simple things in nature; the turn of the seasons, the animals, the plants, enjoying the simple life.
    I can't recommend this book highly enough, it really deserves to be rescued from its current obscurity.
    cheers
    Stephen
     
  20. heuristics

    heuristics Junior Member

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    what books, authors

    Hi Chris -
    Even though I live in Syd, I live in a pocket of cultural desert with only one bookshop within coo-ee and they are TOTALLY BLOODY USELESS, (no names, of course!!!), so I often buy things on-line thru GleeBooks in downtown “real” Sydney. (Glebe)
    They have Flannery's Weathermakers at #2 on their current best-seller list. Email them – they may do mail order to where-the-hell-is Belize?? (!)
    If not, other aussie bookshops are Dymocks, and Collins
    Also the ABC bookshop – which is somehow affiliated with our national broadcaster also has Flannery at AUD $32.95.
    I suggest either Gleebooks or the ABC bookshop then one of the others.
    Since you have an account with amazon – that may give you some credibility – not much, but maybe.
    worth a try.
     

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