The way into the underland is through the riven trunk of an old ash tree. . . . Its crown flourishes skywards into weather. Its long boughs lean low around. Its roots reach far underground. . . . Near the ash's base its trunk splits into a rough rift, just wide enough that a person might slip into the tree's hollow heart--and there drop into the dark space that opens below.
So begins Underland: A Deep Time Journey by Robert Macfarlane, a smooth yet portentous transition from last month's book, The Overstory by Richard Powers, into a multifaceted exploration of the Earth's underworlds through myth, art and literature, anthropology, and science. Macfarlane notes that "[t]he same three tasks recur across cultures and epochs: to shelter what is precious, to yield what is valuable, and to dispose of what is harmful." It is this "deep time" perspective which gives urgency to his exploration because he asks us to consider, "Are we being good ancestors to the future earth?"
A book discussion member said, "This book has provided me with an entirely new way of thinking about the underground. . . . every step I take on the grass seems like it's a roof to somewhere else and every subway journey hits a bit differently now." What do you think? Has Underland given you a new perspective on our collective fears and loves and the shared responsibility of being good ancestors?
We hope you will join the discussion:
When? Tuesday, July 6, at 6:30 p.m.
Where? We will meet virtually on CCPL's Zoom server. Here is a link to register for the June meeting:
Hi there,
You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Jun 1, 2021 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYqceisqjkvGdQlXPa0Wx5dyNGMbiuz9u5K
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
