July Not Fiction Book Discussions

Last month we discussed Fareed Zakaria's vision of a "post-American world"; this month we will discuss Linda Colley's The Ordeal of Elizabeth Marsh: A Woman in World History, a portrait of a pre-American, proto-global world and a remarkable woman whose life provides a view into that world. Colley, the Shelby M.C. Davis 1958 Professor of History at Princeton University, says "this book charts a world in a life and a life in the world. It is also an argument for re-casting and re-evaluating biography as a way of deepening our understanding of the global past." During the 50 years of her life, 1735-1785, at a time when most women of her social and economic circumstances rarely left the parlor, Marsh lived in Jamaica, London, Gibraltar, and Menorca and visited the Cape of Africa, Rio de Janeiro, and India; she was caught up in three different slave systems, including being captured by Barbary pirates and held captive by the sultan of Morocco; and she was involved in land speculation in Florida and in international smuggling. Her extraordinary mobility was made possible by larger forces connecting the world by way of the sea, such as naval warfare, international trade, and print. Does Colley manage to give us a compelling narrative of Marsh's life and present her as more than just a sketchy figure on the background of world events? Does she also manage to provide insight into world history? What can Marsh's life help us understand about our own rapidly "flattening" world"? We invite you to join our discussions: Tuesday, July 7, at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library; Thursday, July 23, at 11:00 at the West Ashley Branch; and here on the blog.

Notes from April and May Not Fiction Book Discussions

We have spent the Spring months considering Barbara Kingsolver and Bill McKibben's arguments for what McKibben calls "the economics of neighborliness," the feasibility and the benefits of participating in economies that are local in scale.


Everyone who attended the discussions of Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life unreservedly enjoyed her narrative of her family's year of eating locally, finding it both personable and informative. We were especially impressed with her daughter Camille's menus and recipes at the end of each chapter. Many of us reported being inspired by her family's example to make changes in our food life, such as joining community supported agriculture projects, visiting the local farmer's market, planting a few herbs and vegetables in our yards, and even making our own cheese. Although some critics felt that her project amounted to "stunt eating" (New York Times), an experiment that most of us could not hope to duplicate, we agreed that we could all try buying more fruits and vegetables locally and in-season even if we weren't prepared to put by a year's worth of tomato sauce or butcher our own meat.


Those of us who attended the discussions of Bill McKibben's Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future agreed that we were glad we had read his book even though we might not otherwise have considered reading a book about sociology and economics without the discussions to motivate us. We were persuaded by his clear, emphatic, reasonable arguments that local economies might be workable on some scale. Several of us described our experiences of belonging to food co-ops, bartering one service for another, sharing ownership of infrequently used but necessary tools such as a snow blowers, using town-issued currency for purchases, and participating in New England town hall meetings. However, we all agreed that in this "flat" world, as Thomas Friedman calls it, some centralization of government, economy, and services is unavoidable and even necessary, for example, in the case of curtailing the spread of an epidemic or controlling the effects of climate change.


We also discussed the changes, not often for the better, in cultural attitudes about material possessions versus community that have occured even in our lifetimes. Most of us live in larger homes filled with more stuff, but we spend less time with family and friends and often do not know our neighbors. Both Kingsolver and McKibben ask us to consider essential questions: Is more better? What does richer mean? (McKibben) What is your answer to these questions?


For a virtual seasonal tour of the Kingsolvers' farm, visit http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/. To learn more about Bill McKibben's international campaign to build a movement to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis, visit http://www.350.org/. And to learn more about participating in the Lowcountry's local economy, visit http://www.lowcountrylocalfirst.org/.

June Not Fiction Book Discussion

In June, we will move from a local to a global perspective with Fareed Zakaria's best-selling book The Post-American World. Zakaria, host of CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS and the editor of Newsweek International, says, "This is a book not about the decline of America but rather about the rise of everyone else. It is about the great transformation taking place around the world, a transformation that, though often discussed, remains poorly understood. This is natural. Changes, even sea changes, take place gradually. Though we talk about a new era, the world seems to be one with which we are familiar. But in fact, it is very different." Zakaria describes the economic and political ascendance of countries such as China and India and offers his optimistic view of the role the United States can play in this new post-American world of diffuse power. How does Zakaria's view compare with that of Bill McKibben, who asserts in Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future that growth and globalism is not the only or the most desirable model for economic, political, social, and environmental well-being? Do you share Zakaria's optimism that the United States can not only survive but also thrive? Join the discussion Tuesday, June 2 at Main Library at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, June 18 at the West Ashley Branch at 11:00 a.m., or here on the blog.

May Not Fiction Book Discussions

In May we will continue our conversation about the possibility of reconnecting with our local resources as a way to minimize our global impact on the planet and of finding a greater sense of happiness and community with our discussion of Bill McKibben's Deep Economy: The Weath of Communities and the Durable Future. In Deep Economy, McKibben argues that "growth" is neither the only nor the most sound economic ideal. He offers examples of alternatives, including local food, energy, and even culture and entertainment production, that would preserve the humanity of our economy. Do his suggestions seem reasonable? Possible? Join us to share your opinion Tuesday, May 5 at 7:00 p.m. in Meeting Room A of the Main Library, Thursday, May 21 at 11:00 a.m. at the West Ashley Branch, or here on the blog.

April is National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month, and to celebrate it, the Academy of American Poets is encouraging poetry lovers to participate in the second national Poem in Your Pocket Day on April 30. Simply choose a poem you love and carry it with you to share with family, friends, and coworkers on April 30 and throughout the month. Visit poets.org, the official website of the Academy of American Poets, for more information. You can also sign up to receive a poem each day of National Poetry Month in your email, view a National Poetry Map to locate poetry events in your area, view or enter the Free Verse Photo Project, and find other ways to bring poetry into your life.

And you can celebrate here on the Not Fiction blog--tell us about your favorite poem(s) and/or any favorite memories about poems or poetry.

Notes from March Not Fiction Book Discussion

Mildred Kalish originally planned to title her memoir about growing up on an Iowa farm during the Great Depression Grandma, Tell Me a Farm Story and to self-publish it for family and friends (http://www.little-heathens.com/). Fortunately for us, family members encouraged her to share her life story with a wider audience.

In our discussions of Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression, we considered how Kalish's book differs from many contemporary memoirs. It is less confessional, less concerned with the psychological inner drama of the narrator; it is true instead in style, tone, and content to its original title, giving readers the feeling that they are listening to the anecdotes of an older relative. Kalish shares stories about the daily life of hard work and thrift and the culture of close family and community ties of a time now past and almost unimaginable to those of us born after World War II. Kalish reflects on the difficulties and also the great joys of that life with a resolute, positive attitude that seems to be as much her message--and her gift--to readers as the stories she tells.

In a statement about why she decided to share the book with a wider audience, Kalish says, "I have noticed a resurgence of public interest in the rural matters where people yearn to engage in satisfying activities that have direct meaning in their lives. Perhaps this is because our current national and international challenges result in individuals feeling helpless and disconnected. My book tells of a life of total involvement. I thought readers would enjoy reading about that experience" (http://www.little-heathens.com/). A reviewer for Booklist calls Kalish's memoir "deeply intelligent," and perhaps it is resoluteness, positivity, and total involvement in such ordinary issues as where our food comes from, how directly meaningful our work is to our daily lives, and how we spend time with our families and friends that will help us out of our current recession and provide a path to a more sustainable, connected future. We will continue to consider these issues in our discussions of Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life and Bill McKibben's Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future.

Meanwhile, for more stories about the Great Depression from those who lived through it and their perspective on how it relates to this recession, visit The New York Times online's video feature The New Hard Times. You can watch interviews or submit your own.

April Not Fiction Book Discussion

Spring has sprung, and our local farmers market will be up and running soon. It is a perfect time of year to read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver. Kingsolver says, "This is the story . . . of how our family was changed by our first year of deliberately eating food produced from the same place where we worked, went to school, loved our neighbors, drank the water, and breathed the air." Kingsolver, her husband, Steven L. Hopp, a professor of environmental studies, and her daughter, Camille, a student at Duke University, all contribute to this narrative of how the family committed to eating only what they could grow on, or buy from neighbors of, their rural Virginia farm. Combining family anecdotes, discussion of agricultural practices and food culture, and seasonal recipes and nutritional information, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle approaches what Michael Pollan calls our national eating disorder with both intellect and heart. Join our discussion April 7 at Main Library at 7:00 p.m. in Meeting Room A, April 23 at West Ashley Branch at 11:00 a.m., or here on the blog to share your reactions to this popular book as well as your own tips and recipes for how to eat locally to act globally.