Last week I posted about the release of the new book, An Ecotopian Lexicon (University of Minnesota Press), in which I have an entry on “Watershed Discipleship.” One of the editors of the volume, Matthew Schneider-Mayerson, describes it thus on Twitter:
It’s a speculative ecotopian lexicon for the age of climate change, inspired by Ursula Le Guin, Octavia Butler, Marge Piercy, Rebecca Solnit, and many other thinkers, makers, and doers
It’s an inspiring collection of terms and ideas to help us imagine a future filled with beauty and creativity, in which humanity is up to the challenge of living in a way that will sustain biodiverse forms of life to the furthest imaginable generation. The book also includes beautiful visual art. It’s the #1 new release on Amazon in the “etymology” category and the “philosophy criticism” category!
If you’re interested in purchasing the book, go here. You can read the introduction here.
This would be a great book to use in a college course, perhaps a senior capstone course where you’re hoping to inspire students to go forth into the world with resilience and hope. (You can find a teaching guide here.) It is also an excellent book for individuals who are working to care for the planet and are currently feeling the weight of that work. This book can offer some much-needed insight and creativity in areas in which our language lacks vision and vitality.
Reviews of this book:
Association for the Study of Literature and Environment (ASLE)
Interview with the editors on New Books Network
Made the list Climate Change Literature that Made Waves in 2019 in the category of “What I should have read, am still going to read, and you should read, too!” by Bob Moore, NRDC
Cherice Bock 