Books about ways we can improve our environment make up a small but important part of New World Library’s list. As an acquisitions editor, I’m always looking for positive environmental book ideas. In the San Francisco Bay Area, and other North American cities, it’s becoming more and more obvious that a quiet revolution is taking hold.

Last week saw two devastating reports on the American way of waging war: a Washington Post special feature on the failures of the post-9/11 security establishment and the shocking disclosure of 92,000 documents from soldiers on the ground in Afghanistan.

Over nine years in Afghanistan — making this the longest war we have ever fought — we have sacrificed nearly two thousand American lives, caused untold Afghani and Pakistani deaths, and spent at least $300 billion. And the Taliban are stronger than when we began. Meanwhile, in Iraq, one commander reported, “We are making terrorists faster than we can kill them.”
 

Two weeks ago, NWL Senior Graphic Designer Tracy Cunningham and I attended a talk with Joanna Macy, renowned environmental activist, Buddhist, and future New World Library author.

Tracy and I had both read Joanna’s memoir, Widening Circles, and after listening to a recording of her speaking with Bill Plotkin, we knew she was an incredibly moving and inspiring speaker. As the event’s organizer and co-speaker, Jonathan Gustin, remarked, some people can transmit their life’s purpose simply through their presence; Joanna Macy is definitely one of those people. She has a powerful aura of joy, deep caring, and immense love for the world.