Sierra Club Book Club

 WINTER 2009 BOOKS   

New Location:  

Sierra Club Book Discussion Group has joined the Abundance Reading Group Join us on the third Tuesday of every month as we meet in the Abundance Café (62 Marshall St phone #454-2667) area for a discussion featuring the books below.

Participants should read the pre-selected book and come prepared to contribute to this meaningful and relevant opportunity to  share knowledge and gain understanding on important topics we must  live with daily in our culture.

• Place: Abundance Café (62 Marshall St phone #454-2667)

The Next:

Meet the Authors:

• November 19, 2009 @ 7PM: An evening with Carter Catlett Williams local author of "Glorious Adventure" readings & discussions refreshments will be available

• December 10th @ 7 PM: Local author, inventor, and “Cool Rochester” Leader, Bob Siegel will talk about the book, “Vapor Trails”, co- Authored by Roger Saillant. Books will be available for purchase. For more information visit: http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/vtrails  and http://www.vaportrailsthenovel.com/  

Book Review

by Nancy Chalker-Tennant

The Great Turning From Empire to Earth Community by David C. Korten, published jointly by Kumarian Press and Berrett-Koehler Publishers was the book we discussed in October.

This book begins by giving an overly long history of the ancient and modern empires, how they developed and are in practice today through the dominance of the financial markets of the world.

The author then states that corporations (empire) are now seen by the business world as living entities, having rights, in some cases, above human beings and the natural world. This point stunned me.

Korten proposes that we must alter this attitude, by using our creative potential to liberate and change our story to one that values community, family, and cooperation above excessive possessions and the will to dominate.

He gives many specific paths to earth community such as “Human-scale enterprises and markets that foster face-to-face economic relationships of mutual trust and accountability.”

 I recommend this book for a better understanding of the situations we currently face, as he offers choices about how to go forward into a more humane, sustainable future.