Imagine: What America Could Be in the 21st Century

By Various and Anne Lamott

Book Overview

The New York Times bestselling author of A Return to Love turns to contemporary thinkers for a wide-ranging collection of essays on topics from relationships to religion, education and the environment.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451204697
• ISBN13: 9780451204691
• Release Date: November 2001
• Publisher: New American Library
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 0.83 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

The Most Inspiring Collection of Thinkers Ever!

This is a great book, that is doubly-powerful (no TRIPLY, no QUADRUPALLY powerful!) because so many inspiring thinkers are in it: from Deepak Chopra to Neale Donald Walsch, from James Redfield to Anne Lamott. And these thinkers come from all sectors of society: from John Robbins, a whistle-blower of the food industry, to the actor Peter Coyote; from Eric Utne, founder of the Utne Reader, to educator Dee Dickenson. What Marianne Williamson has assembled is a collection of ideas covering all sectors of society representing the viewpoints of very unique individuals each with differing backgrounds. And the beauty of this diversity is that all the contributors are unified in fundamental ways, all visualizing a more accepting, more loving, more grounded future that can truly celebrate the individual. It is a vision of what can WORK given our true natures, and given the tuggings of our soul for a more love-based world. Everyone in the world ought to read this book! If you're skeptical, go ahead and buy it and try it out. You'll be glad you did, even if it provides fodder for a time for all the reasons you dislike new-agey spiritual types. And for all of you who like me are already new-agey spiritual types, or compassionate open-hearted types, go ahead and check this book out, because you're going to love it!

Vastly More Practical (and Political) Than Title Suggests

I almost did not buy this book, and I say that because an awful lot of really smart folks might be inclined to turn away on the basis of the title and the possibility that this is a fairy tale wishful-thinking la la land kind of book. It is not. It is practical (and political), it is enriching, and it is over-all a very high quality endeavor that has been well executed. Four "great truths" are articulated many times over across the various readings, and they merit listing here: 1) Campaign finance reform is the absolute non-negotiable first step that must precede every other reform. Until the people can reassert their great common sense for the common good, and restore the true democratic tradition, nothing else will happen. 2) Neighborhoods are the bedrock of both democracy and sustainable development, and we have spent fifty years building in the wrong direction. New legal and economic incentives must be found to redirect both urban and suburban real estate management back in the direction of self-contained neighborhoods. 3) Local production of everything, from electricity to food to major goods like automobiles) appears to be a pre-requisite for deconflicting high quality of life needs from limited resource availability. The book includes several very intelligent discussions of how this might come about. 4) Networking makes everything else possible, and by this the book means electronic networking. I was especially fascinated by some of the examples of near-real-time sharing that electronic networking makes possible--everything from a neighborhood car to scheduled hand-me-downs of winter coats from one family to another. We have not progressed one mile down the road of what the Internet makes possible at a personal and neighborhood level, and I would recommend this book for that perspective alone. The creative editorial role must be applauded. From the identification and recruitment of the contributors, to the selection of the photographs that each tell their own story, to the quality of the paper used to create the book, all testify to the competence and knowledge of the editor. Lastly, it merits comment that the book serves as a very fine calling card from something called The Global Renaissance Alliance, a spiritually-oriented group that nurtures Citizens Circles and uses a web site to provide pointers to resources and other like-minded folk.

Loved This Book!

For anyone who, like me, has gobbled up the works of writers like Deepak Chopra, Neale Donald Walsch, Thomas Moore, Caroline Myss, James Redfield and Barbara Marx Hubbard, this book is a must read. It includes essays by each of these authors and many more of equal stature. In the essays, the writers take the ideas and principles they have developed over the years and apply them in answering the question: "In the realm of highest possibilities, what could America look like in 50 years?" The result is a comprehensive, readable, light-filled blueprint for America's future. Some of the essays are poetic, lyrical. Others are grounded in hard hitting facts and statistics that will blow your mind. (See Paul Hawken's essay) Make no mistake. These are not airy-fairy essays recycling the previous works of these writers. They are clear, disciplined, thoughtful responses to the question posed. In fact, I believe the essays in "Imagine" may very well be the best work of many of these writers. I was blown away by what they delivered in this volume. Hats off to the editor, Marianne Williamson for assembling this phenomenal group of writers and for her skill in weaving these beautiful essays together.

What a book!

This is an amazing book. So many topics covered. It is nice to see that someone has addressed both the interpersonal and outerworldy issues and concerns we face everywhere. I come from Austrailia, but this is a book that people everywhere should read. I would highly recommend it. This will be something for Americans to really think deeply about. Why would anyone not want to live up to the visions put forth in this book?

The gift America needs

This is a truly amazing book. When I finished, I had hope that I have not felt before. Not only in the amazing essays within, but that all these incredible folks came together to create such a collective vision of hope and inspiration. This is a book you cannot pass up, a remarkable work. The pictures and graphics are beautiful as well. I am telling everyone I know to read this book! Thank you all who contributed.