Active Hope

How to Face the Mess We're in Without Going Crazy

By: Joanna Macy PhD, Chris Johnstone

Narrated by: C. S. E. Cooney

Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

The challenges we face can be difficult even to think about. Climate change, the depletion of oil, economic upheaval, and mass extinction together create a planetary emergency of overwhelming proportions. Active Hope shows us how to strengthen our capacity to face this crisis so that we can respond with unexpected resilience and creative power. Drawing on decades of teaching an empowerment approach known as the Work That Reconnects, the authors guide us through a transformational process informed by mythic journeys, modern psychology, spirituality, and holistic science. This process equips us with tools to face the mess we're in and play our role in the collective transition, or Great Turning, to a life-sustaining society.

©2012 Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone (P)2017 Tantor

Critic reviews

"To the future beings of the twenty-second century, Active Hope might turn out to be the most important book written in the twenty-first." (Bill Plotkin, author of Soulcraft)

Action is Hope

Great book. I love the "try this" moments - very useful and insightful. The narrator can be compassionately challenging but hopefully you want to be challenged.

Essential reading for our time

Clarity wisdom and compassion abound in this beautiful book about the great turnout. If you are concerned about the state of the natural world at this point in human history then you may resonate to much of what she has to say. Joanna has been at this work for decades end it shows in the wisdom and depth of what she has to say. Please read this book and join the movement for a more just sane and sustainable civilization.

Equipping us for "active hope"

Helpful practices in every chapter to equip us for practicing the skills of "active hope" needed for the days ahead. The Great Turning will need all of us.
Narration was a bit annoying. Overreach on earnestness led to a stilted and unnatural diction and cadence.

bury the doubts and bring to life true solutions

an interesting approach to remaining hopeful and moving forward in spite of seemingly insurmountable odds to our ever turning to a sustainable existence.

Deeply practical

Joanna and Chris provided many practice prompts and items for daily practice to root and recommit our advocacy in climate, justice, joy and life. I bought the paper copy and will keep it with me for my practice for years to come

The narration is insipid

The narrator recites the words with so little apparent understanding of their meaning, that the meaning becomes obscured. Too slow at times, too emotive at others, with awkward pauses and incorrect emphasis. Joanna Macy’s message is too important for such an artless reading. Skip the audible edition of this title and just read the book.

Eye-opening and change-inspiring!

I loved this book, and especially being able to process it in a weekly book group. They’re online resources on how to facilitate a group were very helpful, too. I’m inspired to take positive actions towards the healing of our world!

One of the most inspiring and powerful books

When I started reading this book in a depressive phase, it helped me get out of it by applying "Active hope" to my personal life.

Now, whenever I feel a lack of motivation for my participation in the "Great Turning", or even lost touch with the purpose of my life, I listened to a part. Mostly after just 5 min, I was totally inspired and wired again, energized to do the exercises, and to work on creating an organisation...

Narration sucks

The narrator sounds like a first year drama student trying to make a dramatic reading instead of telling the story. She sounds like an adolescent.

Amazing content, slightly irritating performance, and a homophobic gaff

I found the content to be inspiring and transformative. Macy’s spiral-shaped Work That Reconnects is a precious, life-affirming and much-needed resource. Macy and Johnstone’s examples and exercises bring insight and cultivate self-knowledge, leading to action and “active hope.”

I found the narration to be a bit tedious, with the voice performer over-enunciating to the point of distraction and which often interrupted the logical and emotional impact of phrases and sentences.

One startling, homophobic gaff occurs near the very end of the book. The authors use the term “sexual preference” where they, I believe, mean “sexual orientation.” I hope their understanding of sexual orientation has advanced since 2012.

All in all, though, an inspiring and very important book for our time. Highly recommend.