Climate

A New Story

By: Charles Eisenstein

Narrated by: Steve Wojtas

Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's Summary

Flipping the script on climate change, Eisenstein makes a case for a wholesale reimagining of the framing, tactics, and goals we employ in our journey to heal from ecological destruction

With research and insight, Charles Eisenstein details how the quantification of the natural world leads to a lack of integration and our “fight” mentality. With an entire chapter unpacking the climate change denier’s point of view, he advocates for expanding our exclusive focus on carbon emissions to see the broader picture beyond our short-sighted and incomplete approach. The rivers, forests, and creatures of the natural and material world are sacred and valuable in their own right, not simply for carbon credits or preventing the extinction of one species versus another. After all, when you ask someone why they first became an environmentalist, they’re likely to point to the river they played in, the ocean they visited, the wild animals they observed, or the trees they climbed when they were a kid. This refocusing away from impending catastrophe and our inevitable doom cultivates meaningful emotional and psychological connections and provides real, actionable steps to caring for the Earth. Freeing ourselves from a war mentality and seeing the bigger picture of how everything from prison reform to saving the whales can contribute to our planetary ecological health, we resist reflexive postures of solution and blame and reach toward the deep place where commitment lives.

©2018 Charles Eisenstein (P)2018 North Atlantic Books

Critic Reviews

“What a blast of sanity! Eisenstein's corrective is a bracing piece of work, dazzlingly thought through and eloquent in its articulation. He writes from within an uncannily woke worldview, enacting a full-bodied way of thinking that discerns and feels into the complex entanglement of our lives with every facet of this breathing biosphere. This book is visionary and prophetic, achingly grounded and useful to the max.” (David Abram, cultural ecologist, geophilosopher, and author of Becoming Animal and The Spell of the Sensuous)

“There is nothing ‘safe’ in these writings; almost every chapter courts controversy. We as readers are the beneficiaries of this bravery. This is a message that must be heard loud and clear as we chart a path toward social and ecological renewal.” (Helena Norberg-Hodge, author and filmmaker of Ancient Futures and The Economics of Happiness)
 

“This is a groundbreaking book. Eisenstein makes an inspiring, positive, and convincing case for a full and proper understanding of the present human predicament - a radical shift from a utilitarian worldview to an integral world view rooted in a sense of the sacred which recognizes the intrinsic value of nature and life.” (Satish Kumar, founder of Schumacher College and editor emeritus of Resurgence & Ecologist)

Not just a book, but a way of life

If we, as a global society, could only read two books for the duration of our lives they should be: The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know Is Possible AND Climate A New Story - both by Charles Eisenstein. These two brilliant works of art beautifully articulate the change that is needed as well as the change that IS happening. The change starts with us, with each of our unique expressions of life being embraced and cultivated through love. You are Loved. You ARE Love.

A paradigm pusher of a climate story

Charles Eisenstein presents a compelling argument for a shift in the whole foundation of the climate discourse. In media and politics the discussion is most often framed in terms of finance and economics, a weighing of fiscal gain against climate losses, a story doomed to failure as their can be no reconciliation there. Eisenstein presents powerful examples of where change does actually occur and illustrates how it comes out of individual or collective connection to place, that we react when we see the loss of habitats we have come to love and not at statistics over global temperature changes or indeed the paralysingly catastrophic rhetoric of many climate campaigns. He offers pragmatic ways in which such understandings can be translated into public policy on a local/global level. This is a broad, open and encompassing treatise that will resound with people on all sides of the 'climate debate' without diminishing in any way the depth of the crisis we currently find ourselves in.
The narrater reads as though he were the author - in the best possible sense.

powerful

Really challenged me to think outside the box. A new and broad way to look at healing the planet.

Climate: A New Story

I have read many books on environmental issues and this one is one of the best. The only one that is better is another book by the same author A More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible. They both represent such mastery and understanding of the state of our world the myths and the truths, they should be required reading by our elected officials.

Repetitive Talking Head pays lip service to Heart

I find Charles to be repetitive and verbose. Saying what could be said in a few succinct statements with long winded left brained paragraphs. He is very left brained.

He groups spiritual practices into one thing as if non-dual teachings and shamanism are the same thing. He gets a bit into his feeling when he talks about some magical trees at the end but is often just long winded and boring. if you have listened to one of his books you have listened to them all...

Thought provoking!

Although the book started a bit slow, it gets better. I very much enjoyed the range of topics covered, especially the reset of the financial system part is thought provoking. I must also say the author takes on an unrealistic Western liberals perspective when it comes to development, while not really offering a realistic solution that combines development with sustainability. Telling lower income countries that they don’t need to develop is not really a solution is it? 😂We know the old way isn’t working, the western ideal of ‘being developed’ has been very damaging, what then is the right way? When is International companies going to stop advertising their way of life to ppl living in developing world?

Sober Wisdom For Best Results

The middle way(as applied to system analysis) of the current crisis careening into our faces.
I love this ‘honoring of all prospective’, with the honest authentic appraisal & understanding that allows this intensity to be grasped by everyone to actually discuss & apply, with sobriety for all extremes.
I’m gonna listen again a few more times cause it’s really great poetry as well. :-)

Profound & Relevant

The message this book brings is profound and relevant to the world we live in. It tells the story we all subconsciously agree on.

Changing our view of the planet through love.

Charles Eisenstein has a very unique approach to healing. I certainly have been affected by this book specially in seeing the world as a living, integrated being. Humans being a part of it. This vision will help us to radiate love and acceptance for the intertwined, complex web we are all a part of. I used to quantify everything and this book has changed my perspective of the approach of the quantifiable and the story of separating things. I had read and listened to his essay prior to reading the whole book but it was definitely a whole lot better. I hope it can be a source of inspiration to many more.

Incredible Lucidity

I’m a big fan of Charles Eisenstein’s work, and this book was no exception. He has a way of unfolding and revealing a new world story in a way that gives me a very grounded sense of hope. This book is full of both useful, sobering information and inspiring, hopeful possibilities. The narrator was very pleasant to listen to and read the book with heart. Highly recommend!

Repetitive and rather inconclusive

I appreciate the tentative approach to a commonly discussed problem from a rather unconventional point of view, but the author, in my opinion, makes the mistake of being repetitive while also putting two very different things on the same level.
There is also a tendency to the usage of generalized categories, as if all scientists acted in a cold surgical way and all unconventional thinkers acted out of the pureness of their hearts, instead of delusional thoughts.
Finally, the author offers his objectives as a solution, without offering a real way to get there.

Yes, brilliant, let's do it!

Very many people will recognise important messages and see possibilities for action from this book

Little said in a lot of words

This author talks and talks and never seems to say anything. Just when you think he is getting to the point, another stream of words circle you round and you are left waiting.