The Great Turning: from Empire to Earth Community, by David Korten “The Great Turning” is Joanna Macy’s phrase for the huge transformation of consciousness that humanity is going through. He does a good job of tracing the roots of this transformation and that Earth Community — “a life-centered, egalitarian, sustainable way of organizing based on democratic principles of partnership” — is indeed possible.
Gaviotas: a village to reinvent the world, by Alan Weisman. Gaviotas is a small community in Colombia. The first time I read this book, I experienced an enormous surge of hope. This is the way human beings were supposed to live, not the competitive, brutal, exploitive society that we are used to.
Rebalancing the World: Why Women Belong and Men Compete and How to Restore the Ancient Equilibrium by Carol Flinders. This is a feminist version of the Great Turning. Carol Flinders has written other wonderful books. I also highly recommend: At the Root of this Longing: reconciling a spiritual hunger and a feminist thirst, and Enduring Lives.
Blessed Unrest: how the largest movement in the world came into being, and why no one saw it coming, by Paul Hawken. Another one to read when you’re feeling discouraged with the human adventure. See also Paul Hawken on YouTube.
Invisible Heroes: Survivors of Trauma and How They Heal, by Belleruth Naparstek. This book has been enormously validating of my experiences with working to heal trauma.
Getting Through the Day: strategies for adults hurt as children, by Nancy Napier. Another book that I’ve found very useful. If I’m having a hard time, I just open it and read whatever’s there. I also have tapes by Nancy Napier.
Aphrodite’s Daughters: Women’s Sexual Stories and the Journey of the Soul, by Jalaja Bonheim.