Once in a while, a book comes along that I like so well that I want to have a hard copy to give to others. The first of these is the amazing “The Reducetarian Solution”. This is a collection of over 70 short and diverse articles written by distinguished authors and edited by Brian Kateman, the president and founder of THE REDUCETARIAN FOUNDATION. What’s so awesome about this outfit? Mr. Kateman had the brilliant idea of promoting “How the Surprisingly Simple Act of Reducing the Amount of Meat in Your Diet Can Transform Your Health and the Planet”. No more all-or-nothing approaches commonplace in vegetarian and vegan circles, but a do-what-you-can approach. Wow! That’s so refreshing, especially for people like me that are adept at fabricating guilt, thanks to my Catholic upbringing. Deepak Chopra, author of Quantum Healing (and numerous other books), puts it nicely: “This book offers us a path toward a more ecological, sustainable, humane, and compassionate world while improving our own health and well-being.”

The second book I would like to pass along for your consideration is entitled Active Hope by Joanna Macy & Chris Johnstone. The subtitle reads “How to Face the Mess We’re in without Going Crazy”. I think the critical review from Naomi Klein, author of The Shock Doctrine, puts it nicely: “Books about social and ecological change too often leave out a vital component: how do we change ourselves so that we are strong enough to fully contribute to the great shift? Active Hope fills this gap beautifully, guiding readers on a journey of gratitude, grief, interconnection, and ultimately, transformation.” The authors have considerable depth of know-how, and give us a Rx that overcomes feelings of being overwhelmed by the enormity of the circumstances our generation must face, if we hope to remediate our current crises.

Each of the above books are like a tonic that will serve us well. Enjoy!