If you’re a regular reader, you know that I’ve been babbling on about the Transition initiative for several weeks now. I finally slogged through the last section of the book (which yes, does get a little slow) and tapped out my review. Then my computer exploded and ate it, so you all are stuck with Version 2 of my review of The Transition Handbook
As you might imagine, Hopkins does an excellent job of presenting the dual issues of climate change and peak oil. But The Transition Handbook is fundamentally a guide for building a Transition movement from the ground up. Organized into three parts – The Head, The Heart, and The Hands – Hopkins walks you through the history and processes of the formative Transition Towns. It is a thoughtful and well-researched examination of the birth of a movement combined with a thorough “how-to” on building your own.
People have criticized both the Transition movement and the Handbook itself for a variety of reasons. While much of the criticism is valid, I still found this book to be an incredible resource. Anyone who is interested in climate change, peak oil, survivalism, resilience, community organization or even the psychology of change will find much of interest in The Transition Handbook. At the end of the book, Hopkins characterizes Transition as “one of the biggest and most important research projects underway in the world.” I think he is correct, and the Handbook provides a foundation for the extensive documentation behind this social experiment.
I’ve noticed that short writings on Transition tend to give off a sense of impending doom. I think this is also true of my posts over the last several weeks, in spite of the fact that I specifically tried to avoid it. Somehow it still got away from me!
For this reason, if for no other, I would encourage you to read The Transition Handbook in full. At the core of Transition is the idea that a post-oil world could, in fact, be preferable to our world today, and that the path forward is equally optimistic and positively engaging. I don’t know why this doesn’t distill well into shorter pieces, but this is not a book that leaves you feeling hopeless.
The Giveaway, Woot!
On that note, I’ll tell you how you can enter to win my very lightly used (almost new, really) copy of The Transition Handbook. It is actually twice used, so you’ll be at least owner #3. Doesn’t that make you feel good?
There are a variety of ways to enter. Some of them are self-promotional (sorry, that’s just how it goes), some are not. Feel free to enter as many ways as you like. Leave a comment for EACH entry.
- Talk to someone about the Transition initiative. Ask them what they think. Start a dialogue. If you feel so inclined, come back and let us know how it went.
- Leave a comment of something you would like me to write about. Anything goes, although I won’t guarantee that I’ll write about it if it’s completely off topic. (But you never know!)
- Leave a comment and tell me what your favorite post of mine is, or your least favorite and why. Love it, hate it? Let me know what I’m doing well and/or how I could do better. (This is not an invitation for trolls. I will remove your vowels and won’t count your entry. Don’t even bother.)
- Follow me on Twitter.
- Become a fan of Openly Balanced on Facebook.
- Share a favorite post (or this post) on Twitter or Facebook.
- Subscribe to Openly Balanced via RSS or e-mail.
Entries will be closed at 8PM PST on Tuesday, March 2nd. Winner will randomly selected from the comments and announced on Wednesday, March 3rd.
Note: Entrants must be from the US or be willing to work with me on postage if it is out of control expensive.
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How did I not know you had a Facebook page? Well, alrighty, I became a fan, so here’s my entry: why not?!
I spoke to my husband and my ex-mother-in-law about the transition movement. I’m not sure either of them got it, but at least it’s not a completely foreign concept anymore.
Hmm…what would I like you to write about? (Can you tell I want that book? lol) How about more about your journey to wanting to live more sustainably?
I love your posts about your clean eating. They’re so inspiring.
Something to write about: What are you going to do next to prepare for post-peak oil, now that you’ve read the Transition Handbook?
Jess, media mail is the way to go to avoid out-of-control expensive shipping. And don’t count this as an entry–give your book to someone more deserving.
I actually saw the “In Transition 1.0″ documentary, and it led me to talk to the director of the Environmental and Sustainability Studies department at my college who hadn’t heard much about it before then. I’m about to graduate and one of my crazy ideas (that I might have to act on if I can’t find a proper job) is to try and establish a transition town movement in a town that really needs it. I’m thinking about someplace in the Pacific Northwest, whose communities have been economically devastated with the end of the logging boom.
Haven’t read the book though and, being $27,000 and counting in school loan debt, could really use a copy!