I'm currently doing a lot of reading of books by Indigenous, Black, and other writers of colour, especially in sci-fi or fantasy or futurism, etc. Mainly fiction, but some non-fiction sprinkled here and there as well. I teach philosophy at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, Canada. she/her/hers
Mastodon account: @chendricks@scholar.social
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This was a great retelling of the Island of Dr. Moreau by HG Wells. I enjoyed this book more than the original. It's focused on the experiences of Dr. Moreau's daughter (a new addition compared to Wells' story) and an Englishman who comes to work for the family. The hybrids are complex characters, and the plot takes interesting and engaging twists. Colonialism is a significant theme, as with Mexican Gothic.
From the author of Gods of Jade and Shadow comes this reimagining of the classic …
I was drawn in quickly by the characters and the plot. I appreciated the themes about colonialism that were interwoven throughout. I found the ending both very creative and satisfying!
From the author of Gods of Jade and Shadow comes this reimagining of the classic gothic suspense novel, a story …
From the author of Gods of Jade and Shadow comes this reimagining of the classic gothic suspense novel, a story …
Inspired by stories from One Thousand and One Nights, this book weaves together the gripping tale of a legendary …
Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission--and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will …
I very much enjoyed reading this word, which is part memoir, part a report on a career (so far) of scientific findings related to how trees (and other plants) communicate through fungal networks underground. It was an engaging and enjoyable read.
The only thing is that I wish there was more acknowledgement of the generations of Indigenous knowledges that pointed to the same ideas. Simard notes that in her 20s a friend pointed out to her that "The Coast Salish say .... that under the forest floor, there are fungi that keep the trees connected and strong" (p. 66). And yet most of the book doesn't really connect to this existing knowledge even though she notes that it was there even while she was starting out. The focus is on a Western scientific approach, which is also important. But further recognition, acknowledgement, and talking about the Indigenous knowledge of the …
I very much enjoyed reading this word, which is part memoir, part a report on a career (so far) of scientific findings related to how trees (and other plants) communicate through fungal networks underground. It was an engaging and enjoyable read.
The only thing is that I wish there was more acknowledgement of the generations of Indigenous knowledges that pointed to the same ideas. Simard notes that in her 20s a friend pointed out to her that "The Coast Salish say .... that under the forest floor, there are fungi that keep the trees connected and strong" (p. 66). And yet most of the book doesn't really connect to this existing knowledge even though she notes that it was there even while she was starting out. The focus is on a Western scientific approach, which is also important. But further recognition, acknowledgement, and talking about the Indigenous knowledge of the same phenomena would have been helpful.
The subtitle of the book (which I think may not always be up to the author alone) even says that this is about a "Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest," as if this is the first time such a thing has been "discovered."
Other than this significant gap, I do think the book is interesting, well-written, and informative.
Really thought-provoking and valuable book in my opinion. Lots to think about for those who are considering how to approach periods of continual change while still keeping a focus on an inspiring vision for the future. I reflected on some parts of this book that really stood out to me, on my blog: blogs.ubc.ca/chendricks/2022/09/10/brown-emergent-strategy/
"Are we deranged? The acclaimed Indian novelist Amitav Ghosh argues that future generations may well think so. How else to …
Established in 2025, the purpose of the new organization was simple: To advocate for the world's future generations and to …