At Gathering Waters our summer reading and listening recommendations run the gamut from the inspiring to the practical.
Let us know what you think of these, and what you are reading and listening to.
1,001 Voices on Climate Change
Devi Lockwood
The author traveled the world collecting stories about people’s lived experiences in the face of a changing climate. It got me thinking about ways to collect personal stories to share the urgency and value of the work of land trusts. Learn about the project on the June 10 Living on Earth podcast episode.
-Charlie Carlin, Director of Strategic Initiatives
Fundraising When Money Is Tight: A Strategic and Practical Guide to Surviving Tough Times and Thriving in the Future
Mal Warwick
If you are like me, and can’t get enough good guidance for fundraising, this book will help ground your efforts in tried and true principles. Published during the recession in 2009, it has relevance for today (bearing in mind that we may have more digital resources at our fingertips than we did then).
-Pat McMurtrie, Annual Giving & Outreach Manager
Radical Candor Podcast
This podcast offers a lot of ideas for how to give real-time feedback that is kind and clear, specific and sincere. It has application in a work setting–supervising staff, for example–as well as in personal relationships. It’s a book, too, so…options!
-Creal Zearing, Director of Philanthropy
World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments
Aimee Nezhukumatathil
This series of essay meditations on wondrous creatures mixes memoir and lessons from the natural world: catalpa trees, fireflies, axolotls, and so many more. It may just inspire you to write some essays of your own. What are the wonders around you?
-Meg Domroese, Director, Programs and Impact
The Seed Keeper
Diane Wilson
Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future
Elizabeth Kolbert
Elizabeth Kolbert
I get inspired by summer reading challenges and lists. These two environmental books are on my “to-read” list this summer. The first book, The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson is a novel spanning multiple generations of a Dakota family’s struggle to maintain their way of life and their relationship with the land.
The second is a nonfiction book by Elizabeth Kolbert, who is known for The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, published in 2015. Her new book, Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future, examines living with the challenges of climate change and explores different interventions that may be our hope for survival on a warming planet.
-Amanda Sweno, Communications & Outreach Coordinator
The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity
David Graeber and David Wengrow
Leading the Future of Work Podcast
The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity is a sweeping book that hit the reset button on my understanding of the archeological record and anthropology, and, most importantly, challenges traditional, overly-simplistic narratives about human history.
I’ve gleaned so many leadership insights from the “Future of Work” podcast. The guests consistently share practical, real-world advice.
-Mike Carlson, Executive Director
