This is an extract of a review due to appear in the April issue of ECOS, the members magazine of the British Association of Nature Conservationists (BANC). Reviewed by Lisa Schneidau.
Storytelling for a Greener World – Edited by Alida Gersie, Anthony Nanson and Edward Schieffelin
…From experience, forcing an (often overwhelming) environmental message onto an existing traditional story can sometimes make it extremely worthy and dull. Stories are strange beasts, full of unexpected turns, and like all art forms they should not be safe. So I approached this book with a deal of nervousness.
I was pleasantly surprised. The book contains 21 chapters from different authors, exploring different ways in which stories can be used to useful ends for the environment. The chapters vary widely – from Martin Shaw’s offering of more spiritual rites of passage and wilderness, through David Metcalfe’s exploration of how a story circle can make a difference, to Chris Holland’s glorious blobster-building workshops, there is a great deal to learn here from the hands-on experience of the writers. Even more generously, all contribute stories which can be used and developed by the reader, making this a very practical contribution to the subject.
…a real treasury.
