Your summer reading in the Apocalypse , my 5 Book recommendations,

Practical resilience, Inspiration and guides on what you can do...

I have never been in a Global Transformation or Civilisation Collapse and neither have you, yet here we are.

You can either ignore, deny or face our predicaments with courage. The last is the hardest, but it is the most life affirming and honest. Especially as the threats and uncertainties are increasing daily.

What can you do ?

I used to think that collapse would be a reversion to simpler lives without the technology and comforts we now have.

Now I am acutely aware of the Fascism, Authoritarianism and Technocracy that is pervading our lives. We need to understand this and be resourceful in our responses and resistance. Increasing the capacities of our hearts and souls as well as the practicalities of life as it gets tougher.

Resourcing, adapting and thriving,

When I first became Collapse aware over twenty years ago, I turned to books to learn , for guidance and practical skills. In that time I accumulated a library of books on how to be self Sufficient, how to grow food , store it and Permaculture etc. Now that I no longer grow my own food , or have land those books have been passed on.

The books that I keep now are about the inner and outer work of collapse from an understanding, learning and solutions based approach.

I would like to share some of those old favourite with you, along with a new addition that caught my attention, because of its magical title. It’s been a while since I have read the old ones , so they might seem dated but they contain pure gold.

I can send you an email with a longer synopsis of the lessons they contain, to add to your resources just let me know.

Depletion and Abundance by Sharon Astyk

A manifesto for domestic self-reliance, a call to establish a new home front. This book is a very personal exploration by Sharon on building resilience in family and community. I loved her quirkiness and honesty of the triumphs and travails on the financial and the practical. This is not a text book, but it does provide a blueprint on how to create a life that is clear on its ethics, interdependence and the skills that are needed.

Reinventing Collapse by Dmitry Orlov

The book is essentially serves as both a warning and a practical guide, using the Soviet collapse as a case study to help Americans understand what societal breakdown might look like . How to prepare for it through reducing dependence on fragile systems, developing self-sufficiency skills, and mentally preparing for economic disruption. Dmitry has humour and a candour that I enjoyed as well as very practical support, especially for being mentally prepared .

Who do we choose to be by Meg Wheatley,

I have read and listened to a lot of the wisdom of Meg and I have included this book because we are all leaders in our lives now. Her focus is on being present to the realities of being in collapse and the Spiritual Practices that can help. Meg makes call for us to create Islands of Sanity: by Building local resilience and sanity amid broader chaos. She gives 5 core lessons to guide us through and beyond.

The Post Petroleum Survival Guide and Cookbook by Albert Bates

The book "takes a positive, upbeat, and optimistic view of 'the Great Change,’ that this is our opportunity to redeem our essential" humanity. It is a colossal work that is upbeat, helpful, and hopeful. Written by Bates who has decades of experience of living on a farm, practising collapse and community with a generosity of spirit.

Spells for the Apocalypse by Carmen Spagnola,

I have yet to read this book, but I loved the title and heard Carmen on a podcast. I am going to do a deep dive , maybe even try a “read along” if you are interested in joining me. ..

This is an empowering ritual guide for living through turbulent times from a trauma recovery practitioner and practicing witch. Carmen is also a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef turned clinical hypnotherapist, and kitchen witch.. She is just the sort of woman I would like to meet, hence the planned deep dive.

So Dear Courageous a small glimpse into my sagging book shelves and a revisit to some old favourites that still offer so much. Even if I have a different understanding of Peak Oil and Climate Change or the Climate Crisis as its now called …back then we are getting colder, now we are told we are getting hotter..but that is all a subject for another day.

What are you favourite books , that you can share with us ?

With Love and Devotion,