Radical Hope

I've mentioned previously the book Radical Hope by Jonathan Lear. I'm currently in the middle of it, finding it very thought-provoking and hoping some of you might be tempted to read and discuss it via blog(s).

It is a small, dense volume, written with the rigor and narrative conventions of philosophical works. Lear takes as his text the historical record regarding the destruction of the Crow nation, particularly the life, acts, and commentary of Plenty Coups, a notable Crow chief of that period. Lear employs these historical circumstances to inquire into what it means for human beings to experience cultural vulnerability and to face cultural devastation, with hope and imagination.

There are no copies in the Clackamas County library system, unfortunately, and only one in the Multnomah County system. People outside the Portland metro area may be more fortunate. (If you decide to buy the book, however, it would be lovely if you bought it from Powell's, our independent bookstore, via this link: Radical Hope: Ethics in the Face of Cultural Devastation by Jonathan Lear)