Comments on: 10 Books I Am Reading At The Moment… http://transitionculture.org/2008/07/16/10-books-i-am-reading-at-the-moment/ An Evolving Exploration into the Head, Heart and Hands of Energy Descent Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:05:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: P2P Foundation » Blog Archive » The Transition Handbook - now GFDL at Appropedia http://transitionculture.org/2008/07/16/10-books-i-am-reading-at-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-59642 P2P Foundation » Blog Archive » The Transition Handbook - now GFDL at Appropedia Mon, 06 Oct 2008 01:44:37 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=1289#comment-59642 <p>[...] couple of weeks later, Rob was reading Charles Leadbeater’s We Think and then in his Transition Network structure proposal he wrote: [...]</p> [...] couple of weeks later, Rob was reading Charles Leadbeater’s We Think and then in his Transition Network structure proposal he wrote: [...]

]]> By: hoon teo http://transitionculture.org/2008/07/16/10-books-i-am-reading-at-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-58587 hoon teo Fri, 01 Aug 2008 22:58:39 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=1289#comment-58587 <p>I recommend the Art of War, attributed to Sun Tzu. Not a modern book, incredibly old in fact, but one of the Toaist texts. I think it is central to the 'Hearts and Minds' part of transition, inso far that it says that everything that is required to deal with conflict wisely, with honor and victoriously is within all of us.</p> I recommend the Art of War, attributed to Sun Tzu. Not a modern book, incredibly old in fact, but one of the Toaist texts. I think it is central to the ‘Hearts and Minds’ part of transition, inso far that it says that everything that is required to deal with conflict wisely, with honor and victoriously is within all of us.

]]> By: ROG http://transitionculture.org/2008/07/16/10-books-i-am-reading-at-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-58448 ROG Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:55:46 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=1289#comment-58448 <p>1) Since reading <a href="http://transitionculture.org/2008/06/20/the-fascinating-story-of-a-viral-drum-break/" rel="nofollow">Rob's post</a> on 20 June about the Amen Drum Break, I've been on a bender of cultural exploration! I never really 'got' hip hop before watching the video he posted, but since then I've had my eyes and ears opened to nothing less than the cultural history of our times. The key book that has made sense of this for me is <a href="http://thepiratesdilemma.com/" rel="nofollow">The Pirate's Dilemma</a>, by Matt Mason. I'm now recommending it to everyone I can (and as you might expect, you can pay what you want for a <a href="http://thepiratesdilemma.com/download-the-book" rel="nofollow">download</a>).</p> <p>The point is that <b>remixing</b> is the way our culture (and possibly all culture) works. As Lawrence Lessig says (<a href="http://eprints.qut.edu.au/archive/00006677/01/6677.pdf" rel="nofollow">download source pdf</a>): "The idea, first, is that you take creative work, mix it together and then other people take it and they remix it; they re-express it. In this sense, culture is remix; knowledge is remix; politics is remix. Remix in this sense is the essence of what it is to be human."</p> <p>So I strongly agree with Josef's <a href="http://transitionculture.org/2008/06/20/the-fascinating-story-of-a-viral-drum-break/" rel="nofollow">comment</a>, that the Transition Handbook, and other transition info, could be made remixable, by putting it onto a wiki, or suchlike. Or maybe just an annotated 'webliography', as has been done for Clay Shirky's <a href="http://www.shirky.com/herecomeseverybody/2008/05/my-readers-are-actually-users.html" rel="nofollow">Here Comes Everybody</a> - a book I'd also highly recommend.</p> <p>A recent report by Charles Leadbetter, <a href="http://www.ceosforcities.org/rethink/research/" rel="nofollow">Remixing Cities</a>, shows how some of these ideas can take hold in urban governance.</p> <p>2) I have a concern with the way most people tend to be pretty certain that Peak Oil either <i>is</i> or <i>isn't</i> happening. It's hard to take F Scott Fizgerald's advice that "The test of a first rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function." So Robert A. Burton's book, <a href="http://www.rburton.com/work1.htm" rel="nofollow">On Being Certain: Believing You Are Right Even When You're Not</a> is very helpful and provocative. Basically, the story we tell ourselves about certainty is completely wrong. What we think happens is that we weigh up the evidence then decide what it tells us. For Burton, neuroscience shows certainty to be "neither a conscious choice nor even a thought process." Instead, certainty is a feeling and as such it "arises out of involuntary brain mechanisms that, like love or anger, function independently of reason." For the transition movement, I think this helps to suggest that we should be wary of acting or not acting out of feelings of certainty. One reviewer said "Being certain is nice, but it's doubt that gets you an education".</p> 1) Since reading Rob’s post on 20 June about the Amen Drum Break, I’ve been on a bender of cultural exploration! I never really ‘got’ hip hop before watching the video he posted, but since then I’ve had my eyes and ears opened to nothing less than the cultural history of our times. The key book that has made sense of this for me is The Pirate’s Dilemma, by Matt Mason. I’m now recommending it to everyone I can (and as you might expect, you can pay what you want for a download).

The point is that remixing is the way our culture (and possibly all culture) works. As Lawrence Lessig says (download source pdf):
“The idea, first, is that you take creative work, mix it together and then other people take it and they remix it; they re-express it. In this sense, culture is remix; knowledge is remix; politics is remix. Remix in this sense is the essence of what it is to be human.”

So I strongly agree with Josef’s comment, that the Transition Handbook, and other transition info, could be made remixable, by putting it onto a wiki, or suchlike. Or maybe just an annotated ‘webliography’, as has been done for Clay Shirky’s Here Comes Everybody – a book I’d also highly recommend.

A recent report by Charles Leadbetter, Remixing Cities, shows how some of these ideas can take hold in urban governance.

2) I have a concern with the way most people tend to be pretty certain that Peak Oil either is or isn’t happening. It’s hard to take F Scott Fizgerald’s advice that “The test of a first rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.” So Robert A. Burton’s book, On Being Certain: Believing You Are Right Even When You’re Not is very helpful and provocative. Basically, the story we tell ourselves about certainty is completely wrong. What we think happens is that we weigh up the evidence then decide what it tells us. For Burton, neuroscience shows certainty to be “neither a conscious choice nor even a thought process.” Instead, certainty is a feeling and as such it “arises out of involuntary brain mechanisms that, like love or anger, function independently of reason.” For the transition movement, I think this helps to suggest that we should be wary of acting or not acting out of feelings of certainty. One reviewer said “Being certain is nice, but it’s doubt that gets you an education”.

]]> By: norberto http://transitionculture.org/2008/07/16/10-books-i-am-reading-at-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-58441 norberto Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:44:48 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=1289#comment-58441 <p>Allow me to recommend a new book by Path Murphy called "Plan C: Community Survival Strategies for Peak Oil and Climate Change". Murphy is the ED of Community Solutions, he was the co-writer and co-producer of the film "Power of Community: How Cuba survived Peak Oil". Briefly, Murphy says that for advocates of Plan A is just "business as usual", there is no need for any change, economic growth is the only way to go. Then, advocates of Plan B are happy with a status quo, their life styles, and hope to simply replace non-renewable energy products with renewable ones. They still believe there are no limits to growth, that a green market with solve everything, that is the government's and corporations' responsibility to make all necessary changes, not the consumers! He even says that Al Gore and many environmentalists are supporters of this Plan B. On the other hand, the two key ingredients for his Plan C are Curtailment and Community. He says: "this plan implies permanent societal change to reduce consumption of dwindling natural resources in order to control and mitigate climate change. It calls for a resurgence of small local communities as the alternative to the American way of life that must be abandoned; And it accepts a reduced standard of living as part of being global citizen." The key action in his Plan C is to curtail, meaning buying less, using less, wanting less and wasting less. In other words, we need to change, from being consumers to curtailers...</p> <p>WOW ! this sounds quite radical, quite un-American, isn't it ? I truly believe this is the way to go, and we need to begin curtailing.. yesterday !</p> <p>The ideas in this book go along so well with Rob's Transition Handbook.</p> <p>good reading !</p> Allow me to recommend a new book by Path Murphy called “Plan C: Community Survival Strategies for Peak Oil and Climate Change”. Murphy is the ED of Community Solutions, he was the co-writer and co-producer of the film “Power of Community: How Cuba survived Peak Oil”.
Briefly, Murphy says that for advocates of Plan A is just “business as usual”, there is no need for any change, economic growth is the only way to go. Then, advocates of Plan B are happy with a status quo, their life styles, and hope to simply replace non-renewable energy products with renewable ones. They still believe there are no limits to growth, that a green market with solve everything, that is the government’s and corporations’ responsibility to make all necessary changes, not the consumers! He even says that Al Gore and many environmentalists are supporters of this Plan B.
On the other hand, the two key ingredients for his Plan C are Curtailment and Community. He says: “this plan implies permanent societal change to reduce consumption of dwindling natural resources in order to control and mitigate climate change. It calls for a resurgence of small local communities as the alternative to the American way of life that must be abandoned; And it accepts a reduced standard of living as part of being global citizen.” The key action in his Plan C is to curtail, meaning buying less, using less, wanting less and wasting less. In other words, we need to change, from being consumers to curtailers…

WOW ! this sounds quite radical, quite un-American, isn’t it ? I truly believe this is the way to go, and we need to begin curtailing.. yesterday !

The ideas in this book go along so well with Rob’s Transition Handbook.

good reading !

]]> By: Klaus http://transitionculture.org/2008/07/16/10-books-i-am-reading-at-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-58432 Klaus Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:58:38 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=1289#comment-58432 <p>Thanks for another great book list. I've recently been inspired by Joanna Macy's 'World as Lover World as Self' - I love the way she weaves the Buddha's teachings together with 'the sustainability revolution'. We could all do with a little less grasping. 'Non-violent Communication' by Marshall B. Rosenberg is full of spot on tips to improve these skills in the future. Orlov's 'Reinventing Collapse' gets my vote too - humour takes away much of the worry. Chris Salewicz's 'Redemption Song - the definitive biography of Joe Strummer' is a good reminder of the punk DIY ethic which opposed the bloated corporate rock of the previous generation. Holmgren refers to self-reliance as political action 'undermining the market share and psychosocial dominance of the centralised and large-scale economies that support and maintain addictive and dysfunctional behaviour' ('Permaculture, Principles and Pathways...') Self reliance as punk DIY ethic! Looking forward to 'Bridge at the End of the World - Capitalism, the Environment and Crossing from Crisis to Sustainability' by Gus Speth. Have to wait for the paperback.</p> Thanks for another great book list. I’ve recently been inspired by Joanna Macy’s ‘World as Lover World as Self’ – I love the way she weaves the Buddha’s teachings together with ‘the sustainability revolution’. We could all do with a little less grasping.
‘Non-violent Communication’ by Marshall B. Rosenberg is full of spot on tips to improve these skills in the future.
Orlov’s ‘Reinventing Collapse’ gets my vote too – humour takes away much of the worry.
Chris Salewicz’s ‘Redemption Song – the definitive biography of Joe Strummer’ is a good reminder of the punk DIY ethic which opposed the bloated corporate rock of the previous generation. Holmgren refers to self-reliance as political action ‘undermining the market share and psychosocial dominance of the centralised and large-scale economies that support and maintain addictive and dysfunctional behaviour’ (‘Permaculture, Principles and Pathways…’) Self reliance as punk DIY ethic!
Looking forward to ‘Bridge at the End of the World – Capitalism, the Environment and Crossing from Crisis to Sustainability’ by Gus Speth. Have to wait for the paperback.

]]> By: Graham Strouts http://transitionculture.org/2008/07/16/10-books-i-am-reading-at-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-58427 Graham Strouts Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:21:18 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=1289#comment-58427 <p>I read Wilber's "A Theory of Everything" a few years ago and became very interested in Spiral Dynamics and the developmental model of change: Q: "Why dont more people care about the world?" A: "Because they havent yet reached World centric Consciousness". While I still think this is a valuable approach to understanding the world and human behaviour, Wilber's "integral theory of everything" is not really so integral after all: there is no mention of the role of energy in aiding psychological development, or any discussion of how decline in available energy after peak oil might effect the stages of growth- Orlov's book would suggest a likely reversion to earlier stages of survival modes as we become forced to compete with each other more. Wilber's concepts of "Third Tier" and transpersonal stages appear to be purely speculative and his methodology highly questionable.</p> I read Wilber’s “A Theory of Everything” a few years ago and became very interested in Spiral Dynamics and the developmental model of change:
Q: “Why dont more people care about the world?”
A: “Because they havent yet reached World centric Consciousness”.
While I still think this is a valuable approach to understanding the world and human behaviour, Wilber’s “integral theory of everything” is not really so integral after all: there is no mention of the role of energy in aiding psychological development, or any discussion of how decline in available energy after peak oil might effect the stages of growth- Orlov’s book would suggest a likely reversion to earlier stages of survival modes as we become forced to compete with each other more.
Wilber’s concepts of “Third Tier” and transpersonal stages appear to be purely speculative and his methodology highly questionable.

]]> By: Jason Cole http://transitionculture.org/2008/07/16/10-books-i-am-reading-at-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-58425 Jason Cole Tue, 22 Jul 2008 02:35:54 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=1289#comment-58425 <p>A book I read a while ago was "Jersey: Not Quite British - The Rural History of a Singular People" which describes how rural life used to be like in Jersey. Don't let the fire go out!</p> <p>I recently read Dmitry Orlov's "Reinventing Collapse" where he points out a critical difference between the Russian and American systems is there being no incentive for planned obsolescence in Russian equipment - meaning their level of resilience is much better.</p> <p>He introduced an interesting idea of being semi-nomadic, whereby you could be known by a number of communities, and move between them as necessary.</p> <p>I'm currently reading "Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times" which is looking very good indeed. So far it has explained soil chemistry and I have a far better understanding of what discriminates good soil from poor soil.</p> A book I read a while ago was “Jersey: Not Quite British – The Rural History of a Singular People” which describes how rural life used to be like in Jersey. Don’t let the fire go out!

I recently read Dmitry Orlov’s “Reinventing Collapse” where he points out a critical difference between the Russian and American systems is there being no incentive for planned obsolescence in Russian equipment – meaning their level of resilience is much better.

He introduced an interesting idea of being semi-nomadic, whereby you could be known by a number of communities, and move between them as necessary.

I’m currently reading “Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times” which is looking very good indeed. So far it has explained soil chemistry and I have a far better understanding of what discriminates good soil from poor soil.

]]> By: stef http://transitionculture.org/2008/07/16/10-books-i-am-reading-at-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-58421 stef Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:47:37 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=1289#comment-58421 <p>There are some good reads coming out in these comments. Try 'Endgame' by Derrick Jensen- strong words calling us to bring a sick civilisation crashing down- the longer we leave it the worse it will be, I can't say I agree with it all but it's a useful catalyst of ideas. And 'The Theory of Everything' by Ken Wilber- in the vain of spiral dynamics, a must for permaculture designers- with his 4 quarant approach taking off around the world, it's a clear path of how to bring Holism to what we do. Happy reading.</p> There are some good reads coming out in these comments.
Try ‘Endgame’ by Derrick Jensen- strong words calling us to bring a sick civilisation crashing down- the longer we leave it the worse it will be, I can’t say I agree with it all but it’s a useful catalyst of ideas.
And ‘The Theory of Everything’ by Ken Wilber- in the vain of spiral dynamics, a must for permaculture designers- with his 4 quarant approach taking off around the world, it’s a clear path of how to bring Holism to what we do.
Happy reading.

]]> By: Mandy http://transitionculture.org/2008/07/16/10-books-i-am-reading-at-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-58420 Mandy Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:44:10 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=1289#comment-58420 <p>My book pile has now reached heights that threaten to squash me during my sleep!</p> <p>There is so much to read about the head and hands of Transition, which can end up being quite overwhelming. I thought I would offer a couple of suggestions for when that all gets too much.</p> <p>The first one isn't a book, but something I have found really useful for the inevitable sleepless nights. Joanna Macy's DVD "The Work that Reconnects" is truely inspiring. She is an awesome lady and her work has completely changed my own perspective on what is happening at the moment.</p> <p>And, on a similar note, Starhawk's "The Fifth Sacred Thing" is also a highly recommended antidote to feeling bogged down by the complexities and difficulties facing us. This novel offers one possible vision of the future. Set in a world dealing with the after effects of both the collapse of industrial civilisation and climate change, she lays out a vision of how one city has evolved into a sustainable haven.</p> <p>Happy reading!!</p> My book pile has now reached heights that threaten to squash me during my sleep!

There is so much to read about the head and hands of Transition, which can end up being quite overwhelming. I thought I would offer a couple of suggestions for when that all gets too much.

The first one isn’t a book, but something I have found really useful for the inevitable sleepless nights. Joanna Macy’s DVD “The Work that Reconnects” is truely inspiring. She is an awesome lady and her work has completely changed my own perspective on what is happening at the moment.

And, on a similar note, Starhawk’s “The Fifth Sacred Thing” is also a highly recommended antidote to feeling bogged down by the complexities and difficulties facing us. This novel offers one possible vision of the future. Set in a world dealing with the after effects of both the collapse of industrial civilisation and climate change, she lays out a vision of how one city has evolved into a sustainable haven.

Happy reading!!

]]> By: Graham Strouts http://transitionculture.org/2008/07/16/10-books-i-am-reading-at-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-58384 Graham Strouts Sat, 19 Jul 2008 10:55:59 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=1289#comment-58384 <p>Great list Rob thanks. Glad to see Naomi Klein's "The Shock Doctrine"- essential for understanding the world today. I would like to add anything by Michael Pollan- I am reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma" right now- ideal for the bedside table, lyrical and stimulating; and also the wonderful "The World Without Us" by Alan Wiseman which takes us on a journey around the world to consider how rapidly nature would return were humans to suddenly disappear- great insights into both our predicament and our relationship with the natural world.</p> Great list Rob thanks. Glad to see Naomi Klein’s “The Shock Doctrine”- essential for understanding the world today.
I would like to add anything by Michael Pollan- I am reading “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” right now- ideal for the bedside table, lyrical and stimulating;
and also the wonderful “The World Without Us” by Alan Wiseman which takes us on a journey around the world to consider how rapidly nature would return were humans to suddenly disappear- great insights into both our predicament and our relationship with the natural world.

]]> By: Joanne Poyourow http://transitionculture.org/2008/07/16/10-books-i-am-reading-at-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-58371 Joanne Poyourow Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:22:37 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=1289#comment-58371 <p><em>Toolbox for Sustainable City Living</em> by Scott Kellogg and Stacy Pettigrew. It has lots of practical stuff, like mushroom log cultivation, rainwater collection, rocket stoves and bioremediation, as well as more "normal" stuff like composting, home livestock, and edible forests.</p> <p>But I will second Steve in recommending that really awesome book <em>The Transition Handbook</em>. My copy is now full of bookmarks of things to do and try here in Los Angeles.</p> Toolbox for Sustainable City Living by Scott Kellogg and Stacy Pettigrew. It has lots of practical stuff, like mushroom log cultivation, rainwater collection, rocket stoves and bioremediation, as well as more “normal” stuff like composting, home livestock, and edible forests.

But I will second Steve in recommending that really awesome book The Transition Handbook. My copy is now full of bookmarks of things to do and try here in Los Angeles.

]]> By: Chris Vernon http://transitionculture.org/2008/07/16/10-books-i-am-reading-at-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-58365 Chris Vernon Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:25:34 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=1289#comment-58365 <p>Another nod towards Dmitry Orlov's book. A fascinating account, a metaphor in every other sentence!</p> Another nod towards Dmitry Orlov’s book. A fascinating account, a metaphor in every other sentence!

]]> By: Kamil Pachalko http://transitionculture.org/2008/07/16/10-books-i-am-reading-at-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-58364 Kamil Pachalko Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:05:43 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=1289#comment-58364 <p>hey great selection of books above. I'm surely going to check some of them out.</p> <p>At the moment the one I'm trying to crack is Paulo Freire "Pedagogy of the Oppressed" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Freire</p> <p>Didn't expect to find so many insights and parallels with the process of co-education I'm trying to practice when meeting groups and exploring with them Transition. I always deny I'm an expert. What I look for are answers from within the community and people can be so creative though they deny it;)</p> <p>http://westclifftransition.wordpress.com/2008/06/25/grow-your-own-film-night-at-springfield-drive-allotments-19th-june-2008/ see post it tool write up.</p> <p>So keep the reading up and maybe this post could be changed to a link on transition towns network page detailing a transition library:)</p> hey great selection of books above. I’m surely going to check some of them out.

At the moment the one I’m trying to crack is Paulo Freire “Pedagogy of the Oppressed”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Freire

Didn’t expect to find so many insights and parallels with the process of co-education I’m trying to practice when meeting groups and exploring with them Transition.
I always deny I’m an expert. What I look for are answers from within the community and people can be so creative though they deny it;)

http://westclifftransition.wordpress.com/2008/06/25/grow-your-own-film-night-at-springfield-drive-allotments-19th-june-2008/
see post it tool write up.

So keep the reading up and maybe this post could be changed to a link on transition towns network page detailing a transition library:)

]]> By: fin de mundo http://transitionculture.org/2008/07/16/10-books-i-am-reading-at-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-58356 fin de mundo Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:20:14 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=1289#comment-58356 <p>These are great books. I also have two huge piles going beside the bed. I too am usually reading several simultaneously. However, I have found that it is essential to include some selections grounded in the love of nature. I would recommend Robert MacFarlane-The Wild Places and Mountains of The Mind. Also Roger Deakin-Waterlog or anything by John Muir or John Burroughs. When the fear and turmoil start to wind me up these books give me a reminder of what we're hoping to reconnect with after all the tribulation to come.</p> These are great books. I also have two huge piles going beside the bed. I too am usually reading several simultaneously. However, I have found that it is essential to include some selections grounded in the love of nature. I would recommend Robert MacFarlane-The Wild Places and Mountains of The Mind. Also Roger Deakin-Waterlog or anything by John Muir or John Burroughs. When the fear and turmoil start to wind me up these books give me a reminder of what we’re hoping to reconnect with after all the tribulation to come.

]]> By: Shaun Chamberlin http://transitionculture.org/2008/07/16/10-books-i-am-reading-at-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-58355 Shaun Chamberlin Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:37:04 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=1289#comment-58355 <p>'Reinventing collapse' by Dmitry Orlov. A totally different perspective from someone who saw the Soviet collapse first-hand. Essential (and very enjoyable!) reading.</p> <p>I wrote a full review on my blog here:</p> <p>http://www.darkoptimism.org/2008/06/29/reinventing-collapse/</p> <p>ps I can't go without seconding the recommendation on Kahlil Gibran's 'The Prophet'. "Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding".</p> ‘Reinventing collapse’ by Dmitry Orlov. A totally different perspective from someone who saw the Soviet collapse first-hand. Essential (and very enjoyable!) reading.

I wrote a full review on my blog here:

http://www.darkoptimism.org/2008/06/29/reinventing-collapse/

ps I can’t go without seconding the recommendation on Kahlil Gibran’s ‘The Prophet’. “Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding”.

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