This book is a collection of inspiring, challenging and actionable reflections and recommendations on our time of crisis, the emerging civilization of compassion, six arenas of transformation, the "movement of movements," innovative leadership methods, global-local citizenship, and practices of care for self and others.

The word 'compassion' is a challenge to those who see themselves 'above it all'. 'Above' implies having the full knowledge of the good and evil of our times, and a response of either paralysis in the face of apocalyptic catastrophe or committed ignorance. The book provides a comprehensive analysis and description of the unnecessary suffering of our epoch: habitat degradation, 5000 years of patriarchy, systemic poverty, bought governments, the bigotry of race and tribe and wars supporting the previous five. The author stakes out six areas of transformation: sustainability, gender equity, wealth distribution, participatory decision-making, (electronic voting?), celebrating diversity, and non-violence. Each of these sections authentically describe our moment and are well worth reading. It is the second half of 'A Compassionate Civilization' that is truly compelling. Here, the veil is lifted! Who will catalyze this collective about-face from the abyss? How will we lead and what will we practice? Read this spirited book. Be with the movement of movements.

The word 'compassion' is a challenge to those who see themselves 'above it all'. 'Above' implies having the full knowledge of the good and evil of our times, and a response of either paralysis in the face of apocalyptic catastrophe or committed ignorance. The book provides a comprehensive analysis and description of the unnecessary suffering of our epoch: habitat degradation, 5000 years of patriarchy, systemic poverty, bought governments, the bigotry of race and tribe and wars supporting the previous five. The author stakes out six areas of transformation: sustainability, gender equity, wealth distribution, participatory decision-making, (electronic voting?), celebrating diversity, and non-violence. Each of these sections authentically describe our moment and are well worth reading. It is the second half of 'A Compassionate Civilization' that is truly compelling. Here, the veil is lifted! Who will catalyze this collective about-face from the abyss? How will we lead and what will we practice? Read this spirited book. Be with the movement of movements.

The Unity of Heart is a manifesto for world peace, an idea to create an ideal civilization based on freedom built with love. It may seem like a big task, but there are a lot of people, surely, interested in peace, love, and the creation of an alternative culture which is the hands of the people. Suggested in the book is a three spiral action plan uniting street art with organization and community creation. The centre of the project is the unity of hearts itself, a declaration of respect for individual freedom, relationship, respect for nature and spiritual diversity. If all the positive initiatives are supported by each other, and all the positive people come together all over the world to offer energy to this cause, then beautiful ideas may be future realities.

Priceless Earth is a manifesto for creating a world based on freedom built with love. It provides a way in which all positive people and initiatives may unite in order to share and create a global subculture which will be the future of our own design.

A comprehensive account of how energy has shaped society throughout history, from pre-agricultural foraging societies through today's fossil fuel–driven civilization. "I wait for new Smil books the way some people wait for the next 'Star Wars' movie. In his latest book, Energy and Civilization: A History, he goes deep and broad to explain how innovations in humans' ability to turn energy into heat, light, and motion have been a driving force behind our cultural and economic progress over the past 10,000 years. —Bill Gates, Gates Notes, Best Books of the Year Energy is the only universal currency; it is necessary for getting anything done. The conversion of energy on Earth ranges from terra-forming forces of plate tectonics to cumulative erosive effects of raindrops. Life on Earth depends on the photosynthetic conversion of solar energy into plant biomass. Humans have come to rely on many more energy flows—ranging from fossil fuels to photovoltaic generation of electricity—for their civilized existence. In this monumental history, Vaclav Smil provides a comprehensive account of how energy has shaped society, from pre-agricultural foraging societies through today's fossil fuel–driven civilization. Humans are the only species that can systematically harness energies outside their bodies, using the power of their intellect and an enormous variety of artifacts—from the simplest tools to internal combustion engines and nuclear reactors. The epochal transition to fossil fuels affected everything: agriculture, industry, transportation, weapons, communication, economics, urbanization, quality of life, politics, and the environment. Smil describes humanity's energy eras in panoramic and interdisciplinary fashion, offering readers a magisterial overview. This book is an extensively updated and expanded version of Smil's Energy in World History (1994). Smil has incorporated an enormous amount of new material, reflecting the dramatic developments in energy studies over the last two decades and his own research over that time.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER Being a teenager has never been easy, but in recent years, with the rise of the Internet and social media, it has become exponentially more challenging. Bullying, once thought of as the province of queen bees and goons, has taken on new, complex, and insidious forms, as parents and educators know all too well. No writer is better poised to explore this territory than Emily Bazelon, who has established herself as a leading voice on the social and legal aspects of teenage drama. In Sticks and Stones, she brings readers on a deeply researched, clear-eyed journey into the ever-shifting landscape of teenage meanness and its sometimes devastating consequences. The result is an indispensable book that takes us from school cafeterias to courtrooms to the offices of Facebook, the website where so much teenage life, good and bad, now unfolds. Along the way, Bazelon defines what bullying is and, just as important, what it is not. She explores when intervention is essential and when kids should be given the freedom to fend for themselves. She also dispels persistent myths: that girls bully more than boys, that online and in-person bullying are entirely distinct, that bullying is a common cause of suicide, and that harsh criminal penalties are an effective deterrent. Above all, she believes that to deal with the problem, we must first understand it. Blending keen journalistic and narrative skills, Bazelon explores different facets of bullying through the stories of three young people who found themselves caught in the thick of it. Thirteen-year-old Monique endured months of harassment and exclusion before her mother finally pulled her out of school. Jacob was threatened and physically attacked over his sexuality in eighth grade—and then sued to protect himself and change the culture of his school. Flannery was one of six teens who faced criminal charges after a fellow student’s suicide was blamed on bullying and made international headlines. With grace and authority, Bazelon chronicles how these kids’ predicaments escalated, to no one’s benefit, into community-wide wars. Cutting through the noise, misinformation, and sensationalism, she takes us into schools that have succeeded in reducing bullying and examines their successful strategies. The result is a groundbreaking book that will help parents, educators, and teens themselves better understand what kids are going through today and what can be done to help them through it. Contains a new discussion guide for classroom use and book groups.