Also By This Author

Connected Wisdom

Living Stories About Living Systems

by Linda Booth Sweeney

Praise

"Artfully, beautifully, playfully, seriously, clearly Linda Booth Sweeney invites us to join her in a deeper understanding of the profound principles of living systems. Tapping wisdom connected to many cultures and many times, Linda weaves memorable simple stories into a tapestry holding enormous complexity. A book that is at once a work of art, a representation of science, and an invitation to think more deeply and playfully, Connected Wisdom is a gift. Whether the reader is six or sixty, it matters not. These pages open us more fully to the world around us."

—Judy Sorum Brown, Senior Fellow, The James MacGregor Burns Academy of Leadership

"So well presented, so clearly written, so enticing to the teacher in me, so appealing to the self-directed learner. I love the way [Linda Booth Sweeney] connects classic folk tales to what's real for students (of any age) and to the larger context of natural systems. She prepares the reader for each tale such that we marvel at the universality of the spoken traditions of old.... If education can make the adjustment to a systems approach that is inclusive of environmental science and human relatedness as she suggests, we'll be far better off. I think the days of independence and self-centered thinking are over. We need a holistic approach to living and learning where teachers and children, families and communities, farmers and white-collar workers respect each other and depend on each other for the sustainability of the planet.

—Sandria Parsons, Founder, South Coast Learning Network

"Our actions, connected to the people and the natural world around us, are not only worth seeing, it is the point at which you are actually seeing. Connected Wisdom uses simple language, pictures, and parables to explain and beautifully illustrate natural principles in our relationships to each other and the natural world. This book helps parents and children alike see our world made up of many parts for what it is--connected."

—Steve Swenson, Aldo Leopold Foundation

Wow! I love how [Linda Booth Sweeney] talks about each concept and uses the folktales to illustrate/expand. The book could easily be used as the basis for a curriculum on the interconnected-ness of our world (in a variety of content areas from science to social studies)--the concepts can be talked about and applied at so many different levels. I feel like it could be adapted and used in the whole range of grade levels--kindergarten through high school."

—Rachel Rosner, Professional Educator

Beautiful…The writing so seamlessly tied together [the author's] ecological concepts with the stories … chosen. And such handsome bookmaking! I am doing a keynote on tales of kindness for the National Storytelling Network Conference in Hawaii and will add this to my bibliography.

—Margaret Read MacDonald, Author and storyteller

I just received your beautiful book! .... It's wonderful to see how you can make the ideas resonate--presenting them in a straightforward way that gets to their essential elements. And the illustrations by Guy Billout are a great accompaniment, curiously detailed and mythic at the same moment. Congratulations.

—David Eddy Spicer, University of Bath (UK), Department of Education

A gorgeous collection of fables, illuminated by thoughtful summaries. Connected Wisdom gives us a clear view of living systems through the power of storytelling. My first glance gave me that ever-warming Aha! of interconnectedness.

—Peter C. Stone, author of The Untouchable Tree, An Illustrated Guide to Earthly Wisdom & Arboreal Delights

The moment you touch and open this book, its wisdom is evident. This is the wisdom of wholes, of belonging, and connecting the dots to see the richer tapestry of life.

—Raffi Cavoukian , singer, author, founder of Child Honoring

Bravo! Your book is a triumph. Connected Wisdom: Living Stories about Living Systems belongs in every classroom.

—Joanna Macy, Eco-philosopher, author, and educator

Connected Wisdom is spectacular -- mouth watering! I love the simplicity of language [the author] uses to tell the stories, and the framing of them. The artwork is delightful and the book design and materials are knock-your-socks off.

—Anne Starr, Partner, The Learning Circle

As our new century unfolds, it is becoming more and more evident that the major problems of our time are systemic problems, which means that they are all interconnected and interdependent. To solve them, we need to learn how to think systemically — in terms of relationships, patterns, processes, and context. In this book, Linda Booth Sweeney has assembled a wonderful collection of ancient folk tales and myths from around the world, which convey the profound "systemic wisdom" of peoples who lived close to nature and had a deep intuitive understanding of life's networks, cycles, and processes of transformation. I highly recommend Connected Wisdom as a superb tool for teaching and learning the systemic thinking that is critical in our globally interconnected world.

—Fritjof Capra, author, The Web of Life and The Hidden Connections