Nimue Brown reviews ‘Storytelling for a Greener World: Environment, community and story-based learning’ by Alida Gersie (Editor), Anthony Nanson (Editor), Edward Schieffelin (Editor) – Hawthorn Press ~
While this isn’t written as an explicitly Druidic book, this is an excellent text for the aspiring bard. It includes a wealth of relevant stories, many ideas for working in bardic ways and an abundance of inspiration. In a well structured set of chapters exploring different aspects of storytelling, a range of experienced contributors discuss using story to help people engage sustainably. This is all about heritage and ancestry, land, spirits of place, sustainable living, inspiration, creativity and making change. Whether you’re working with song, poetry, traditional myths, ecological truths or campaigns for social justice, what we are doing in essence is telling stories to each other. Being a bard is such a complex path, and it is in the weaving together of land and tribe, past and future, that the bard really comes into their own. Whether you are just starting that journey, or have been walking it for a long time, this is a book with much to offer. Highly recommended.
