What have you read recently?

There are a number of books that have inspired the Joy in Enough campaign. Tim Jackson’s book Prosperity Without Growth is one of them, and Wilkinson and Pickett’s seminal title The Spirit Level. You can see a list of suggested books here, and here are a couple of more recent titles that are making us think:

First, The Growth Delusion, by David Pilling. It’s written by a Financial Times correspondent, which is notable – this is no leftist environmental critique of growth. It shows that the flaws in GDP accounting and the endless pursuit are bigger than political divides, and it may help to persuade some who have hitherto ignored the issue.

Speaking of leftist environmental critique, many readers will be familiar with George Monbiot, who has made his name with exactly that. Out of the Wreckage takes a different tack though, focusing on how modern consumerist societies alienate us from each other and lead to loneliness. His prescription for a new politics is rooted in local community building. As Christians, this should give us pause for thought: community building is something the church is good at. While Monbiot writes from a secular standpoint, the book shows how the church could help to facilitate transformational change.

Longer reviews here and here for those interested.

What have you read recently? Any books to recommend?