October 2004 | From the Editor
On the Same Page
During his too-short life, civil rights leader Malcolm X once said he could spend the rest of his days reading books.
“My alma mater is books, a good library,” he explained. “I could spend the rest of my life reading, just satisfying my curiosity.”
I don’t presume to know Malcolm X’s experience but I do share his passion for books and reading and all things printed. I have long said you could drop me off at a bookstore when it opens, go shopping, sightseeing, have some meetings, eat lunch, run a marathon, go for a scenic drive on one of our islands in the Puget Sound, plant a yard full of tulip bulbs and take your time-no, I mean take ... your ... time — before coming back to retrieve me. Because I would still be happy with my nose in books or magazines (including this one).
So assigning and planning this month’s Books Issue 2004 was a pleasure. Regular contributor Silja J.A. Talvi and I talked at length about the local bookstores we love. Our favorites are all fiercely independent and integral to their neighborhoods.
We talked about the “journey” of those bookstores, how they are finding their way-and profits-in the giant shadow cast by Seattle-based Amazon.com, along with the big, and I mean behemoth, bookstore chains such as Borders and Barnes and Noble.
Silja’s answer is in this month’s cover story, Survival Lit. The short form is we can all do more to help support our favorite bookstores. Local bookstore owners and workers are certainly pulling their weight with community events and, savor it, real live knowledge about books and authors.
To round out our Books 2004 package, staff writer Emily Garland writes about local book clubs and how they can change lives. Plus, don’t forget our always strong and provocative Dragonfly Review of Books. Don’t miss Monte Paulsen’s monthly “Book Buzz” column, the well-crafted reviews or the Dragonfly Bestsellers lists for spirituality, health and current events.
Hawken, Chopra and EM
Speaking of good reads, I am proud and thrilled to announce two original commissioned pieces this month from bestselling authors and great thinkers Paul Hawken and Deepak Chopra.
The Hawken story, “Is Your Money Where Your Heart Is?”, is an exclusive preview for Evergreen Monthly by the director of the Natural Capital Institute on its likely controversial, soon to be released, in-depth report on the socially responsible investment mutual fund industry.
In a rare departure, Deepak agreed to address the upcoming presidential election and your vote. In an exclusive story for EM, Deepak makes a strong case for why it is vital for spiritual people to be voters rather than, say, meditators during the Bush-Kerry decision.
Remember the Evvies
While there is no denying the November election is paramount, we have our own voting to do here at Evergreen Monthly. We are presenting our first annual “Evvies Awards” in the December issue to identify all things green, inspirational, healthy, deep, peaceful and socially responsible.
— Bob Condor
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