jenny cares 

The book, Earth, arrived this morning, and I love it! Within just a few pages I had tears in my eyes.
But I'll let this book reviewer tell you about it...
Reviewer: Kate Arneman
Author: Bob Brown
Title: Earth
G Magazine, click here
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As you'd expect from Greens Senator Bob Brown, this is a political book, though not in the conventional sense.
 For one thing, it's only 500 words long and its size and layout resemble a gift book, the kind you see stacked up around the counter of the book shop with soothing pictures on the cover and titles invoking serenity or tranquillity.
 In its content, though, Earth is miles away from the sentimentality and cliche of many such publications. In an expression of his holistic political philosophy, Brown offers a series of personal reflections on humanity's place in the universe, our responsibility as guardians of the environment, the need to change our ways if we are to preserve our planet as we know it and why global democracy is essential in achieving this.
 I found reading Earth to be quite a meditative experience. The language is unadorned yet lyrical - "Earth is our miraculous cradle and we are its momentous mind" - and each handful of words appears opposite a full-page photograph of the natural world.
 All the photographs were taken by Brown and all except one were taken in Tasmania. The images display a diversity and wealth of life, from frilly orange lichen to a perfectly formed red-breasted bird, as well as the beauty of the landscape.
 Earth would make a wonderful present, but you might want to have it on your own shelf for personal reflection as well.