Haiku ~ Jon Neiss
Shield: a Performance / Prayer ~ Julie Laffin
The Man Who Planted Hope and Grew Happiness review ~ Lucinda Hodges
Winter Solstice Astronomy ~ Comet Hunter
Paper, Plastic or Neither? ~ Mathew Tyler Funk
The Big Zit ~ Eric Schimek
Reflections on an Involuntary Misfit ~ Norie
Home Sweet Home ~ Julie Genser
Unintentional Spook House ~ Jackie Colson
The Value of Testing ~ Barb Rubin
Dr. Cathcart tribute ~ John Javilk
Hearty Winter Soups ~ Ann
Oriental Chicken Soup ~ Rachel Rogel
Snow Ice Cream ~ Kathy Fitzpatrick
Spiced Vegan Persimmon Bread ~ Norie
Diverse Communities - Common Cause ~ MM MacRaven
Winter Garden ~ Kathy Fitzpatrick
Angel DeFazio President of NTEF ~ Interview
Community Ad space for Blogs, Websites, and Support Groups
A World-Wide call to Intentional Healing of the Earth, Ourselves and All Others ~ Betty Kreeger
Book Review
The Man Who Planted Hope and Grew Happiness
by Jena Giono
Reviewed by Lucinda Hodges
"When you remembered that all this had sprung
from the hands and the soul of this one man, without technical resources,
you understood that men
could be as effectual as God in realms other than that of destruction."
By Jean Giono
The Man Who Planted Hope and Grew Happiness, is the perfect book to read for the winter solstice: the darkest day of year. No matter how low the sun is on the horizon this book will remind you of the hope each day brings as the sun begins to rise in the sky once again.
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On the site of the ruins I had seen in 1913 there are now well-kept farms, the sign of a happy and comfortable life. The old springs, fed by rain and snow now that are now retained by the forests, have once again begun to flow. The brooks have been channeled. Beside each farm, amid groves of maples, the pools of fountains are bordered by carpets of fresh mint. Jean Giono |
This book could be viewed as the French version of Johnny Appleseed. Giono's story is a more spiritual telling of the folklore tale of Johnny Appleseed; and though his book is really a booklet, his writing speaks volumes about the abilities of mankind. The main character of the book EIzeard Bouffier, is a quiet peasant who sets out, of his own determination, to plant one hundred acorn seeds a day upon a barren desert.
The Man Who Planted Hope and Grew Happiness is freely available on the Internet. The link I have provided above is one of hundreds of websites you may view and read his book on. Originally, The Man Who Planted Hope was published as an article in Vogue Magazine in 1954. The book was first published by a French publisher in 1954. In 1967 the first American edition was published. This first American printing is now out-of-print, but still available on the web through various booksellers for generally less than five dollars. There is a current version of, The Man who Planted Hope, in print with a new title, The Man Who Planted Trees. As well, there is a Twentieth Anniversary hard-cover edition of the book complete with gorgeous wood cut illustrations.
No matter which publication of the book you read, this is a timeless tale of hope for mankind that is an excellent choice to read out loud during the holiday season; especially for families looking for uplifting spiritual reading without religious overtones.
The creation of a
thousand forests is in one acorn.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
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