Polly Dyer – Seattle • Entered by Penelope Peterson on August 31, 2023
GOB Book Club
May 23, 2023 – May 23, 2023
Participants and Hours
| Pre Planning hours | 3 |
| Post Admin hours | |
| Activity Hours | 1.75 |
| Participants | 11 |
| Total Hours | 22.25 |
Key Issue: Public Lands Health & Protection
Activity Type: Education & Outreach (tabling, films & lectures, regional B-walks/works)
Key Partners: Polly Dyer Seattle Broads and a few Broads from other states
Short Description of Activity
We met at 7 pm on the evening of May 23rd to discuss “Radical Joy for Hard Times: Finding Meaning and Making Beauty in Earth’s Broken Places,” by Trebbe Johnson. As always, I prepared questions ahead of time as follows:
“Sense of place” is very important to Trebbe Johnson. How would you describe Trebbe Johnson’s conception of “sense of place?” How does her conception differ from other ideas of “sense of place,” and what it might be lacking?
Johnson relates how she was inspired in 1987 by making a video of David Powless
of the Oneida nation and how Powless conceptualized “waste?” What was the “waste”
this story and how did Powless talk about it?
Why did Trebbe Johnson found Radical Joy for Hard Times in 2009? What was she trying
to achieve?
What is the Global Earth Exchange?
What are the five parts of the Global Earth Exchange?
a. Go to a wounded place.
b. Share your stories about what the place means to you.
c. Get to know the place as it is now.
d. Share what you discover.
e. Make a gift of beauty.
Did Trebbe Johnson convince you that practicing “Radical Joy” can
Make a difference? Why or why not?
Does she have evidence for the
Effectiveness of practicing “Radical Joy?” If so, what?
If you got the chance to ask Trebbe Johnson one question, what would it be?
What did you already know about this book’s subject before you began reading?
What did you learn?
Is this book any different than other “pop psychology” books? Why or why not?
Would you like to visit any of the places described in this book? If so, which one?
Why?
What artist would you choose to illustrate this book if you had a chance? What kinds
of illustrations would you include?
Would you recommend this book to other Broads? Why or why not?
Did you highlight or bookmark any passages from the book? Did you have a favorite quote or quotes?
Rate this book on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest.
Reflection/Evaluation
Most of our discussion focused on the weaknesses of this book. The author has no training as a psychologist or therapist, but she freely dispenses pseudo-psychological advice with little knowledge or evidence as to the effectiveness of her “radical joy” approach. One book club member summed it up well by pointing out the the shallowness of the author’s “connection with place.” As “connection with place” is a central focus of the book, this criticism calls into question the whole of the author’s argument of the book.