| It has become obvious to all but the most | | | | single sitting. Indeed, once you've gotten a |
| unrelentingly stubborn apologists for the oil | | | | sense of its sharp humor and cerebral charms, |
| industry that we now stand at a pivotal | | | | you may be tempted to consume the whole thing |
| moment in the history of our planet. As much | | | | while in the middle of a crowded book store. |
| fun as it would be to make fun of Al Gore's | | | | |
| pretentious drawl and expanding bald spot, | | | | Try to avoid this temptation, as you will |
| none of us can afford to ignore his clarion | | | | find Fables to be a veritable banquet of |
| call for global change. With humankind's | | | | philosophical speculation and belly laughs. |
| carbon footprint leaving a catastrophic | | | | How in God's name, you may be wondering, can |
| impact upon Mother Earth, it is the sacred | | | | one book offer such seemingly incongruous |
| responsibility of every citizen to make a | | | | rewards? The answer to that question is the |
| change for the better. We can all agree on | | | | secret of Quisling's triumph. He has crafted |
| that much, but the next question is a lot | | | | three distinct but thematically connected |
| thornier: How exactly do you start? | | | | tales,focusing on some of the Earth's least |
| | | | respected inhabitants: a clam, an ant, and an |
| As in so many vital areas of life, when | | | | earthworm. Against all expectation, Quisling |
| confronted by a monumental task it is | | | | turns these lowly invertebrates into heroes |
| beneficial to start with something small. In | | | | of truly epic scale. |
| other words, begin by taking a "micro" view | | | | |
| of your "macro" problem. Numerous studies | | | | By infusing so much ambiguous life and |
| have indicated that the more we are taught to | | | | recognizably human foibles into its |
| respect and even love the tiniest creatures, | | | | three-pack of protagonists, Fables allows |
| the deeper connection we will feel to the | | | | readers to understand these creatures as |
| planet at large. So if you're looking to | | | | reflections of ourselves. Laughable as the |
| address climate change in your own way, you | | | | clam's frustration with the emptiness of his |
| might want to start by picking up a copy of | | | | existence might seem, is our own periodic |
| Fables From the Mud by Erik Quisling. This | | | | despair any less ridiculous? It all comes |
| book, simple in structure yet profound in | | | | down to a matter of perspective, which seems |
| implication, illuminates the plight of | | | | to be one of Quisling's primary lessons. |
| Earth's smallest inhabitants in a style that | | | | |
| will make you laugh even as your empathy | | | | After reading this timeless book, you may |
| expands. | | | | find yourself thinking twice before stepping |
| | | | on the next ant you see crossing the |
| The first thing you are apt to notice about | | | | sidewalk. He's a guest on this ailing planet, |
| Fables is the fluid interchange between | | | | just like you. And for all you know, he might |
| illustrations and text. This book has been | | | | be in the middle of an heroic struggle worthy |
| designed with such a graceful simplicity that | | | | of mention in a book Fables From the Mud. |
| you could easily read it cover to cover in a | | | | |