Desmond Tutu and Lester Brown are both passionately outspoken on two respective big issues confronting the world today, and I have just finished reading their latest two books now going into the library. The issues are big, but the books are very readable and modest-sized. The issues are quite different, but they overlap on the topic of global poverty.

Tutu’s book, God is Not a Christian, and other provocations, is a collection of excerpts of lectures and sermons, given over a more than 30 year period, edited by his biographer John Allen and including an introductory commentary with each. Tutu was certainly predictable: he was never afraid to say what he felt about so-called Christian political leaders not acting in a Christian way. Although he is a very prominent archbishop, he likes to use everyday language, such as “We really must work like mad to eradicate poverty,” in an address in South Africa in the post-apartheid period, amid ugly political wrangling.

Brown’s passion is to educate the world about the biggest environmental issues today and how to deal with them. The President of Earth Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., and recipient of numerous awards, prizes, and 25 honorary degrees, Brown has written literally dozens of books on the subject, constantly reminding us that we have an imminent looming crisis. His most recent previous book is Plan B 4.0. This latest book is World on the Edge; how to prevent environmental and economic collapse. The titles of the last three chapters of the book convey the thrust of his message effectively: “Eradicating poverty, stabilizing population and rescuing failed states,” “Feeding 8 billion,” and “Saving civilization.”

The library summer inventory continues. Thanks for returning those books and DVDs.

Rudy Dyck, Librarian