Why Life Matters

Dr. Michael Charles Tobias and Jane Gray Morrison are world-renowned ecological philosophers and activists, interdisciplinary social and environmental scientists and broad-ranging, deeply committed humanists. This collection of fifty essays and interviews comprises an invigorating, outspoken, provocative and eloquent overview of the ecological humanities in one highly accessible volume. The components of this collection were published in the authors’ "Green Conversations" blog series, and pieces in the Eco News Network from 2011 to 2013 and feature luminaries from Jane Goodall to Ted Turner to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution to the former head of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. Stunning color photographs captured by the authors and contributors make Why Life Matters: Fifty Ecosystems of the Heart and Mind a feast for the eyes as well as the mind and soul. Ethics, science, technology, ecological literacy, grass-roots renaissance thinkers, conservation innovation from the U.S. to the U.K.; from India to Ecuador; from Bhutan to Haiti; from across Africa, the Neo-Tropics, Central Asia and Japan, to Rio, Shanghai and Manhattan – this humanistic ode to the future of life on earth is a relevant and resonating read. Michael Tobias and Jane Gray Morrison, partners who between them have authored some 50 books and written, directed and produced some 170 films, a prolific body of work that has been read, translated and/or broadcast around the world, have been married for more than a quarter-of-a-century. Their field research across the disciplines of comparative literature, anthropology, the history of science and philosophy, ecology and ethics, in over 80 countries, has served as a telling example of what two people – deeply in love with one another – can accomplish in spreading that same unconditional love to others – of all species.

Empowering and validating, Your Life Matters reassures Black children everywhere that no matter what they hear, no matter what they experience, no matter what they're told, their lives matter. Written by national speaker Chris Singleton, who lost his own mother in the 2015 Charleston church shooting, Your Life Matters teaches kids to stand tall in the face of racial adversity and fight for the life they dream of. Each page depicts a famous hero from Black history mentoring a child of today and encouraging them to use their mind, heart, voice, and hands in that fight. Hero-mentors in the book include: Maya Angelou, Jackie Robinson, Martin Luther King, Jr., Aretha Franklin, Katherine Johnson, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas, Mary McLeod Bethune, George Washington Carver, and others.

"As the home front and the work front become increasingly integrated in contemporary life, success--or failure--in either has an undeniable effect on the other. But it is possible to keep both areas moving forward in positive ways. In this much anticipated book, A. Roger Merrill and Rebecca Merrill show readers how to navigate the critical relationships between time and money, work and family, to create a harmonious, success-enhancing dynamic between each. Life Matters guides readers in how to spend time and money in ways that translate the personal values and goals that matter most into daily life experience."--Publisher's description.

"If I were to disappear, would anybody notice?" Each of us has asked that question in dark, honest moments. In his first nonfiction book, 8 REASONS YOUR LIFE MATTERS, bestselling author John Herrick combines personal struggles with biblical insight. Injecting eight chapters with humor, memoir moments, and a postmodern perspective on life, Herrick shares eight reasons your life matters: Your Life is More Permanent than Your Struggles God Sees You Differently than You See Yourself You Have a Destiny You are Remembered, not Forgotten You Were Someone’s First Pick Your Absence Would Leave a Permanent Hole People Need to See You Overcome You are Loved and Valued Eight solid reasons to give life one more chance. Eight reasons your life matters. Join John Herrick, author of the novels FROM THE DEAD and BEAUTIFUL MESS, and discover fresh purpose for your life. For readers who enjoy best sellers by Joyce Meyer and Joel Osteen.

Your Life Matters! helps people of all ages honour their truth and embrace all that they have lived by teaching them to write their life stories. Author, psychotherapist, and writing coach Junie Swadron has guided men and women to write their life stories for more than twenty-five years. Her books, Re-Write Your Life and Write Where You Are, have helped thousands of writers move through fear and writer's block. In Your Life Matters! you will learn how to: Inspire others with the wisdom you've attained in your lifetime Achieve your life-long dream of writing your story Bust through your blocks to write with confidence and ease Free yourself from your painful past by writing your truth Allow the hard lessons of life to become your greatest gifts

Most people, including philosophers, tend to classify human motives as falling into one of two categories: the egoistic or the altruistic, the self-interested or the moral. According to Susan Wolf, however, much of what motivates us does not comfortably fit into this scheme. Often we act neither for our own sake nor out of duty or an impersonal concern for the world. Rather, we act out of love for objects that we rightly perceive as worthy of love--and it is these actions that give meaning to our lives. Wolf makes a compelling case that, along with happiness and morality, this kind of meaningfulness constitutes a distinctive dimension of a good life. Written in a lively and engaging style, and full of provocative examples, Meaning in Life and Why It Matters is a profound and original reflection on a subject of permanent human concern.

In this inspiring, uplifting and timely book, Harold Kushner addresses our craving for significance, the need to know that our lives and choices mean something. We sometimes confuse power, wealth and fame with true achievement. We can do great things, and occasionally terrible things, to reassure ourselves that we matter to the world. We need to think of ourselves as good people and are troubled when we compromise our integrity to be successful and important. In Living a Life That Matters, Rabbi Kushner suggests that the path to a truly successful and significant life lies in friendship, family, acts of generosity and self-sacrifice, as well as in God's forgiving nature. He describes how, in changing the life of even one person in a positive way, we make a difference in the world, give our lives meaning, and prove that we do, in fact, matter.

This book is an open letter to teachers offering guidance and encouragement for nurturing students in ways that make teaching and learning meaningful. The authors promote an approach to teaching that fosters self-knowledge, creativity, curiosity, and an appreciation for our planet. Central to their philosophy is the question of what we humans need in order to live meaningful lives, and the answer lies in healthy relationships with ourselves, each other, and the world.