Open as in book discussion

Hi everyone,

Our next live meeting of OpenAsInBook will be in December or January. I'll share a Doodle poll with the group soon to nail down a date. But in the meantime, what would everyone like to read? Feel welcome to suggest any books that you've wanted to read or read and think the group would enjoy.

I'll start some brainstorming with a few suggestions from Friday's call:

#1 - Margaret Atwood double whammy with the Handmaid's Tale and The Testaments

#2 - The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well by Douglas Stone and Sheila

Excited to hear what titles everyone comes up with!

Best,
Anna

Thank you, Anna!

I took a look at the bookshelf and two books that caught my attention (they are all amazing) are:
- As We Have Always Done: Indigenous Freedom through Radical Resistance by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson
- Towards Collective Liberation: Anti-Racist Organizing, Feminist Praxis, and Movement Building Strategy by Chris Crass

If we want a novel, I really enjoyed and would re-read "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures" by Anne Fadiman.

Looking forward to it. :)

These all sound fantastic to me. I’ll add one more into the mix that was just recommended to me today: The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, by Priya Parker.

The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker is great, and I've been wanting to read Towards Collective Liberation. I'd love to discuss either with this group sometime! A couple of other options we might consider at some point:

- How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
- Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World by Anand Giridharadas

Looking forward to it as well!

I know that this is unpopular opinion but I really did not like Handmaid's Tale.

I like the suggestion of "Towards Collective Liberation" I feel like we are on a great theme of action orientated learning and would love to keep it up!

I also really, really, really want to read Winners Take All.

These all sound great to me!!

I’m happy to drop Handmaids Tale & The Testaments from the list (I suggested them). It’s probably a bit of a big ask to read two novels, and definitely not great if folks don’t like them :)

Can we have this decided before MozFest? Or maybe just having the doodle poll is fine to promote (then new members can vote too!)

Thank you for organising Anna!!

Thanks for the input everyone! Based on your suggestions, I created a Doodle poll to help us decide between...

The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, by Priya Parker

and

Towards Collective Liberation: Anti-Racist Organizing, Feminist Praxis, and Movement Building Strategy by Chris Crass

Please submit a response by Friday October, 25.
https://doodle.com/poll/aff7vrbsmivaxfya

Hi everyone,

The results of the poll for our December/January book are in! It was really really close this time. "Towards Collective Liberation: Anti-Racist Organizing, Feminist Praxis, and Movement Building Strategy" by Chris Crass won by a single vote!

The next step is to select a date/time for meeting. Please feel out one more Doodle poll by next Monday November, 4. Then I'll follow-up shortly after with a date and time for our next call.
https://doodle.com/poll/bt74d7m9weywwutn

Happy reading :-)
Anna

Hi everyone -

The results of the poll are in! Save the date for Monday, January 6, 2020 at 1:00 - 2:00PM Eastern. In a few weeks, I'll share a GoogleDoc to store our thoughts as we read.

Has anyone started reading the book yet? Any initial impressions that you would like to share with the group? I'm still tracking down a copy...but hoping to find one soon!

Happy reading :-)
Anna

Thanks, Anna, for organizing. I just ordered a used copy from Amazon for less then $7. The library did not have any copies available.

Looking forward to our discussion!

Happy reading,

Daniela

Hi everyone! I am really excited to discuss collective liberation next Monday, January 6 at 10:00AM PDT | 1:00PM EDT | 6:00PM UK | 7:00PM CET. I set up an agenda for the call (with many thanks to Naomi for sharing a template!): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1g...#

Please feel welcome to add any thoughts or discussion points to the agenda. I'm still working my way through and will add some of my own ideas too. Right now, I'm still digesting a few quotes.

"We must create what we are for while we work against what we oppose"

"...incremental change as opportunities for people to build their own power and see themselves as capable of winning larger-scale change"

"social change is an ongoing process of evolution marked by periods of revolutionary change that accelerate that evolution"

I'm only 20% through, but right now I really like how the author is connecting revolutionary change with incremental change. It's something that I've been trying to reconcile the whole year.

Thanks for suggesting this book, I’d never have known about it otherwise.

I’m only 1/6 through it so far but already am learning so much, particularly about the history of activist movements in the US. It’s really useful context and I’m reflecting on how some things are being repeated in more recent movements, eg “science is political”, and the need to have codes of conduct and agree on values to ensure the new we’re aiming for doesn’t just replicate the old.

I’m finding it both hopeful and disheartening that 1000s of people have stepped down these paths of change activism before us: people are good and willing, but it’s so easy to crush any change that is made (hence the need for continued action and energy). Anna, I’m hoping to get a more hopeful reflection on sustaining incremental change as I keep reading!

I am finding it quite verbose, so I’m reading it pretty fast, sometimes skimming. I like how approachable it is in general, and am looking forward to more over the weekend!

I only started the book yesterday but I’m already 100 pages in - I’m absolutely loving it. I think every other page has a sentence highlighted for discussion or reflection!

I’m not 100% confident that I’ll make the call - I’ll be at a residential winter school with really bad signal. Do we ever record them? I’d really love to hear all your thoughts if we can?

Happy new year to you all. And huge thank yous for the motivation to read these books. Like Naomi I’d never have know about this one and I so appreciate the historic context. 🎊🎊🎊

Dear all,
I haven't read the book yet but taking inspiration from this thread to start. Unfortunately I will not be able to join the call on 6th as I am in India and there are unannounced internet ban by the government to curb protests against citizenship amendment act. I hope, I will be able to watch the recording of the call.
Best,
Vinodh

I’m so sorry to hear that Vinodh.

Anna - do you know how many people could put current slot? With Kirstie and Vinodh keen but unable to attend, do you think it’s worth considering a reshuffle?

If not, I wonder if your zoom call could be a webinar setting so it’s easy to send out the video after to “registrants”? At least we must make sure to record (if all consent) and find a way to share with Kirstie and Vinodh!

Sadly I have an NAS call now scheduled at this time so I won't be to attend (I'm also way behind reading the book but based on the encouraging notes here I will finish it!). I hope everyone's year is off to a great start.

Naomi wrote: "I’m so sorry to hear that Vinodh.

Anna - do you know how many people could put current slot? With Kirstie and Vinodh keen but unable to attend, do you think it’s worth considering a reshuffle?

I..."

I'm sorry to hear that Vinodh. I agree with you Naomi--let's find a time later in the month to reschedule when more people can join!
Doodle Poll: https://doodle.com/poll/6fuzisfdrpq6qrsu

RESCHEDULING! Hi everyone, we decided to reschedule tomorrow's call so that more people can join (and others have a chance to finish the book). Please fill out the Doodle poll by Wednesday Jan 8: https://doodle.com/poll/6fuzisfdrpq6qrsu

Best,
Anna

Hi everyone,

The results from the Doodle poll are in. Our rescheduled meeting will take place Monday, January 27 at 9:00AM PDT | 12:00PM EDT | 5:00PM UK | 6:00PM CET. I hope you can join!

Don't forget to add your thoughts to the GoogleDoc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1g...#

Best,
Anna

Thank you Anna!! See you all there :)