The incomparable Rebecca Solnit, author of more than a dozen
acclaimed books of nonfiction, brings the same dazzling writing to the
twenty-nine essays in The Encyclopedia of Trouble and
Spaciousness. As the title suggests, the territory of Solnit's
concerns is vast, and in her signature alchemical style she combines
commentary on history, justice, war and peace, and explorations of
place, art, and community, all while writing with the lyricism of a poet
to achieve incandescence and wisdom. Gathered here are celebrated iconic
essays along with little-known pieces that create a powerful survey of
the world we live in. In its encyclopedic reach and its generous
compassion, Solnit's collection charts a way through the thickets of our
complex social and political worlds. Like the women who've pioneered
before her--Sontag, Didion, and Dillard--her essays are a beacon.