Parker Palmer Books

At a critical time in American life, Parker J. Palmer looks with realism and hope at how to deal with our political tensions for the sake of the common good--without the shouting, blaming, or defaming so common in our politics today.In his newest book, Parker J. Palmer builds on his own extensive experience as an inner life explorer and social change activist to examine the personal and social infrastructure of American politics. What he did for educators in The Courage to Teach he does here for citizens by looking at the dynamics of our inner lives for clues to reclaiming our civic well-being. In Healing the Heart of Democracy, he points the way to a politics rooted in the commonwealth of compassion and creativity still found among "We the People.""Democracy," writes Palmer, "is a non-stop experiment in the strengths and weaknesses of our political institutions, local communities, and the human heart--and its outcome can never be taken for granted. The experiment is endless, unless we blow up the lab, and the explosives to do the job are found within us. But so also is the heart's alchemy that can turn suffering into compassion, conflict into community, and tension into energy for creativity amid democracy's demands."Healing the Heart of Democracy names the "habits of the heart" we need to revitalize our politics and shows how they can be formed in the everyday venues of our lives. Palmer proposes practical and hopeful methods to hold the tensions of our differences in a manner that can help us restore a government "of the people, by the people, for the people."Praise for "Healing the Heart of Democracy""We have been trying to bridge the great divides in this great country for a long time. In this book, Parker J. Palmer urges us to 'keep on walking, keep on talking'--just as we did in the civil rights movement--until we cross those bridges together." --Congressman John Lewis, recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Nonviolent Peace Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom"A book born for this moment. Wise, evocative, and pragmatic at its core, this dream for a new politics is grounded in dignity and liberty for all." --Terry Tempest Williams, author, "The Open Space of Democracy""The most important manifesto in generations for breaking through the divisiveness that has paralyzed our democracy." --Bill Shore, founder of Share Our Strength; author, "The Imaginations of Unreasonable Men""All who harbor concerns about American politics will find in this book a wise and kindred spirit who reminds us of choices we can make to help 'reweave the tattered fabric of our civic life.' You will close this book appreciating how much you can do, and how much depends on you." --Diana Chapman Walsh, president emerita, Wellesley College"Breaks new ground in marrying the capacity of the human heart with the tensions inherent in politics and] breathes new life into what it means to be a citizen--accountable, compassionate, fiercely realistic." --Peter Block and John McKnight, coauthors, "The Abundant Community""The book we need for recovering the heart--the very core--of our selves and our democracy." --Krista Tippett, host, American Public Media's Being author, "Einstein's God""Could not be more timely and needed. As one who has been guided through a time of personal reflection with Parker Palmer, I invite you to join in a journey through these chapters." --Congresswoman Lois Capps, grandmother, mother, nurse, and seeker after democracy

In this text, the author invites the reader to listen to the inner teacher and follow its leadings toward a sense of meaning and purpose. Telling stories from his life and the lives of others, he shares insights illuminating a path toward vocation for all who seek the true calling of their lives.

20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION The Courage to Teach Guide for Reflection & Renewal is a helpful companion to Parker J. Palmer's classic work on restoring identity and integrity to professional life. A superb resource for those who wish to extend their exploration of the ideas in The Courage to Teach, as individuals or part of a study group, the Guide provides practical ways to create "safe space" for honest reflection and probing conversations and offers chapter-by-chapter questions and exercises to further explore the many insights in The Courage to Teach. The bonus online content includes a 70-minute interview with Parker Palmer, in which Palmer reflects on a wide range of subjects including the heart of the teacher, the crisis in education, diverse ways of knowing, relationships in teaching and learning, approaches to institutional transformation, and teachers as "culture heroes." Discussion questions related to the topics explored in the interview have been integrated into the Guide, giving individuals and study groups a chance to have "a conversation with the author" as well as an engagement with the text.

"This book is for teachers who have good days and bad -- and whose bad days bring the suffering that comes only from something one loves. It is for teachers who refuse to harden their hearts, because they love learners, learning, and the teaching life."- Parker J. Palmer [from the Introduction] Teachers choose their vocation for reasons of the heart, because they care deeply about their students and about their subject. But the demands of teaching cause too many educators to lose heart. Is it possible to take heart in teaching once more so that we can continue to do what good teachers always do -- give heart to our students? In The Courage to Teach , Parker Palmer takes teachers on an inner journey toward reconnecting with their vocation and their students -- and recovering their passion for one of the most difficult and important of human endeavors.