The Lifelong Activist: How to Change the World Without Losing Your Way

By Hillary Rettig

Book Overview

Are you an activist who is always scrambling for time--and maybe leaving some projects undone or poorly done? Do you procrastinate? Are you tired of being broke and always having to scramble for... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1590560906
• ISBN13: 9781590560907
• Release Date: November 2006
• Publisher: Lantern Publishing & Media
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.0" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

no-nonsense practical advice

Hillary Rettick's approach to social activism is important because it is a practical guide for everybody interested, not just the few who want to live their entire lives totally committed to this way of life and nothing else. She avoids the problem of limiting suggestions only to those because there is more work to be done than those few can accomplish. She points the way for most anybody to find a path of societal contribution while also pursuing an everyday life. She doesn't tell you what you have to do, rather proposes various options and ideas. A valuable guide.

An excellent read

This is an excellent book for anyone involved in the areas of social service, social activism or non-profit work. It is very easy to lose yourself when working for the good of others, and this book helps you keep perspective and sanity in your personal life. I have one for myself, and I have given three to friends who all say it is a lifesaver!

VERY IMPORTANT READ FOR TODAY!!!

This book was so very important and is very much needed to help you weave your way as a pawn through the incredibly unbelievable way that politics is being played out today, and is destined to be a great classic in assisting and debating a doable schedule in the near future! Ms. Rettig deserves highest honors and everyone who plans to run (or ruin) for politics should read this book!

Reading the book is just the beginning

"The Lifelong Activist" is clearly written and a pleasure to read. But reading it is the easy part. Hillary Rettig, the author, is an animal activist who periodically refers to "companion animals" (the non-hierarchical version of "pets," I suppose), and the book reminds me of having a friendly but persistent snout being wedged into my hand to remind me that it's time to get off the couch and out the door. The goal towards which the book nudges the reader is not necessarily full-throttle activism, but rather a searching examination of oneself followed by a dedication to whichever level of activism makes sense. Definitely a worthy goal. But by no means simple. One of the ways in which Rettig helps out the reader is by giving some ideas of potential blocks and how they can be overcome. She aims mostly at target readers who are young, idealistic, and suspicious of anything suggestive of the corporate world. They dream of being consummate activists -- throwing themselves with complete abandon into every cause under the sun -- but feel guilty about their desires for a comfortable personal life. Rettig, by contrast, insists on finding balance between activist work and material needs, and spends about a third of the book promoting marketing concepts for activists as a means for convincing audiences. I can imagine such readers being struck by her insight, and channeling their newfound energy into a more productive approach toward engagement with the world. Readers who are not as hard to persuade might not find the book as much of a catalyst, however. And a catalyst is clearly what is needed to get a disorganized person organized enough to do the exercises that will take one the rest of the way. Rettig does offer help in that regard: compassion, thought-provoking anecdotes, downloadable charts, exhortations to be playful. The book itself, however, is rather earnest. Those who are used to reading activist blogs may find Rettig's book lacking in snark (humor with an edge). I actually found that a selling point, however. While snark is entertaining, it can ultimately be distracting. And Rettig's book is about acknowledging the limited number of waking hours in a week (112, more or less), writing up a schedule, and then getting to work -- in a healthy way, of course. If Rettig writes a second edition or sequel, in addition to choosing a more colorful cover (the path winding up the grassy hill is a great image, but why must it be in black and white?), I would like to see her address the central question of WHY to structure one's life around activism -- or not. In this regard, readers are mostly on their own. Of course, Rettig can't answer those questions for her readers, but she could spend some more effort marshalling insights and anecdotes, much as she does in her attempt to convince would-be martyrs that self-denial is not a sustainable strategy. (By the way, I would also hope that her next cover would be more colorful. Rettig makes frequent appearance

Lifelong Activist

I read this book, as I am an aspiring full time animal activist. What I realized is that you don't have to be an activist of any kind to read and utilize this book's many, invaluable insights and recommendations. This book was very thorough; used phrases and terminology that was new and exciting; I've ordered several for Holiday presents for my non-activist family members and friends, as I know that this will help them improve their lives and their levels of happiness and contentment. GREAT, GREAT READ! I loved it!