Living the Questions: Essays Inspired by the Work and Life of Parker J. Palmer [Hardcover]

Sam M. Intrator (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 6, 2005

Parker J. Palmer--who for forty years has written and spoken about subjects ranging from contemplation to community, the inner life to public life, education to social change--is known as one of the nation’s most thoughtful voices, calling us all to ways of being in the world that honor the human heart and promote a humane society. Living the Questions, a celebration of Palmer’s long and distinguished career, explores the dynamic interplay between the inner life of spirit and the outer life of work. The equally distinguished contributors, who come from a wide range of professions--university presidents, scientists, physicians, religious leaders, business consultants, public school educators, philanthropists, and community organizers--bear witness to the depth, breadth, and reach of Palmer’s work. All of them have been personally touched by his courage and determination to live a life congruent with the ideas and principles he writes about and by his candor in acknowledging his own flaws.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Living the Questions is a tribute to a great man by those he has awakened to their own unique greatness. This is a book about love, courage, community, integrity, service, and humility, with a single message: to teach is to be immortal. Living the Questions is a profound testimony to our power to make a difference in this world, one heart at a time."
—Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D., author, Kitchen Table Wisdom and My Grandfather's Blessings

"Anyone who has read Parker J. Palmer's books knows that he evokes something significant from deep within every reader.  In Living the Questions, powerful and moving testimonies of such evocations of spirit show us how Parker's influence ripples out into the lives and work of many good people."
—Craig Dykstra, vice president, Lilly Endowment

"Attests to the pervasive infectiousness of Parker J. Palmer's gentle touch, soulful honesty, and deep inquiry into the service of authenticity and clarity. A collection of extraordinary and extraordinarily moving explorations of the inner and outer landscapes of our minds and hearts and world!  There is much wisdom here from authors who have shared so much of themselves and their struggles, very much in the tradition of Palmer himself. Not to be missed. A gift of pure passion and compassion."
—Jon Kabat-Zinn, author, Coming to Our Senses

"In A Hidden Wholeness, Parker J. Palmer writes that in refusing to move to the back of the bus Rosa Parks was choosing to live divided no more. That’s the choice we made in the Civil Rights movement. It was a good and right choice, as important now as it was then. Living the Questions tells of others who also walk toward wholeness."
—Georgia Representative John Lewis, coauthor, Walking with the Wind; recipient, Martin Luther King Jr. Nonviolent Peace Prize

"Living the Questions is an act of love. Sam M. Intrator's clear passion for teachers and Parker J. Palmer's willingness to share all of who he is invites the reader into the very personal journey of a master teacher.  The heartfelt stories of those influenced by Parker capture the circularity of teaching and learning; they are filled with soulful questioning, paradoxical wonderings, and courageous explorations."
—Becky van der Bogert, superintendent, Winnetka Public Schools; editor, New Directions in School Leadership; coauthor, Making Sense as a School Leader

"A remarkable collection of essays that beautifully captures the profound influence that Parker J. Palmer has had. Reading Living the Questions is encouraging, a great reminder of one of Parker’s favorite exhortations: ‘Be not afraid!’"
—Larry C. Spears, editor and coauthor, Practicing Servant Leadership; president and CEO, The Robert K. Greenleaf Center, Indianapolis, Indiana

"Prepare for a delectable conversation with poetic people, all of whom have been profoundly influenced by Parker J. Palmer."
—Geoff Bellman, consultant; author, The Consultant’s Calling

From the Inside Flap

"Anyone who has read Parker J. Palmer's books knows that he evokes something significant from deep within every reader. In Living the Questions, powerful and moving testimonies of such evocations of spirit show us how Parker's influence ripples out into the lives and work of many good people."
—Craig Dykstra, vice president, Lilly Endowment

Parker J. Palmer—who for forty years has written and spoken about subjects ranging from contemplation to community, the inner life to public life, education to social change—is known as one of the nation's most thoughtful voices, calling us all to ways of being in the world that honor the human heart and promote a humane society.

Living the Questions, a celebration of Palmer's long and distinguished career, explores the dynamic interplay between the inner life of spirit and the outer life of work. The equally distinguished contributors, who come from a wide range of professions—university presidents, scientists, physicians, religious leaders, business consultants, public school educators, philanthropists, and community organizers—bear witness to the depth, breadth, and reach of Palmer's work. All of them have been personally touched by his courage and determination to live a life congruent with the ideas and principles he writes about and by his candor in acknowledging his own flaws.

These intimate essays and stories shed new light on some of the most important topics of our time—living an integral life, teaching and learning for transformation, creating community, and contributing to nonviolent social change.

Living the Questions challenges all of us to take a journey inward and a journey outward, preparing ourselves to offer the right action and authentic leadership that the world so deeply needs.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (April 6, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787965545
• ISBN-13: 978-0787965549
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #801,720 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Life Undivided, October 9, 2005

By 

Michael I. Poutiatine "Makalu" (Spokane, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Living the Questions: Essays Inspired by the Work and Life of Parker J. Palmer (Hardcover)

Since the initial publication of To Know as We are Known (1983/1993), Parker Palmer has been inviting us to explore our own inner landscapes and to envision our lives in their entirety as a "Hidden Wholeness" and not as divided parts. This invitation is an invitation to a journey; but Palmer does not invite us to the journey from the position of mentor or even of guide, but rather as a fellow traveler. In this book, Dr. Sam Intrator has done an amazing job of both chronicling the nature of journey Palmer invites us to share, and of exploring, through the essays of various other travelers, the impact this journey has had on the world.

The book starts with a short, well-crafted and engaging overview of the life and works of Parker J. Palmer. The book then moves into six sections, each composed of a series of individual essays, about the impact Palmer's words, deeds and example have had on ideas, programs and people. Each essay is carefully crafted and chosen to put in the center of our attention, not Palmer himself, but the ideas and personal experiences that Palmer has opened up for each essay author. The essays deal with issues of learning, teaching and leadership in the context of core identity and integrity as they manifest individually in each of us. The clear thread holding the book together, that Intrator skillfully brings out, is the quest of a less-divided, more authentic way of being as learners, teachers, leaders and human beings. Contributing essayists include well-known writers and thinkers such as Margaret Wheatley, Chip Wood, Jane Tompkins, Michael Lerner, Russ Moxley, Sharon Daloz Parks and Peter Senge. For anyone interested in the dynamic of identity and integrity - of soul and role - of who we are and what we do - this book will prove a joyful and illuminating experience.

In one particularly striking essay, Jay Casbon cites Thomas Merton in saying, "The humble person receives praise the way a clean window takes the light of the sun. The truer and more intense the light is, the less you see of the glass". This is a pure and graceful metaphor for this book. Intrator has provided us with a window into ourselves, through the work of Parker Palmer, with a glass so clean and bright that the light dazzles the spirit.

- Dr. Mike Poutiatine

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiration on the Journey, October 5, 2005

By 

C. T. Chadsey (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Living the Questions: Essays Inspired by the Work and Life of Parker J. Palmer (Hardcover)

Author of seven books over many years, Parker Palmer has long challenged us to seek wholeness and integrity in connecting who we are with what we do in the world. This wonderful volume is a sourcebook of essays exploring the gifts and challenges of "living divided no more." The authors represent a wonderful diversity of professions, styles, and perspectives about this topic. This is not a book that you will read from cover to cover, but one you will pick up again and again for inspiration on the journey.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Guides for living into the answers, November 21, 2005

By 

Megan Scribner (Takoma Park, MD) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Living the Questions: Essays Inspired by the Work and Life of Parker J. Palmer (Hardcover)

Through his many books, teachings and the Courage to Teach circles, Parker has been a significant influence in my life. He has opened up my eyes to ways of thinking that have resonated deeply with my own, often unnamed, philosophy of life. His call to live "divided no more" is one that accompanies me throughout my days. This, and many other ideas - the authentic self, circles of trust, right action - are not necessarily new, but with Parker's writings and open and joyous spirit, they are brought down to earth and presented as immensely doable - well worth incorporating into one's life and work.

Living the Questions is a collection of essays of how people from many walks of life - physicians, business leaders, educators, activists and others - have taken Parker's ideas and applied them to their life and work. While I have long known of Parker's work, until working on this book, I had no idea of the scope of his work. The book is proof that Parker's ideas and words touch a universal need and desire to live "divided no more." The essays in Living the Questions are testaments and guides for how to bring these ideas into our lives - something we all could use.