Signs of Hope: In Praise of Ordinary Heroes: Selections from Hope Magazine [Hardcover]

Jon Wilson (Editor), Kimberly Ridley (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2000

A collection of stories by and about uncelebrated people who make a positive difference in their communities and the world.

Several years ago, Jon Wilson, editor of acclaimed WoodenBoat magazine, decided he'd had enough of the constant barrage of violence and misery in the media. His answer was the magazine Hope, dedicated to stories by and about uncelebrated people who make a positive difference in their communities and the world.

Signs of Hope gathers the best of that journal, and restores our faith in the power of individual acts. For instance: a widow writes about the death of her husband and her struggle to endure; a counselor describes the transformative power of summer camp for children with a fatal blood disease; a psychologist discovers the vital human beings behind his patients' diagnoses; a father reveals what his newborn daughter taught him about men, women, and family. This is a collection to remind us of our common humanity and our capacity to give and to love. The magazine Hope is the winner of Utne Reader's 9th Annual Alternative Press Award and was named one of the "10 Best Magazines" by Library Journal.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Locked away in the fortresses of what we believe to be our unique experiences, we've made way for a ruinous denial of "our deep and common humanity," according to Wilson, publisher of the Brooklyn-based magazine Wooden Boat. Seeking to address this "sense of separateness," he launched Hope magazine in 1996 and began publishing stories by and about people who have worked to "make the world a better place." Culled from the journal, these 34 selections add up to a various, somewhat incoherent sampler of reflections on saving the world. One writer contemplates the erratic path of grieving that she carved out after the death of her husband; another tells of the abusive marriage that she lived in for years, taking a hard look at the peculiar brand of "faith" that kept her there. Mixed among these weighty and sorrowful tales, there is also a rousing speech about the problems inherent in the education system, a jaunty musing on the current state of lawyering and a paean to the restorative powers of "Nick at Nite"Astep one in the off-kilter 12-step program that piloted a writer through depression. One of the strongest pieces comes from Wilson himself, recording the healing process that, through a victim-offender mediation program, brought a mother to broker peace with the man who murdered her son. Wilson is unswerving in depicting the anger, pain and guilt that, by way of this unlikely connection, gave way to glints of healing, forgiveness and, yes, of hope. (June)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Wilson, former editor of WoodenBoat magazine, wanted to produce a magazine that celebrated the good that people do in the world rather than showcasing the latest fashions, celebrity gossip, or other useless pap so frequently found in the media. Toward this end, he created the magazine Hope, which features stories about individuals who try to change the world for the better. The magazine has won the Utne Reader's Alternative Press Award and was named one of LJ's top ten magazines for 1996. Hope editor-in-chief Wilson, in conjunction with Hope editor Ridley, have selected 34 pieces from the magazine for this anthology. The pieces run the gamut from a blind man who refuses to allow his lack of vision to prevent him from living a very full, active life; to the history of California-based Delancy Street Foundation, a progressive rehabilitation program run by offenders for offenders; to the inspirational work of Rebecca Adamson, the founder and president of the First Nations Development Institute, which promotes economic independence for native peoples. While the quality of the stories in this compilation is a bit uneven, the ones that work are truly inspirational. For public libraries.DKimberly L. Clarke, Univ. of Minnesota Libs., Minneapolis
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 253 pages
• Publisher: Pushcart Press; no edition stated edition (October 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888889209
• ISBN-13: 978-1888889208
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,195,276 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great gift book., November 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Signs of Hope: In Praise of Ordinary Heroes: Selections from Hope Magazine (Hardcover)

This little book, a digest of the wonders happening daily all around us, feels really good. The wideranging articles are credible, sometimes funny or surprising, and affirming without being saccharine. Half a dozen of them made me cry, which for me is as good as it gets.