Willing to Learn: Passages of Personal Discovery (Hardcover)

by Mary Catherine Bateson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The daughter of Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson, cultural anthropologist Bateson has long been fascinated by how humans understand, create and adapt to the world in which they live, and in this collection of writings, some previously unpublished, she chronicles her enduring quest for such knowledge. Dividing her rigorous inquiries into sections such as "Age and Gender," "Culture and Conviction" and "Ways of Knowing," Bateson juxtaposes academic articles with more personal reflections and op-eds with conference talks. The odd pairings are intentional, Bateson says, to highlight differences and illuminate connections between disparate investigations; this is in keeping with her "lifelong search for pattern and its recurrence in different contexts." Readers may find the transitions between meaty academic prose and more reflective memoir somewhat jarring, however. And while Bateson's recollections of her famous parents are especially compelling, readers may be most interested in "The Lessons of 9/11," an essay in which she develops a critique of a phrase often uttered in the tragedy's aftermath: "Everything is different." Using the phrase as a locus, Bateson considers the consequences of the terrorist attacks and the possibilities that such a large, traumatic event holds for understanding and knowledge, strongly asserting our need to tolerate, learn from and empathize with divergent views—especially in moments of trauma when learning is most threatened.
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Review
"Readers may be most interested in "The Lessons of 9/11," an essay in which she develops a critique of a phrase often uttered in the tragedy's aftermath: "Everything is different." Using the phrase as a locus, Bateson considers the consequences of the terrorist attacks and the possibilities that such a large, traumatic event holds for understanding and knowledge, strongly asserting our needs to tolerate, learn from and empathize with divergent views--especially in moments of trauma when learning is most threatened." - Publishers Weekly

“I admire Bateson’s work enormously; I think she is one of the most important thinkers and writers of our time.” — Deborah Tannen

“Composing a Life has been such an inspiration because it gave me a framework. She has kind of an anthropological and multicultural view of women’s lives and was very encouraging of me to do a lot of the work I do on women and children.”— Hillary Rodham Clinton

“The author’s vast experience and eclectic knowledge continue to provide incisive perspectives on a variety of contemporary issues, ranging from international politics to ecology and education.”— Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in the Washington Post

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Steerforth; First Edition edition (October 12, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586420801
• ISBN-13: 978-1586420802
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #514,805 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a treat..., March 14, 2005

By	Louise Carignan (NH) - See all my reviews

What a treat to find this hardbound collection of the work of Mary Catherine Bateson. Her prose is eloquent. Her ideas are rich and diverse. Her thinking is open, creative and, at the same time, intensely logical. There are selections from some of her best read books, but she also presents some of her hard-to-find material which merits inclusion. Her very interesting life provides the backdrop, but it's how she processes and weaves her observations and experiences into her work that makes these pieces so very illuminating to me. A must for collectors of the writing of the best thinkers of our time.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Willing to Learn, March 9, 2008

By	Cheryl Charles (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Mary Catherine Bateson is among the most important voices alive today. Daughter of Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson, anything Catherine writes is wise, warm, artful and authentic. Willing to Learn is her newest book. It is a rich collection of essays compiled for the first time and available nowhere else. Ranging from a poignant description of her father's death, which moved me to grateful tears because of what it teaches about dying with grace and dignity, to insights about parenting, politics, aesthetics and world peace, this book is an eclectic feast. You can pick it up and read any chapter, and can read the chapters in any order. Each stands alone and each contributes to our capacity to be nourished and inspired throughout our lives, young and old, if we are "willing to learn."