Winning the Green New Deal: Why We Must, How We Can

Climate activists Prakash and Girgenti present a stirring essay collection in support of the Green New Deal. Prakash introduces the anthology by detailing a 2018 sit-in at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office, which spurred congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to release a proposal for “a comprehensive program of reform to halt climate change while creating good jobs and reducing inequality.” The collection’s big-name contributors include Naomi Klein (On Fire), who explains the role of “deregulated capitalism” in the climate crisis; Joseph Stiglitz (People, Power, and Profits), who makes the economic case for the Green New Deal; and Rev. William Barber II (The Third Reconstruction), who draws parallels to post–Civil War reconstruction and the civil rights movement. The anthology also features instructive and moving testimony from people directly affected by the consequences of climate change, including a young woman whose hometown of Paradise, Calif., was destroyed by wildfire. By selecting contributors wisely, Prakash and Girgenti offer both a comprehensive representation of the climate movement and a practical road map for change. Young progressives will be especially affected by this impassioned and eloquent plea for progress. Agent: Anthony Arnove, Roam Agency. (Aug.)