Hope in the Dark

It would be easy to take discouragement from this book that argues for radical hope. It was first published in 2004 and reissued with added material in 2016. Those times were bright compared to today, and the despair we felt back then seems almost quaint. Some of the victories Solnit encourages us to remember have since been taken away, and others, such as gay marriage, are endangered. Some of the groups and movements she praises have dwindled or disappeared. But as Solnit reminds us, nothing is permanent. Even a temporary victory makes a difference, and things can change as suddenly and surprisingly for the better as for the worse. New movements appear, tactics change. “It’s always too soon to go home. And it’s always too soon to calculate effect.”