In today’s fast-paced world, it is sometimes a real blessing to pause and engage with books that not only enrich the mind but also inspire deep reflection. Paradise Lost by Florian Hurtig and Der Grund by Christiane Grefe and Tanja Busse are two such works that are well worth discovering. With a clever mixture of literary art and social relevance, they invite us to gain new perspectives and to take a closer look at our world.
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Paradise Lost, the end of diversity and the triumph of monoculture, by Florian Hurtig
Florian Hurtig’s Paradise Lost is a work that emphatically puts its finger in the wound of our modern society. A look at the history of agriculture reveals a lot about social developments. Hurtig takes us through the history of mankind and the cultivation of its food – from the tree gardens of the early Jōmon culture in Japan to the beginnings of state discipline of agriculture in Mesopotamia to the colonial plantation economy and the agricultural industry of today.
He shows in an impressive way how the development of hierarchical societies and states led to the loss of diverse systems. This paved the way for the structures that still prevail today: monoculture, monotechnics, monopoly.
The book not only looks back, but also provides a clear perspective on how we need to change our agriculture and our societies in order to tackle the current crises.
Paradise Lost leaves a lasting impact because it highlights issues such as environmental degradation, social injustice and personal responsibility. It encourages us to think about the state of our world and how we ourselves can be part of the change. It is therefore a wake-up call to society and a successful work that will stay with you long after you have finished reading it.
Hurtig was a speaker at the 1st Waldgarten Kongress. He is a practising CSA gardener. In his presentation, he gives a brief outline of the history of forest gardens. Forest gardens have a very long tradition in many cultures – they even go back thousands of years further than arable farming. The video shows some highlights of this history and also sheds light on the links to social conditions. Click here for his lecture: https://youtu.be/Zq11BYkKobA?feature=shared.
Paradise Lost, Florian Hurtig, 2020, oekom verlag München
ISBN: 978-3-96238-203-2
Hardcover, 432 Pages
Der Grund: The Ground, The new conflicts over our soils – and how they can be resolved, by Christiane Grefe and Tanja Busse
The value of the soil, the wonder of the underworld, those millions and millions of roots and worms, beetles, bacteria and fungi that work together symbiotically to create new life again and again, has long been underestimated and disregarded. Fertile soils are endangered worldwide. How we deal with the land is a key question for the future. What should the soil, the land, be used for: for grazing, arable land or climate-resilient forests? For wind and solar power plants or nature reserves? For housing and industrial estates in growing cities? Can the energy transition, climate protection, biodiversity and food security be harmonised? Can land be used to grow energy crops when people are starving? Who decides this? Farmers, landowners, investors, all of us? How could responsible ownership of the land be regulated? Tanja Busse and Christiane Grefe talk about this in an exciting way, with commitment and scientific precision. Above all, they show ways in which conflicts of interest can be resolved politically in the interests of the common good.
Grefe and Busse do not shy away from addressing uncomfortable truths. What is particularly impressive is the way in which they provide concrete examples of how people are already developing alternatives to conventional agriculture. From regenerative agriculture to permaculture and innovative, agro-ecological approaches – the book gives hope that there is a way out of the dead end into which industrial agriculture has led us.
Der Grund is not just a book for people who are interested in agriculture, but for everyone who cares about the future of the planet. Readers are invited to think about the role they themselves can play in the transformation of agricultural systems.
Der Grund, Die neuen Konflikte um unsere Böden – und wie sie gelöst werden können, 2024, Christiane Grefe and Tanja Busse, Verlag Antje Kunstmann GmbH. ISBN 978-3-95614-585-8
Conclusion
Both books – Paradise Lost and Der Grund – offer inspiring, profound insights into the pressing issues of our time. They encourage us to see the world through different eyes and actively engage with the challenges of our time. In any case, both books are worthwhile for readers who are looking for challenging reading that stimulates reflection and has an impact beyond the moment of reading.