Radical Hope: Letters of Love and Dissent in Dangerous Times

 From the Publisher:

Radical Hope is a collection of letters—to ancestors, to children five generations from now, to strangers in grocery lines, to any and all who feel weary and discouraged—written by award-winning novelists, poets, political thinkers, and activists. Provocative and inspiring, Radical Hope offers readers a kaleidoscopic view of the love and courage needed to navigate this time of upheaval, uncertainty, and fear, in view of the recent US presidential election.

Including letters by Junot Díaz, Alicia Garza, Roxana Robinson, Lisa See, Jewelle Gomez, Hari Kunzru, Faith Adiele, Parnaz Foroutan, Chip Livingston, Mohja Kahf, Achy Obejas, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Cherríe Moraga, Kate Schatz, Boris Fishman, Karen Joy Fowler, Elmaz Abinader, Aya de León, Jane Smiley, Luis Alberto Urrea, Mona Eltahawy, Jeff Chang, Claire Messud, Meredith Russo, Reyna Grande, Katie Kitamura, iO Tillett Wright, Francisco Goldman, Celeste Ng, Peter Orner, and Cristina García.

My Thoughts:

The power of epistolary essays is that they are often short, focused, like a poem, and written to specific people or a person, therefore, they are more personal.

As we head toward the end of President Trump's term in office, and as an alternative to watching the impeachment testimonies, I started reading these letters written about the beginning of this term. It captures both the shock of waking up to this new America and the continued hope that has carried us through over these almost 4 years.  

What I liked about them was the idea of continuity, lineage, family and time, because time and the patience of time seems to be the way forward, and out, and in, and around.

I like this line below:

I saw that I was tired.

But you were not.

That is the hope that we need today and tomorrow and seven generations from now: that when we get tired, someone will step forward that is not.