In 'The Faraway Nearby', Rebecca Solnit delves into the power of storytelling, connecting personal experiences with broader narratives. The book explores themes of empathy, imagination, and transformation through stories ranging from her mother's memory loss to historical figures like Che Guevara and Mary Shelley. Solnit's work is a tour de force of association, reflecting on how stories shape our identities and connections.
A Field Guide for Getting Lost is a collection of essays by Rebecca Solnit that explores the experience of getting lost, both literally and metaphorically.
This book is a collection of twelve feminist essays that delve into various aspects of feminism, including motherhood, the use and weaponization of silence, the literary canon, and recent cultural changes around feminism. The essays are divided into two parts: the first half addresses deeper societal issues, while the second half focuses on specific aspects of recent pop culture. Solnit discusses themes such as misogynistic violence, the gender binary, and the history of rape jokes, emphasizing the importance of empathy and the need for a more inclusive and equitable society.
In 'A Paradise Built in Hell', Rebecca Solnit examines how people respond to disasters and crises, often forming strong, resilient communities. The book delves into the human capacity for cooperation, altruism, and mutual aid during times of catastrophe, challenging the common narrative that disasters bring out the worst in people. Solnit draws on historical examples such as the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the 1985 Mexico City earthquake, and Hurricane Katrina to illustrate these phenomena.
Unfortunately, detailed descriptions of the book's content by Laura Henry are not provided in the available sources. It is distinct from the more well-known book 'Hope in the Dark' by Rebecca Solnit.
“When all the ordinary divides and patterns are shattered, people step up to become their brothers’ keepers,” Rebecca Solnit writes. “And that purposefulness and connectedness bring joy even amidst death, chaos, fear, and loss.” In this moment of global crisis, we’re returning to the conversations we’re longing to hear again and finding useful right now. A singular writer and thinker, Solnit celebrates the unpredictable and incalculable events that so often redeem our lives, both solitary and public. She searches for the hidden, transformative histories inside and after events we chronicle as disasters in places like post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans.
Rebecca Solnit is a columnist at The Guardian and a regular contributor to Literary Hub. Her many books include Hope in the Dark, A Paradise Built in Hell, and her most recent, Recollections of My Nonexistence.
This show originally aired in May 2016.
This interview is edited and produced with music and other features in the On Being episode "Rebecca Solnit — Falling Together" Find more at onbeing.org.
On Being with Krista Tippett 
