Our ideas for Wish to be Wild were formed over years of reading, watching, experiencing. Reading is one of my favorite pastimes. As a kid I would lock myself in my room and read the new Harry Potter book in one go. I love going to a cafe by myself on a Saturday morning to read a book or the paper. Reading has helped me to shape my worldview and I wanted to share some of the non-fiction books that I love and that have been an inspiration for creating Wish to be Wild. It’s a bit of a jumble but that’s also how our path has been :).
BRAIDING SWEETGRASS - ROBIN WALL KIMMERER
This is the most inspiring book I have read in recent years and a huge inspiration for Wish to be Wild. Robin Wall Kimmerer is a biologist and poet and a woman of Native American heritage. Through stories from her native ancestry she describes the beneficial relationship between humans and plants and how humans have historically played a role of stewardship and regeneration of ecosystems. This is a completely different story than the one we are often fed these days - that humans are bad for the world and should do everything to reduce our impact on nature. What we learned from this book is that what we need to do is increase our positive impact, re-enter into a positive relationship with the natural world and help her to flourish.
WOMEN WHO RUN WITH THE WOLVES - CLARISSA PINKOLA ESTES
Clarissa Pinkola Estes is a Jungian analyst and author with a deep knowledge of the female psyche. In this book she leads us through all of the archetypes of the feminine soul and shows us what it means to be a Wild Woman. In a world where masculine and patriarchal tendencies still rule, we have found it helpful and important to understand the value of feminine power. The stories in this book also just speak to a very deep part of your soul - they awaken something in you that will never go away again.
MY LIFE ON THE ROAD - GLORIA STEINEM
Gloria Steinem has travelled the world fighting for women’s equality and social justice. She is a clear, calm and inspiring voice on why equality for all is beneficial to everyone. As a Western woman I often take for granted the freedom I have, but it’s because of women like Gloria Steinem who spent their lives campaigning for us that we can live the way we do today. This fun and inspiring memoir takes you on Gloria’s life journey, a history that is part of all of us.
FRIDA: A BIOGRAPHY OF FRIDA KAHLO - HAYDEN HERRERA
I love Frida Kahlo! I read this comprehensive biography on her life years ago and still remember parts of it vividly. From a strong-willed girl who overcame enormous physical adversities to a visionary artist who created her own career against all odds - Frida’s life is truly inspirational.
BARBARIAN DAYS, A SURFING LIFE - WILLIAM FINNIGAN
William Finnegan is a staff writer at the New Yorker covering topics from politics in Latin America to social inequality around the world. He is also a surfer and wrote this incredible memoir about a life spent traveling the world looking for the best waves. Nienke loves to surf so naturally she loved this book. I am not a surfer but I also loved this book so incredibly much. William’s account of traveling through South East Asia in the 70’s, before internet and concrete is adventurous and nostalgic, even more so in these times when traveling to far off places is not so easy anymore!