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Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'
The Garden Against Time: In Search of a Common Paradise by Olivia Laing
1 review
bisexualbookshelf's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!
In "The Garden Against Time: In Search of a Common Paradise," Olivia Laing delves into the lush terrain of gardens with a keen eye for the political, the personal, and the profound. Through a masterful exploration of paradise, queerness, and famous English gardens, Laing invites readers on a journey that transcends mere horticulture, delving deep into community care and our relationships with land.
Laing's narrative is a rich tapestry, woven with threads of history, literature, and social critique. With an unwavering gaze, they dismantle our preconceived notions of gardens as mere patches of greenery, revealing them instead as battlegrounds of power and resistance. Through Laing's lens, gardens emerge as sites of both cultural memory and radical possibility, challenging us to rethink our relationship with nature and each other.
What sets "The Garden Against Time" apart is its unflinching commitment to liberation. Laing refuses to sanitize the unruliness of nature, instead celebrating its wild, untamed beauty. In their exploration of Edenic myths and Milton's "Paradise Lost," they offer a searing critique of capitalism and colonialism, exposing how these systems have shaped our understanding and expectations of paradise.
“The Garden Against Time” moves beyond mere critique to echo calls for solidarity and collective liberation. Through Laing's story of restoring their own garden, we are reminded of the transformative power of tending to the land and tending to ourselves. They skillfully navigate the intersections of class, race, and gender, illuminating how gardens often reflect the power dynamics of the societies that tend them.
In conclusion, "The Garden Against Time" is a tour de force that transcends genre and expectation. With luscious prose and incisive analysis, Olivia Laing invites us to reimagine our relationship with the natural world and each other. This book is not just a garden; it is a sanctuary, a refuge, and a call to arms. As Laing instructs, “Take it outside and shake the seed.”
📖 Recommended For: Advocates for Environmental Justice, Intersectional Activists, Readers Challenging Colonial Narratives, Seekers of Personal Narratives with Political Impact, Fans of Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass.
🔑 Key Themes: Environmental Justice and Political Liberation, Deconstructing Colonialist Ideals of Paradise, Interconnectedness of Nature and Power Dynamics, Resilience and Healing Through Gardening.
In "The Garden Against Time: In Search of a Common Paradise," Olivia Laing delves into the lush terrain of gardens with a keen eye for the political, the personal, and the profound. Through a masterful exploration of paradise, queerness, and famous English gardens, Laing invites readers on a journey that transcends mere horticulture, delving deep into community care and our relationships with land.
Laing's narrative is a rich tapestry, woven with threads of history, literature, and social critique. With an unwavering gaze, they dismantle our preconceived notions of gardens as mere patches of greenery, revealing them instead as battlegrounds of power and resistance. Through Laing's lens, gardens emerge as sites of both cultural memory and radical possibility, challenging us to rethink our relationship with nature and each other.
What sets "The Garden Against Time" apart is its unflinching commitment to liberation. Laing refuses to sanitize the unruliness of nature, instead celebrating its wild, untamed beauty. In their exploration of Edenic myths and Milton's "Paradise Lost," they offer a searing critique of capitalism and colonialism, exposing how these systems have shaped our understanding and expectations of paradise.
“The Garden Against Time” moves beyond mere critique to echo calls for solidarity and collective liberation. Through Laing's story of restoring their own garden, we are reminded of the transformative power of tending to the land and tending to ourselves. They skillfully navigate the intersections of class, race, and gender, illuminating how gardens often reflect the power dynamics of the societies that tend them.
In conclusion, "The Garden Against Time" is a tour de force that transcends genre and expectation. With luscious prose and incisive analysis, Olivia Laing invites us to reimagine our relationship with the natural world and each other. This book is not just a garden; it is a sanctuary, a refuge, and a call to arms. As Laing instructs, “Take it outside and shake the seed.”
📖 Recommended For: Advocates for Environmental Justice, Intersectional Activists, Readers Challenging Colonial Narratives, Seekers of Personal Narratives with Political Impact, Fans of Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass.
🔑 Key Themes: Environmental Justice and Political Liberation, Deconstructing Colonialist Ideals of Paradise, Interconnectedness of Nature and Power Dynamics, Resilience and Healing Through Gardening.
Content Warnings
Moderate: War and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Cancer and Forced institutionalization