A God Within

Written in 1972, by the eminent microbiologist, this work presents valuable perspectives on todays ecological crisis. Not one to despair of events, Dubos seeks positive values in man's relation to nature. He emphasizes the particular and the regional differences, the "Spirit of place" that symbolizes the forces hidden beneath the surface and the persistence of a psyche of place. He does not conclude that mans relationship must be negative, and takes heart in human altered landscapes such as Britain's moors and in evidence of sustainable agriculture in Japan and Amish societies of America. Dubos does not blame the Judeo-Christian tradition, but rather sees hope in Benedictine stewardship (as opposed to a "unrealistic" Franciscan view) that make it possible to maintain nature in a humanized condition. He is not Pollyannic and recognizes the "Demon within" .. the thrust of technology and institutions that may run counter to living in harmony with nature. I recommend this book not because it offers simple answers, but because if offers a well-read source of different perspectives.