How to be a Gentleman (or Lady)

For Christmas this year I received several books from my father. At first glance (I will be honest), they looked awfully boring. But being the bookworm that I am, I had to read at least a little bit before I could pass judgment.

Boy was I wrong.

The books in question are a series of small readings that give lessons on how to be more like a gentleman in your daily living. At first I thought, "Why would I need this? I don't go to fancy balls or dress in tuxedos." But soon I realized what these books were really trying to teach.

The back of the covers read,

"A gentleman is someone who makes others feel comfortable. Good manners is simply a matter of common sense and courtesy."

and,

"Being a gentleman means being there when you are needed and knowing when you are not needed. It means knowing what to say and knowing when to say nothing at all. Being a gentleman is about making the world a nicer place for other people."

Sounds a bit like our Humanifesto, don't it?

The titles of the books vary depending on what exactly your looking for, but include "How to be a Gentleman," "As a Gentleman Would Say," and "50 Things Every Young Gentleman Should Know."

I am currently reading the second from that list. As a Gentleman Would Say offers advice on how to respond or conduct oneself when speaking to another. Some of it's advice is common sense, such as:

"A gentleman never asks a woman if she is pregnant" and, "a gentleman never talks with his mouth full"

While some of the advice actually make you think, like:

"A gentleman takes no part in petty arguments over important topics. Instead, he takes action to bring about change."

And ladies, do not think that the gentlemen have forgotten you! They have the same exact line of books, but with "Lady" replacing "Gentleman" on the cover.

I love how the authors write these. They clearly explain that being a Gentleman (or Lady) does not mean being rich, snobby, well-to-do, etc. Rather, it means conducting oneself to bring about a positive change in everyone you meet.

If your interested, click around Amazon for the right Gentleman or Lady book for you.

Happy (Belated?) 2009!

-Spoon

SuperForesty Books: Black Elk Speaks

I've just begun reading Black Elk Speaks and already I've been floored by its simplicity and scope. I'm at the part of the book where Black Elk recounts his visit from the myriad earthly spirits and how he came to have the pipe of peace. Fascinating stuff.

From wikiwikiwikipedia:

"Black Elk Speaks is a 1932 story of an Oglala Sioux medicine man as told by John Neihardt. Black Elk's son, Ben Black Elk, translated Black Elk's words from Lakota into English.

In the summer of 1930, as part of his research into the Native American perspective on the Ghost Dance movement, Neihardt contacted an Oglala holy man named Black Elk, who had been present as a young man at the 1876 Battle of the Little Big Horn and the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre. As Neihardt tells the story, Black Elk gave him the gift of his life's narrative, including the visions he had had and some of the Oglala rituals he had performed. The two men developed a close friendship. The book Black Elk Speaks, grew from their conversations continuing in the spring of 1931, and is now Neihardt's most familiar work. The current popularity of the book shows the growth of interest in the social and ethical analysis of Native American tribes."

Here's a beautiful quote:

"Sometimes dreams are wiser than waking..."

-Black Elk

Here's Black Elk Speaks on amazon.
Here's the wiki for Black Elk Speaks.
And Black Elk's personal wiki.

SuperForester Jon Presents: Thich Nhat Hanh - "The World We Have"

Good Morning SuperForesters!

Just got an email from the unstoppable Peace machine that is SuperForester Jon, who highly recommends Thich Nhat Hanh's new book - "The World We Have - A Buddhist Approach to Peace and Ecology"

Take it, Jon.

"Jackson, take a look at this article when you have a chance. I read the book when it came out and really wanted to write something about it for Superforest. I haven't had the chance, but here's a great excerpt by Thay himself. In particular, I urge you to look at the Fifth Mindfulness Training.

"Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I am committed to cultivating good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family and my society by practising mindful eating, drinking and consuming. I will ingest only items that preserve peace, well-being and joy in my body, in my consciousness and in the collective body and consciousness of my family and society. I am determined not to use alcohol or any other intoxicant or to ingest foods or other items that contain toxins, such as certain TV programmes, magazines, books, films and conversations. I am aware that to damage my body or my consciousness with these poisons is to betray my ancestors, my parents, my society and future generations. I will work to transform violence, fear, anger and confusion in myself and in society by practising a diet for myself and for society. I understand that a proper diet is crucial for self-transformation and for the transformation of society."

Thay says, "The fifth mindfulness training is the way out of the difficult situation our world is in."

I urge urge urge all Superforesters to read this book.

Enjoy!

Jon

Great! Thanks Jon.
Here's "The World We Have" on Amazon.

Recycle This!

I don't know if you've heard but these days recycling is the biggest fad sweeping the nation. It's more awesome then POGS...

Or SPINJAS...

In fact, all the cool kids are doing it.  Especially the ones like me, who spent their lunch breaks and recesses reading fantasy novels in the library.  That's right readers can recycle too!

It's called paperbackswap and it's a website where you exchange old, dearly loved books for crisp sparkling new ones (that have been dearly loved by someone else).  How it works?

   1) You post all your books you have to exchange, and get credit for each book.

   2) People request your books, you print out a label, and mail them off.

   3) You receive credit for each book you mail.

   4) Use credits to request and receive books of your own.  Sent to your door!

There are over 2.5 million books to choose from.  So cool.

And if you're too cool to read these days, too tech minded, or just simply enjoy your kicks in 2 hour or less visual packages, there's swapadvd.com as well!

It's the sister site to paperswap and works pretty much the same way.  There's also swapacd and swap-a-friend!  Ok... I made the last one up.  But there is swapagoat.

So are you interested in entertainment in an environmentally friendly way? I bet all those stacks of books, dvds, and cds are looking pretty good to you right now.  And the best part... it's free.  

So go sign-up and tell 'em Team SuperForest (superforestnyc@gmail.com ) sent you.  Then read-swap-and repeat as needed.  

Always merry and bright,

-jordan

Andrew Zuckerman - Wisdom

New York based photographer, film maker, fashionisto, (and SuperForester!) Andrew Zuckerman is on the verge of releasing an incredible document.

It is called Wisdom and is nothing less than a round table discussion by our global elders on topics as diverse as Love, Work, Environment, and yes, even Wisdom itself.

Check it:

Nelson Mandela

Firstly, the beautifully revealing portraits! These portraits are stunning for many reasons. The one that really speaks to me is how they have been handled by the post-production team. It would have been quite simple to airbrush out every wrinkle and mole, but these humans are allowed to retain their humanity by Zuckerman and his talented staff.

Andrew Wyeth

So instead of everyone looking like movie stars, they look like you and I. This makes their messages much more accessible. By photographing his subjects all on the same background, AZ has democratized them, allowing for a true discussion and discourse, with no hierarchy.

Looky:

Chuck Close

Bill Withers

(How they got Withers is beyond me. He's tougher to photograph than Howard Hughes!)

Ravi Shankar

These photographic gems are held firmly in place with some of the most astounding typography and graphic design we've yet seen. Thanks to designer extraordinaire David Meredith, (who also designed Andrew's last book: Creature) there are so many ways one can access this work.

Each page is like a poem. Nothing extraneous. Nothing to clutter the clarity of the images and quotes.




Mr. Zuckerman has collected an amazing range of thoughts and ideas from people who have lived through some very trying times, and at a time when the zeitgeist is so obsessed with "youth-culture" it is refreshing to see someone documenting those that can offer advice and clean thinking from points of view that have withstood the tests of time, from the opposite end of the spectrum.

If you love portraiture, you'll love this book. If you love the wisdom of those who have been there and done that, you'll love this book. If you love surprising and playful design, you'll love this book.

To add to the experience further, each book comes with a DVD of the Wisdom movie. It contains footage from each interview as well as a fascinating behind-the-scenes documentary. (It sure looks like a lot of work goes into making a book, or maybe that's just a testament to the drive and tenacity of Mr. Zuckerman and Co.)

Wisdom goes on sale this month, (and you can get it off of amazon right now!)

Kudos to Mr. Zuckerman for bringing such a vital and vibrant work into the world at a time when we need it most.

Love to All,

Jackson and Team SuperForest

Kinship With All Life

The title of this post will be my theme for the week. It also happens to be the title of the first book my grandmother gave my father, and the first book (and same love-worn copy) that my father gave to me.

It is a wonderful book with an important message: that there is a universal language of love that transcends and translates amongst all living things. And with an open mind (and heart) we can communicate, and commune, with all life (animal and human).

This is something I'm sure most animal lovers or pet owners at one time or another have experienced, and it's a message that's personally had a lasting impact on my life. As a largely 'civilized', urban dwelling, technologically advanced species, we often forget our true context in the world, or lose touch with that special connection to nature.

This book is a wonderful reminder.

It's available here at Amazon or from the publisher.

The Superforest Book Club

Speaking of books and Kinship with all life...


This novel is essentially a running dialogue between a (yes, I'm saying this correctly) telepathic gorilla, and an Average Joe Schmoe. If you can get past that odd premise (and it took me a minute to do so), you'll find yourself thrust into an engaging, challenging discourse on the evolution and mythology of mankind and the resultant course we've set for ourselves and our planet.

As silly as it sounds, it's surprisingly refreshing to find yourself put on the spot by a 600 lb gorilla, even if he is fictional.



This book was certainly a mind-opener for me, and for several of the high school students I taught. Even those who disliked seem affected (or at least engaged) by the resulting lively debates. Now I invite you to buy it, read it, and discuss amongst yourself (or here in the comment boards on Superforest!)

Find it here at Amazon. And enjoy!

Always merry and bright!
-jordan