Besides being the Thing with Feathers, what is hope? How do we hold onto it and why? And if we have it, what do we do with it (or, what does it do for us)? The answers to these questions may be different for each person, but here are some reading suggestions to help fill your book bingo square and perhaps help you consider your own answers to such questions.
In direct conversation with various philosophers and contemporary writers like Rebecca Solnit, Hopeful Pessimism by Mara van der Lugt digs into the dichotomies present in considerations of hope that incorrectly assume pessimism means giving up or passively accepting things, while hope means optimism and refusing to give up no matter what. van der Lugt posits instead that pessimism does not negate hope; in fact, it can be a powerful catalyst for action.
I Hope We Choose Love by Canadian trans writer, poet, performer, and community worker Kai Cheng Thom blends personal essays and prose poems to offer visions of hope and healing in a time of increasing violence and division through the lens of and in conversation with the transformative justice movement and its leaders. In her latest book, Falling Back in Love with Being Human, Thom explores the crisis of faith in the values she’s dedicated her life to and how she renewed that faith not only in herself, but also in humanity in general, by channeling all her rage and pain into writing love letters “to everyone she has trouble holding in her heart – those seemingly beyond saving” (quoted from publisher). That sure seems like a radical belief and hope in the transformative power of love.
It can be hard to see hope in the face of increasing climate and environmental crises, but the following three books suggest possible paths towards hope. The Book of Hope* by Jane Goodall and Douglas Abrams is a dialogue between the two that probes Goodall’s long life and legacy of environmental advocacy while also exploring the science of hope and its relationship to humanity, the environment, and the future of our planet. With a similar environmental focus, Hope Dies Last by Alan Weisman widens the focus to showcase inspiring people across the world who are fighting for humanity’s future in a way that supports and restores the damage we’ve done to our planet. David Yarnold’s The Geography of Hope uses the focal point of geospatial intelligence (GIS) to highlight how people across the world are using GIS to make their “wheres” better places for everyone.
This last suggestion explores the hope that drives people to leave their homelands to come to the United States, the communities they leave behind, and those they find here through the delicious lens of food and cooking. Featuring stories and recipes from immigrants to the United States from over 30 countries, Kitchens of Hope explores the common ingredients of resilience, community, hope, and ultimately celebration which blend together to form the rich and flavorful experiences of what it means to be human.
For more books on hope to fill your Book Bingo square, check out this curated list. Happy reading!
~Posted by V.
*This title may also work for the ‘New to You Format’ square if you’ve not read a book of interviews before.
For more ideas for books to meet your Summer Book Bingo challenge, follow our Shelf Talk BookBingoNW2025 series or check the hashtag #BookBingoNW2025 on social media. Book Bingo is presented in partnership with Seattle Arts & Lectures and the King County Library System.
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