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"It was long believed that wisdom
is to the soul what health is to the body. Charles Halpern has lived
as if there is no distinction--that body, soul, wisdom and health are
one and the same in a life fully lived with great passion. This most
creative of public citizens -- lawyer, educator, philanthropist, catalyst
of ideas and institutions -- has put into practice what he writes in
these pages. A nation wandering in the wilderness, as we are, could not
ask for a better guide toward clarity and compassion." "Charles Halpern is uniquely qualified to give advice about how to work
for a better world. His experience as a lawyer and social entrepreneur
combined with the study and practice of mindfulness and Buddhist philosophy
leads him to the conclusion that cultivation of wisdom and compassion
makes for more effective activism. He challenges us to apply the lessons
he has learned in our own lives and work. This book is highly readable,
inspiring, and important."
"Environmental problems are, at their heart, neither technical nor economic
-- they are moral and spiritual. Their economic and technical solutions
are almost childishly easy -- yet we lack a child's eagerness to put
them into place. Why? That's the great question. We have intellectual
power, inconceivably more than ever before. Yet we lack the fundamentals
of wisdom. Charlie Halpern offers to take us on a journey to the heart
of that dilemma. Our children will not forgive us if we don't join
him." "This is a rare and fascinating
account of a life that deepens as it progresses. Charles Halpern made
difficult choices again and again. With each purposeful transition,
he became a better and more interesting man. He became wiser, wise
enough
to be able to point the rest of us in some of the right directions." “Nothing is more
needed in the world today– yet more elusive – than wisdom.
In this fascinating memoir of his life and work for social justice
and environmental sustainability, Charlie Halpern shares with us his
path
of learning to integrate mind and heart in pursuit of wisdom. Enlightening
lessons for each of us!” "When Yeats wrote "the center cannot hold.... and the worst are
full of passionate intensity", he challenged the soul to deepen
its keel so as to ride out the inescapable storms of worldly engagement.
Halpern's book, based on years of societal activism and immersion in
the ruinous games of power, offers a guide to fighting, or disarming,
the enemies, all the while gaining a richer humanity. Enjoyable, instructive,
deeply felt and very well-told." "Charles Halpern describes an extraordinary life in our
times. Complementing his fascinating journey from one position
of power and influence to another is the spiritual quest that he chronicles
with care and passion." “Engaging, evocative, and wonderfully written, Making
Waves and Riding the Currents is a must-read that will ignite the reader’s
desire to lead a life worthy of his or her heartfelt convictions. Charlie
Halpern’s inspiring story helps us discover the wisdom and faith
we need to hope, dream, and carry on.” "Charles
Halpern has written an absorbing account of his engagement with the
challenges
of a succession of innovative ventures in public policy, legal education,
and philanthropy. What sets this book apart, however, is his conscious
discovery and pursuit of ‘the practice of wisdom.’ Activism
and wisdom, so often thought to pull in opposite directions, are here
shown to inform
and nourish each other." "Charles
Halpern's engaging autobiography is more than a personal story of his
pioneering career in public interest law. Halpern offers an inviting
path for all of us to follow toward finding deep personal satisfaction
in pursuing social justice causes. "At
a moment in history when many progressive activists may feel overwhelmed
and enervated by the challenges of the day, Making Waves and Riding
the Currents provides strength, insight, a path. In describing the
course
of his own remarkable career, Charles Halpern, founding dean of CUNY
Law School and a pioneer in legal education, provides a model for social
transformation that rests on persistence, bravery, and the need for
conscious reflection as an integral component
of civic regeneration. This wonderfully engaging book is a revivifying
sourcebook of good causes, great ideas, and transcendent lessons about
the personal and collective benefits of working in the public interest." "From
Yale Law School to public interest law to entrepreneurial philanthropy,
Charles Halpern has been making waves all his life. But what
makes this vivid memoir extraordinary - and exemplary - is
Halpern’s frank recounting of lessons learned, often painfully,
in the private and intimate corners of his life. Worldly accomplishment,
he shows us, is necessary; but without balance and heart it won’t
matter much. Making Waves and Riding the Currents will inspire readers
toward their own inward and outward paths to wisdom." “An honest, humorous, and profoundly
illuminating account of one man’s persistence in navigating the
lessons of personal integrity, mindfulness, and balance while contributing
successfully to greater wisdom and compassion in our social institutions.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who cares about leadership and
social change, and bringing the inner and outer arcs of one’s
life and work together into a life-serving and meaningful whole.”
"Making Waves and Riding the Currents is a thoroughly engaging memoir
of growing wisdom and compassion. It’s the absorbing story of a
bright, young lawyer who gradually discovers that elusive integration
of inner understanding and outer manifestation. Charles Halpern’s
life is a beacon for all those who seek peace in themselves and social
justice in the world." "For those who want to know how to wed a visionary
life of law and justice with an inner life of compassion and spirit,
this book is an inspiring and illuminating tale." "Making Waves is indispensable reading for
anyone seeking to use the law for the greater good. Not only are Halpern's
accomplishments a tremendous source of inspiration, his experience
and reflections provide invaluable lessons for any aspiring public
servant.
This book is ideal for encouraging law students and young lawyers to
take risks and follow their passions." "The inspiring story
of Charlie Halpern's life and work offers a powerful narrative of how
intelligent and dedicated individuals can achieve profound social innovation
when they connect deeply with their inner self - drawing on fundamental
strengths and acknowledging personal limitations - and humbly inject
this self-knowledge into their professional work. Drawing on the wisdom
he gathered in his years of innovation in the nonprofit sector, he
brought these lessons into the creation of a unique grants program
at the Nathan
Cummings Foundation, enriching the entire philanthropic community." "Charles Halpern
is one of the great social entrepreneurs of our time. He has decisively
influenced some of the most important social movements of this century
-- in public interest law, mental health, the environment, mind-body
health, and contemplative practice, to name just a few. Making Waves
and Riding the Currents tells the story of his journey from the practice
of law to the practice of wisdom. It is an indispensable resource for
anyone who wants to understand the social history of our time."
"Charlie Halpern is a founding father of public interest law; he created
numerous important institutions and helped provide the conceptual
framework that started an entire movement. Making Waves and Riding the
Currents is a graceful, spiritual, and sometimes humorous account of
this story
that will no doubt be enjoyed by all Americans seeking more meaning
in their lives and work." "Why is it that those best
endowed with wisdom are the ones most troubled by lack of it and
most determined
to find the path to more? This is an inspiring book about an inspiring
career." |
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