Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We're In Without Going Crazy
The most accessible introduction to Macy's approach to ecological crisis, resilience, and the Work That Reconnects.
Author guide
Joanna Macy Books in Order
Joanna Macy (1929–2025) was an American scholar of Buddhism, general systems theory, and deep ecology. Her writing and teaching connected Buddhist thought, systems science, ecological awareness, and movements for peace, justice, and environmental renewal. She developed the Work That Reconnects, a framework and workshop methodology for personal and social transformation.
buddhismsystems-thinkingdeep-ecologyenvironmental-activismsocial-change
Catalog record updated .
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
Coming Back to Life: Practices to Reconnect Our Lives, Our World
The foundational practical guide to the Work That Reconnects, co-authored with Molly Young Brown.
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (8)
- Despair and Personal Power in the Nuclear Age
nonfiction · 1983
- Thinking Like a Mountain: Toward a Council of All Beings
nonfiction · 1988
This book of readings, meditations, rituals and workshop notes prepared on three continents provides a context for ritual identification with the natural environment. As relevant today as when it was originally published in 1988, this…
- World as Lover, World as Self
nonfiction · 1991
- Coming Back to Life: Practices to Reconnect Our Lives, Our World
nonfiction · 1998
- Pass It On: Five Stories That Can Change the World
nonfiction · 2010
- Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We're In Without Going Crazy
nonfiction · 2011
Nonfiction (1)
- Widening Circles: A Memoir
memoir · 2000
In this absorbing memoir, well-known eco-philosopher, Buddhist scholar, and deep ecology activist/teacher Macy recounts her adventures of mind and spirit in the key social movements of the era. From involvement with the CIA and the Cold…
Frequently asked questions about Joanna Macy
Who was Joanna Macy, and when was she born and when did she die?
Joanna Macy (1929–2025) was an American scholar of Buddhism, systems theory, and deep ecology, as well as an environmental activist, teacher, and author. She was born on May 2, 1929, and died on July 19, 2025.
Sources: joannamacy.net (opens in a new tab)garrisoninstitute.org (opens in a new tab)
What was Joanna Macy best known for?
She was best known for developing the Work That Reconnects, a framework and workshop practice that combines ecological awareness, systems thinking, Buddhist insight, and collective action. She was also recognized for her anti-nuclear, peace, and environmental activism.
Sources: naropa.edu (opens in a new tab)naropa.edu (opens in a new tab)
What influenced Joanna Macy’s work?
Her work was shaped by Buddhist thought and practice, general systems theory, and deep ecology. Her engagement with the Sarvodaya movement in Sri Lanka and concerns about nuclear threats also strongly informed the Work That Reconnects.
Sources: workthatreconnects.org (opens in a new tab)naropa.edu (opens in a new tab)
What awards and honors did Joanna Macy receive?
Macy received the 2013 Bioneers Lifetime Contribution Award. Her official biography also records honorary degrees from New College of California, Starr King School of Ministry, California Institute of Integral Studies, and Alice Lloyd College.
Sources: joannamacy.net (opens in a new tab)bioneers.org (opens in a new tab)
What is Joanna Macy’s legacy?
Her legacy centers on the international spread of the Work That Reconnects, which has influenced environmental educators, activists, and contemplative communities. Naropa University’s Joanna Macy Center continues this work through programs focused on resilience, regeneration, nuclear guardianship, and ecological action.
Sources: garrisoninstitute.org (opens in a new tab)naropa.edu (opens in a new tab)