Beneath the Surface of Things - by Wade Davis

About the Book

"The essays in this collection came about during the unhurried months when one who had traveled incessantly was obliged to stay still, even as events flared on all sides in a world that never stops moving. Wade Davis brings his unique cultural perspective to such varied topics as the demonization of coca, the sacred plant of the Inca; the Great War and the birth of modernity; the British conquest of Everest; the endless conflict in the Middle East; reaching beyond climate fear and trepidation; on the meaning of the sacred. His essay, 'The Unraveling of America, ' first published in Rolling Stone, attracted five million readers and generated 362 million social media impressions. Media interest in the story was sustained over many weeks, with interview requests coming in from 23 countries. The anthropological lens, as Davis demonstrates, reveals what lies beneath the surface of things, allowing us to see, and to seek, the wisdom of the middle way, a perspective of promise and hope that all of the essays in this collection aspire to convey."--Publisher's description.

Book Synopsis

"Wade Davis is a true wayfinder, and these essays offer new insight into his visionary approach to culture, landscape, and the planet he loves as fiercely as any writer working today."--John Vaillant, author of Fire Weather

A timely and eclectic collection from one of the foremost thinkers of our time, "a powerful, penetrating and immensely knowledgeable writer" (The Guardian).

The essays in this collection came about during the unhurried months when one who had traveled incessantly was obliged to stay still, even as events flared on all sides in a world that never stops moving. Wade Davis brings his unique cultural perspective to such varied topics as the demonization of coca, the sacred plant of the Inca; the Great War and the birth of modernity; the British conquest of Everest; the endless conflict in the Middle East; reaching beyond climate fear and trepidation; on the meaning of the sacred. His essay, "The Unraveling of America," first published in Rolling Stone, attracted five million readers and generated 362 million social media impressions. Media interest in the story was sustained over many weeks, with interview requests coming in from 23 countries.

The anthropological lens, as Davis demonstrates, reveals what lies beneath the surface of things, allowing us to see, and to seek, the wisdom of the middle way, a perspective of promise and hope that all of the essays in this collection aspire to convey.

"Wade Davis has a gift for saying the unsayable. He's a fearless explorer in the intellectual world, as in the physical. His refusal to embrace conventional wisdom on climate change, for example, and instead think through the issue for himself, is a model of independent thinking. Even when I disagree with Wade, as with some of his bleak comments about the United States, I'm grateful for his voice. We usually live on the surface of ideas when we talk about issues such as war and racism; Wade takes us far deeper."--David Ignatius, columnist and associate editor, Washington Post

Review Quotes

"A writer of breathtaking precision, Davis is as intrepid and original a thinker as he is an astute. In these moving works born of stillness and reflection, he delves into some of the world's most catastrophic paradoxes."
--Donna Seaman, Booklist STARRED Review

"An acclaimed essayist takes a deep dive into cultural issues at home and around the word... Davis knits history, sociology, faith, and scientific inquiry into a colorful, meditative tapestry."
--Kirkus

"Terrific, eloquent, beautifully written and synthesized history. Your eye lands on the terrors with cold fury."
--Jann Wenner, founder of Rolling Stone

"Wade Davis' deeply-felt essays swim wide oceans of diverse culture and thought. He never fails to scoop up what he calls 'the astounding sweep of the human spirit, ' as he shifts between history, ethnography, and personal missive. His essays show us how understanding other ways of being can open the gates of justice. He hands us the keys to insight within each of the seven thousand languages of the world. With wisdom and sure-footed research, he challenges us to let go of preconception and simply be."
--Gretel Ehrlich

"Wade Davis is a true wayfinder, and these essays offer new insight into his visionary approach to culture, landscape, and the planet he loves as fiercely as any writer working today."
--John Vaillant, author of Fire Weather

"Wade Davis has a gift for saying the unsayable. He's a fearless explorer in the intellectual world, as in the physical. His refusal to embrace conventional wisdom on climate change, for example, and instead think through the issue for himself, is a model of independent thinking. Even when I disagree with Wade, as with some of his bleak comments about the United States, I'm grateful for his voice. We usually live on the surface of ideas when we talk about issues such as war and racism; Wade takes us far deeper."
--David Ignatius, columnist and associate editor, Washington Post

"Written by an eloquent explorer, and celebrating spiritual as well as material crafts and cultures, this book shows how attention to both has always been necessary for our survival. With enchanting precision, it reveals the wonders of our world, from complex communities to changing climates, while offering a refreshing balance between compassion and concern and between the arts and the sciences. This is an essential service for us right now, and Wade Davis is our frontline worker. Our wayfinder. If you want to be inspired to know more, and to do more, read this book."
--J. Edward Chamberlin, author of If This Is Your Land, Where Are Your Stories? and Storylines: How Words Shape Our World

"Wade Davis has the ability to look beneath the surface of what he observes, offering insights and interpretations that are invariably inspiring and bold. The breadth of his knowledge and the range of his curiosity are wondrous."
--Andrew Weil

"Wade Davis is a master of the essay form, bringing a life of exploration, travel, reflection, and experience together in a bracing synthesis... The essay on climate change is simply the best thing I've read on the subject."
--Michael Ignatieff