Department of Book Reports 61: Dance Lest We All Fall Down

I've mentioned this book in the past, but I realized we haven't given it a full book report. We had a lovely evening with Margaret this past December.

Last year, Margaret received the Thomas C. Wales Award, and just this week, our newspaper announced that Margaret is the recipient of the 2008 Jefferson Award, sponsored locally by Microsoft Corp. and the Seattle P-I for "ordinary people who do extraordinary things.". These awards are so richly deserved by this amazing woman.

Much as Greg Mortenson found, change in these communities could only come about by stepping back and allowing the local people to shape the direction of the school. In concentrating on educating girls, they hope to empower the mothers of the next generation. Boys, in these communities are able to survive by ways not available to the girls. Margaret gives us an up close look at the shantytowns of Brazil along with the music and the martial arts/dance capoeira program.

I urge everyone to check out this truly inspirational book. democommie™™™™™©®ç åü urges everyone to make a donation here.

The title of the book is Dance Lest We All Fall Down, a reflection of a lesson my friends from the favelas of Bahia taught me, that strength comes with the dance we must all do if we are to survive, that we must find our joy. Joy makes us strong, the dance of joy comes through understanding how we can give to others, and that all of us have something to give. ~M.W.

Signed copies of Dance Lest We All Fall Down (Cold Tree Press, $15.95) are available at Jackson Street Books and the publisher. Your local fine Independent Bookstore may be able to special order it for you.

Welcome to the world Sebastian Q Felber!