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So many books about sustainability just detail what's wrong with the world. Readers don't get any help thinking about what would be better or how to get there. This amazing book helps us envision what a more sustainable, efficient, respectful, satisfying world could look like. And even throws out some concepts to explore to make it happen. Being fiction, Darcy doesn't have to detail precisely how a project would be implemented -- and it is actually more inspiring to just read about it casually as if this world already existed. It is exciting to see how well the Portland-of-the-future is doing after having embraced some out of the box thinking. This book is easy and fun to read, and uplifting and inspiring to boot. The only problem was that I had a hard time putting it down to get my work done!

"A compelling and engaging story"
I have just finished “Dragonfly’s Question” and came away quite impressed. The story involves a Portland, Oregon sustainability consultant whose father is visiting her to convince her that she could be doing much better financially if she got involved in a “real” business activity. However, he comes to see that not only is there value in what she is doing but he realizes that her quality of life is actually quite enviable.

The story has good pacing, credible characters and dialogue that seems quite authentic. I guess even more importantly I found myself emotionally engaged in their story. I could feel the empathy and affection... More > between Theresa and her father, Joe, even if they had different “philosophies”.

Darcy Hitchcock has not only written an engaging story but has crafted it in a way that pulls together all that she has learned as a sustainability consultant. The book provides a comprehensive vision of what life could be like if a community lived by many of the sustainability concepts that are currently under development. Each chapter takes a particular issue – frames the issue and then shows how it might be resolved. There is an excellent study guide at the back with references to places where many of the concepts are currently being implemented.

What I particularly like is that Darcy has taken a very challenging and complex set of issues and used them to create a very compelling and engaging story, a story that bridges two generations. One generation thought the status quo would go on for the foreseeable future and while the other realizes not only will that not happen but that if the changes that are occurring are embraced, life for all generations can be even better.
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"Moving and engaging story" Just finished reading this great little novella and am planning on bringing it to my local Green Coalition as a potential community education project. Definitely worthwhile to read and share with your spheres of influence.