What do you get when you cross a yogi, a writer and a wildlife conservationist? You get Alison Zak and her thought-provoking Wild Asana. Asana is the physical practice of yoga, and many yoga poses are nicknamed for creatures, such as Downward Dog and Eagle Pose. Zak’s exploration takes this informal nomenclature as a starting point and soars forth into a spirited exploration of the connection between humans and our fellow animals, with yoga as a sort of natural meeting place. “It suddenly becomes very strange that we practice something called ‘cobra pose’ hundreds of times without thinking at all about the animal called a cobra as we do it,” she writes. Questioning old limits of scientific thinking and encouraging a deeper relationship with nature are essential to her mission, as she invites readers to “anthropomorphize with abandon.” This book offers a fascinating journey through which to more deeply understand your animal self, as well as practical guidance in yoga basics.
Valiant Women is a vital and engrossing attempt to correct the record and rightfully celebrate the achievements of female veterans of World War II.
