

# Event Details

- **Event Name**: Inner Transition Book Group: A Paradise Built in Hell – Community, Crisis & Resilience
- **Event Start and End Date**: Tue, 31 Mar, 2026 at 03:30 am – Tue, 31 Mar, 2026 at 06:30 am (+01:00)
- **Event Description**: Inner Transition Book Group @ Totnes Climate Hub, The Mansion, Fore St
Tuesday 31st March 3.30pm

Our discussion this month will be sparked by the book 'A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster' – Rebecca Solnit. All are welcome, you do not have to have read the whole of the book – or any of it!

In this widely acclaimed work, Solnit challenges the familiar narrative that disaster leads to panic, selfishness and social breakdown. Drawing on events such as the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Hurricane Katrina and 9/11, she argues that ordinary people often respond to crisis with solidarity, cooperation and unexpected acts of courage. Rather than descending into chaos, communities frequently self-organise, improvise mutual aid, and discover new forms of meaning and connection.

Solnit is also the author of Men Explain Things to Me and Hope in the Dark, works that explore feminism, power, activism and hope. A Paradise Built in Hell has been recognised as one of the most important nonfiction books of the past two decades in discussions of disaster sociology, community resilience and grassroots response.

Key themes include:
– The myth of mass panic
– Mutual aid and emergent community
– Power, authority and who controls the narrative in crisis
– The role of hope in collective action
– What disaster reveals about everyday society

Questions the book raises:
– Why do we so often underestimate human cooperation?
– What prevents authorities from trusting grassroots responses?
– Can we cultivate “disaster solidarity” without needing a disaster?
– What would it mean to design our communities around resilience rather than competition?

We’ll use the book as a springboard for open discussion over a cup of tea — reflecting not only on the ideas themselves, but on what they might mean for our own community. What practical steps might strengthen connection, preparedness and mutual support locally? What would resilience look like in practice?

No need to be an expert. Read as much as you can and come ready to explore the ideas together.

⸻

Next Meeting: Tuesday 28th April
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind – William Kamkwamba

In April we’ll discuss The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba.

This memoir tells the story of Kamkwamba growing up in rural Malawi during a devastating famine. Forced to leave school due to lack of funds, he taught himself engineering from library books and built a windmill from scrap materials to generate electricity for his family and village. The project transformed not only his own life but his community’s future.

The book won multiple international awards and has been adapted into a film directed by and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Themes include:
– Grassroots innovation
– Education and self-directed learning
– Climate vulnerability and food security
– Youth agency and community transformation
– Hope under conditions of scarcity

Together, these two books invite reflection on resilience from different angles: collective response in crisis, and individual initiative that strengthens community capacity.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind has been made into a film available on Netflix. Also a very inspiring TED talk https://youtu.be/PYt41QKmxus?si=NBo41m0DX9kqPw9g

As always, the Inner Transition Book Group is a space for thoughtful, respectful discussion. Tea provided. Conversation encouraged.
- **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/totnes/inner-transition-book-group-a-paradise-built-in-hell-community-crisis-and-resilience/200029850013807
- **Event Categories**: art, entertainment, contests, meetups, fine-arts, literary-art
- **Interested Audience**: 
  - total_interested_count: 10

## Ticket Details

- **Ticket URL**: http://facebook.com/200029850013807?utm_source=AllEvents.in&utm_medium=event-discovery-platform&utm_campaign=totnes-events

## Event venue details

- **city**: Totnes
- **state**: EN
- **country**: United Kingdom
- **location**: The Mansion of Totnes
- **lat**: 50.430994188571
- **long**: -3.6849367618561
- **full address**: The Mansion of Totnes, 36 Fore Street,Totnes, United Kingdom

## Event gallery

- **Alt text**: banner
  - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events10/banners/12285e7eb15a4aab24879d5a3efbbc6504b5242fdf2f6fb2440d29150d78aa4b-rimg-w1200-h1200-dc948e73-gmir?v=1774247769
- **Alt text**: thumbnail
  - **Image URL**: https://dyn-image.allevents.in/generate-image?v=4&title=Inner+Transition+Book+Group%3A+A+Paradise+Built+in+Hell+%E2%80%93+Community%2C+Crisis+%26+Resilience&date=31+Mar

## FAQs

- **Q**: When is the event happening?
  - **A:** Tue, 31 Mar, 2026 at 03:30 am (+01:00)
- **Q**: Where is the event happening?
  - **A:** The Mansion of Totnes, 36 Fore Street,Totnes, United Kingdom
- **Q**: What type of event is this?
  - **A:** art, entertainment, contests, meetups, fine-arts, literary-art
- **Q**: Where can I find ticket details about Inner Transition Book Group: A Paradise Built in Hell – Community, Crisis & Resilience ?
  - **A:** You can find ticket details about this event on AllEvents.

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