One for the Earth

Offers a look at the year Merrow spent as president of the Sierra Club, detailing her traveling, political maneuvering, lobbying, and ecological-salvation planning

Heading a large, politically active, contentious organizaton is as arduous as running in a Presidential primary, found Merrow, who feels that as president of the Sierra Club from May 1990 to May 1991, she gave a year of her life to the Earth. In her journal, revised with freelancer Rickerby, she gives a behind-the-scenes view of the Club's work--lobbying, policymaking, publicity, fretting about funding--while tracking world events during her tenure as well. Commuting from her home in Connecticut to the Club's offices in San Francisco, Merrow gave countless interviews, made TV appearances, attended economic summits and met with members of Congress. In telling how she dealt with frustrating internal affairs, a dispute with the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund and conferences abroad, Merrow offers an inspiring account of leadership even as the Gulf war and other environmental disasters made her tenure a troubled year for the planet. Photos not seen by PW. Author tour.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The Sierra Club, which was started exactly 100 years ago by a small group of people uniting to protect California's Sierra Nevada Mountains, is now a complex international organization that actively pursues a wide array of environmental issues. As its president during the 1990-91 term, Merrow recounts what she describes as "the most demanding, exasperating, exhilarating, and stimulating experience I ever expect to have." Much like a campaigning politician, Merrow spent her year in a frenzy of activity, giving speeches, raising money, attacking Bush, and attending endless meetings. Over and over she tries to impress the reader with her boundless dedication, her hectic schedule, and her willingness to neglect her family for the sake of the cause. Her journal is made uneven by her juxtaposing serious national concerns with too many trivial details. Do we really care about her bouts of airsickness, her frequent mood swings, or the menus of the dinners she attended? Though it highlights many important concerns of the Sierra Club, this book is only a marginal purchase for comprehensive environmental collections.
- Ilse Heidmann Ali, formerly with Motlow State Community Coll., Tullahoma, Tenn.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.