Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach published by Heyday/Banyan Tree Books (2004)

Ecotopia embodies in concrete, practical form the new biology-conscious philosophy that has been evolving in recent years, especially on the West Coast.

The setting is the early 21st century. Ecotopia, made up of what was once Northern California, Oregon, and Washington, has been independent for several decades. At last, an official visitor from New York is admitted: Will Weston, top investigative reporter. Like a modern Gulliver, Weston is sometimes horrified sometimes impressed despite himself, and sometimes touched by the strange practices he encounters--which include ritual war games, collective ownership and operation of farms and factories, and an attention to trees and reforestation which borders on tree-worship.

With beautiful new cover art and a new introduction by the author, this thirtieth anniversary edition of Ecotopia will delight old fans and new, and make a perfect gift for anyone who has ever asked the question, ''How can I make a difference?''

Ernest Callenbach, who also wrote the ''prequel'' Ecotopia Emerging, grew up in rural central Pennsylvania, attended the University of Chicago, and has lived in Berkeley, California, since 1954. He edited natural history, science, art, and film books for the University of California Press. He now devotes full time to writing (his newest book is Ecology: A Pocket Guide) and lecturing; he gardens ardently, has two compost bins, and walks a lot.