'The smaller we come to feel ourselves compared with the mountain, the nearer we
come to participating in its greatness.' Philosopher, mountaineer, activist and
visionary, Arne Naess's belief that all living things have value made him one o
f the most inspirational figures in the environmental movement. Drawing on his y
ears spent in an isolated hut high in the Norwegian mountains, and on influences
as diverse as Gandhi's nonviolent action and Spinoza's all-encompassing worldvi
ew, this selection of the best of his writings is filled with wit, charisma and
intense connection with nature. Emphasizing joy, cooperation and 'beautiful acti
ons', they create a philosophy of life from a man who never lost his sense of wo
nder at the world.