Wildfire: Igniting the She/Volution

by Sonia Johnson

In this book, the author "designs a feminist anarchy, a woman-created social, spiritual, and economic order, at once both exquisitely wild and wise". - from the book's back cover

Genres: Feminism, Nonfiction, Sociology, Feminist Theory, Classics, LGBT

278 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1989

Reviews

[Max]

I didn’t realize this is the same Sonia Johnson who was excommunicated!! Cool to read alongside women and authority. She doesn’t talk about Mormonism that much but it’s just so wild she went from being mormon but for the ERA to being a legit lesbian feminist. Slam dunk. I feel like you maybe can see see the influence there in how seamlessly she goes back and forth between mysticism and concrete reality, a little jarring but fun. Her discussion of economics was very cool, hadn’t really thought of it that way before

[Danielle Sales]

It`s kinda agressive, but I like the new way of thinking some aspects of feminism.

[Holly]

Loved this book and the message it puts out!

[FMLDNR]

very good book.

[Renée Roehl]

I read this book back in the 90s and it shifted something really important in my life, for the rest of my life so far.

As an activist of many years, patriarchy, feminism, the natural world's gifts and how capitalism was refusing to see anything of value in nature but board feet or how we can use & use up the environment was something I talked & wrote about.

Johnson, an excommunicated ex-Mormon wife & mother who turned activist, lesbian feminist and writer, had started her Wildfire Community and received many death threats (all pre internet mind you) had presented an idea of a gift giving society in this book. The community didn't last too long though as it was WAY ahead of its time.

I've been trying to live the idea of gift giving vs. $ or barter ever since. It's really only in the last 10 years I have been able to do this with certain others. It creates SUCH joy that can *never* be found in a capitalistic mindset.

The world is now slightly turning in this direction so I think this book might be a good place to understand what Johnson was proposing and then move onto others who are now suggesting this very idealistic idea that finally seems almost possible--though not in my lifetime even with eminent societal collapse barreling down on us--like Robin Wall Kimmerer in her book, The Serviceberry. She also presents this idea but in a bit of a different way. [see my recent review of this book]

Highly recommend both!

[Erin]

Definitely dated. Read it in honor of a friend and think it would have made more of an impact on me when it came out.

[missy jean]

My brother introduced me to the writings of Sonia J (as he calls her, although I have this hunch she wouldn't appreciate his informality, seeing as she unabashedly envisions a happier world entirely free of men, who she calls "vampires" and "monsters") this weekend. This book is a trip. I disagree with vast tracts of it, but she is definitely a fascinating character.