Beyond Climate Grief: A journey of love, snow, fire and an enchanted beer can

by Jonica Newby

How do we find courage when climate change overwhelms us emotionally?

In this magical, often funny and deeply moving personal story, award-winning science reporter Jonica Newby explores how to navigate the emotional turmoil of climate change.

After researching what global warming will do to the snow country she loves, Newby plummeted into a state of profound climate grief. And if she was struggling, she wondered, how was everyone else coping? What should parents tell their anxious kids? How might we all live our best lives under the weight of this fearsome knowledge? Then reality outstripped imagination as her family was swept up in the apocalyptic 2020 fires.

Featuring illuminating conversations with singer–songwriter Missy Higgins, comedians Charlie Pickering and Craig Reucassel and business leader Mike Cannon-Brookes, practical advice from psychological and scientific experts, incredible accounts from everyday heroes, plus inspiring stories from the climate strike kids, Beyond Climate Grief provides guidance and emotional sustenance to help shore up courage for the uncertainties ahead.

It reminds us of the love, beauty and wonder in the world, even amidst disaster. And how we all have a touch of epic hero in us.

Genres: Nonfiction, Climate Change

256 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2021

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A moving emotional journey through climate grief, that begins with the author's love of snow and takes her through the terror of fire in Australia's horrific climate change-affected bushfires of 2019-2020

[L.A. Larkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beyond Climate Grief is moving, funny, poignant and empowering. Not depressing at all.
Having read the book, I feel I am not alone in my worry about the world's lack of urgent action on climate change and I am also reassured there are plenty of ordinary and courageous people who can make a real difference.
Highly recommended.

[Magenta · Rating 5 out of 5]

The synopsis for this book describes it as ‘magical, often funny and deeply moving’ and honestly I don’t think I can sum it up better than this! Jonica Newby is such an intelligent writer and it really shows in this book. I was lucky enough to live in an area that wasn’t directly affected by the 2019/20 bushfires but I knew people who were and they lost more than possessions. Climate change is an area that needs to be discussed more and I really enjoyed how the author used her raw personal experiences combined with her science knowledge from her work as a journalist in that field to create a story that makes you feel like you’re not alone in any fears you have for the future of our planet. Simultaneously, if you didn’t already have these fears, it shares some personal narratives from the author, as well as some other Australian figures, which will make you look at these issues we face in a different light.

This book also is a very real and raw look at the authors journey from clinical depression to coming to terms with the emotional trauma she suffered.

This is an important and insightful read that I think anyone could learn something from.

Thank you to the author and Modern Currency for providing me with a copy to review in exchange for my honest review and a copy to giveaway.

[Jessie Henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

A deep dive into the effects climate change has on our psyche, how to accept the inevitable loses we face and how to move forward through that grief while still fighting for the world we love. Newby takes is from her beloved snow country that is slowly disappearing to the catastrophic fires of 2019-2020 and to the coral bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef. I enjoyed hearing from scientists, business leaders and teenagers, all fighting in their own way for a common cause.

I kept coming back to one question though. What are all these people eating? One of the most impactful changes we can all make is what we choose to eat and what kind of food production we support with our money. This wasn’t mentioned at all in this book, despite Newby saying “we have the power to choose where we put our money”

There was also only a one sentence mention of Indigenous Fire Management. When so much of the book focused on the impacts of devastating fires, I think it’s worth more than jus a quick mention. I would have loved Newby to interview an Indigenous Fire Leader like Victor Steffenson.

Overall an insightful and helpful book. I loved the “Coeur Rager” moment. It’s nice to know I am not the only one dealing with Climate Grief, there are loads of us out there.

[Tracy Meszaros · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised. Jonica Newby has woven a coherent history of the emotions during our black summer of 2019-2020. Not only that but she has woven science, feeling, reportage into something greater than the whole. She brought it all back. The horror and courage and despair and the anger. I’d forgotten how useless and insulting the PM and federal cabinet had been (and still are). But I remembered the anxiety, watching it from the safety west of Melbourne- the strangely cool summer we had as opposed to the unimaginable conflagrations along the Australian east coast. Though I still have clear memories of the exhausted firie who wouldn’t shake ScoMo’s (Scott Morrison, the prime minister for New South Wales, the paternalistic idiot, the useless leader). I do remember yelling at the TV exactly as Jonica Newby did: “We don’t want your comfort, we want you to lead!”
And yes, climate grief is what we’re all starting to feel when we see it disappearing. Thank you, Jonica, for giving us the words, and the concept of active hope to move forward.

[Rob Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jonica Newby is remarkably open and inquiring on her quest to understand how to deal with "climate grief". She shares so much of herself, and of a tremendous assortment of people impacted no only by the changing climate and its toxic politics, but by the bushfires that raged through eastern Australia as Newby was writing her book.

I'm intrigued to know how the book is received outside of Australia, among those who watched the fires from a distance. For those of us who breathed smoke, or were closer than that to the tragedy, her book provides a remarkable chance to revisit those important, formative months.

Of course there is much more to the book than the fires. It begins with a quest to find out about the future of snow. But for me the fires are an unforgettable character in her journey.

[Rosalie Chapple · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jonica's book on coming to terms with climate change and revisiting the disastrous 2019/20 fires in Australia, is an important and insightful read. With COVID-19 hitting the world as soon as the disastrous Australian fires of 2019/20 abated, the grieving and reckoning with the fires was short-changed. Jonica's book provides a crucial and valuable opportunity for us to revisit the impact of the fires on the people who were caught in their path, and to come to terms with the personal and collective shock and trauma. As a highly skilled science journalist, Jonica weaves together expert knowledge with personal narratives, to produce a powerful story that is an important contribution to understanding the unfolding impacts of climate change in Australia.

[Catherine Letendre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Très intéressant d'avoir la perspective australienne sur les impacts des changements climatiques. La section sur ce qu'ont vécu les gens lors des grands incendies de 2019-2020 était particulièrement touchante.

L'écriture est un peu brouillonne par contre; les bouts d'histoires sont éparpillés un peu partout dans les chapitres et ça donne parfois l'impression de répétition. Il manquerait juste un peu de travail d'édition pour remettre les choses dans un ordre plus cohérent et facile à assimiler.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting addition to the genre of climate change books - this one looking at the emotional journey and toll that living through climate change can create. It was quite fascinating to hear someone be so open and honest about not only the grief we feel when thinking about and experiencing climate change, but also all the other emotions that come with it. Mixing personal with the universal, this book captures a moment in time, but also feels like a worthy addition to this genre. A really worthwhile read.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling, passionate, but unexpected - I had expected a blow-by-blow guide on what to do with my emotions in the face of climate change.

Instead, this heart-wrenching account of the author and her interviewees processing the trauma of a severe climate event, the Australian 2020 megafires, is something else - a collection of beautiful stories about the human impact of climate change. So, unexpected, but beautifully written.

[unknown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading

A deeply moving and personal journey through the traumas of recent years and the effects of climate change to hope for the future. Beautifully articulated emotions.

[Natasha Hurley-Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and gripping, but also very useful for dealing with emotions provoked by climate change, as well as our fight against it and its effects. I think in the future every country is going to need more and more accounts like this, to help us find meaning and pride in order to take action.

[Woodymac · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is brilliant! It is like Phosphorescence for global warming worry-warts. Fabulous science writing with emotional explainers, and real experience. Love your snowy heart places (they are mine too). Re-living the Mallacoota fires was scary. Thanks Jonica

[The Adventures of Isabelle Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an Australian it was awesome to read a book about the Australian climate change experience. I really appreciated the focus on feeling and emotion which is often I feel a space that is overlooked. It was helpful, reassuring and damn inspiring to read! Well worth a read!

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Australian should read this. Everyone who cares about the future of our planet should read this. Even if you don’t believe in climate change. Especially if you don’t believe in climate change.

[Georgie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Touching, accurate, honest, and beautifully written

[George Binns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful and important.