Cascadia: The Elusive Utopia: Exploring the Spirit of the Pacific Northwest

Cascadia: The Elusive Utopia Exploring the Spirit of the Pacific Northwest by Douglas Todd $21.95 Autumn 2008

ISBN 978-1-55380-060-6

6″ x 9″ Trade Paperback, 326 pages

Mind, Body & Spirit, West Coast







This collection explores the unique spirituality and culture of Cascadia, which includes British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. Envied around the world, Cascadia is famous for its mountains, evergreens, and livable cities. Less well known is that Cascadia is home to the least institutionally religious people on the continent. Despite this, Cascadia: The Elusive Utopia argues that most of the region’s 14 million residents feel deeply « spiritual. » Many gain their sense of the sacred from the spectacular and imposing land.

Brought together by critically acclaimed Vancouver Sun writer Douglas Todd, 15 leading writers, scholars, bio-regionalists, pollsters, aboriginals, economists, philosophers and literary specialists explain how the Pacific Northwest is nurturing a unique « spirituality of place, » which could become a model for the planet.

In this book readers will find a vision of a healthy future: an elusive utopia. Canadian and American contributors include historian Jean Barman, Canadian poet laureate George Bowering, political philosopher Philip Resnick, religion scholar Patricia O’Connell Killen and American-Canadian eco-thinker Sallie McFague.

Click here to read an excerpt from the introduction to Cascadia: The Elusive Utopia.

Reviews & Awards

Winner of Silver Medal, ForeWord’s Book of the Year Award (mind, body & spirit category) BC BookWorld named Cascadia: The Elusive Utopia one of the “10 Books to Celebrate 150 Years” in a feature on BC’s 150th anniversary