World-renowned writer, speaker and activist, Parker J. Palmer is the founder and senior partner of the
Center for Courage & Renewal and author of
nine books, including several best-selling and award-winning titles
: Healing the Heart of Democracy, The Heart of Higher Education (with Arthur Zajonc),
The Courage to Teach, A Hidden Wholeness, Let Your Life Speak, The Active Life, To Know As We Are Known, The Company of Strangers, and
The Promise of Paradox.
Over the last two decades, he has been given the William Rainey Harper Award, whose previous recipients include Margaret Mead, Elie Wiesel, and Paolo Freire; named an Utne Reader Visionary, one of “25 people who are changing your world”; and designated one of the thirty “most influential senior leaders” in higher education and one of ten key “agenda-setters” of the era.
His book
Healing the Heart of Democracy: The Courage to Create a Politics Worthy of the Human Spirit was chosen by Spirituality & Practice as one of the best books of 2011 on contemplation and social activism.