By Sarah McKenzie

In “Sustaining our Spirits: Women Leaders Thriving for Today or Tomorrow,” the authors quote poet David Whyte: “The antidote to exhaustion is wholeheartedness.”

To be strong leaders, women need to find their calling, come up with ways to sustain their energies and navigate work environments that often turn toxic and threaten to undermine them, the book’s authors argue.

“Women who lead are not unlike the many animals and plants around the world that face real peril when they lack a consistent, nurturing habitat to ensure their sustainability,” writes Darlyne Bailey, one of the co-authors and assistant to University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks and founding dean of the College of Education and Human Development.

To arm women with tips and resources on developing leadership skills despite all the challenges they face, Bailey teamed up with her co-authors Kelly McNally Koney, Mary Ellen McNish, Ruthmary Powers and Katrina Uhly on the leadership handbook, “Sustaining our Spirits.”

The book is based on a five-year discovery process where the women — along with more than 40 others — met at retreats to share insights and reflections on their work. From those conversations, the idea for the book was born.

“I think the biggest challenge facing us right now is the fact that we’re living in a time of great uncertainty,” Bailey said in a recent interview. “One of the major messages that we’re trying to convey in our book through our own life experiences is that fortitude and faith are actually two ends of a continuum — and what times like this require of us to really do much more of a faith walk that we would ordinarily do. We have absolutely very little control over so much, and we appreciate this the longer we live on the planet. … What we can have control over is how deeply we trust the faith walk.”  


Reading
Katrina Uhly, Darlyne Bailey and Kelly McNally Koney will discuss their book, “Sustaining our Spirits: Women Leaders Thriving for Today or Tomorrow,” at Magers & Quinn Booksellers,
3038 Hennepin Ave. S., on Monday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m.

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Ever wonder what lies beneath the city’s surface?

If you’re curious, but not interested in making a trek into one of the tunnels or caves, you’re in luck. Greg Brick, a geologist, historian and urban speleologist, has done the legwork for you and shared his discoveries in his new book, “Subterranean Twin Cities.”

“This book is the first comprehensive guidebook, if you will, to the Twin Cities underground,” Brick said.

A tagline on the back of the book says: “Don’t try this at home — read the book instead! (it smells better).”

The book includes an interesting look at the geology of the area, including a look at the Milling District tunnels and the Nicollet Island caves.

Brick has been exploring and writing about the Twin Cities underground for more than 20 years. He also wrote “Iowa Underground: A Guide to the State’s Subterranean Treasures” and has been featured in National Geographic Adventure Magazine and on the History Channel.



Reading

Greg Brick will discuss “Subterranean Twin Cities” on April 23 at 7:30 p.m.
at Magers & Quinn Booksellers,
3038 Hennepin Ave. S





 

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