Publicity Plans:
Neil Shister has been a correspondent with Time, television critic for the Miami Herald, and editor of Atlanta magazine. He's taught at Hampshire College, Boston University, and The George Washington University. He was a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Côte d'Ivoire (1968-1970). He lives in Washington, D.C. with wife, Cait, and son, William.
Praise for Radical Ritual
Rolling Stone, One of the Best Books About Burning Man
“Neil Shister writes with great relish about how the annual revel
has been irradiating the culture with creativity, self–reliance,
collective action and a democratic can–do spirit . . . His
enthusiasm for the festival’s super–charged civic atmosphere—what
he calls 'a colossal circus of trust–worthiness and compassion,
empathy and generosity of spirit'—corrects the common view of Black
Rock City as an al fresco Studio 54.” —Chris Jennings, The Wall
Street Journal
“Fascinated by the history, culture, and debauchery of Burning Man?
Radical Ritual will give you the juice (while explaining how it has
evolved). Author Neil Shister is a journalist and historian, but
he’s also a Burner. So he treads the line between participant and
storyteller as he digs through the forces that have shaped the
festival, from self–governance to Google. The book focuses largely
on the life of founder Larry Harvey, but it also looks at how the
event has changed over time and how it’s gone from an outsider
ritual to a heavily used symbol of the technocracy.” —Heather
Hansman, Outside, 1 of 5 Absorbing Books to Get You Through
Midsummer
“Through interviews with the event’s principals and
behind–the–scenes stories of how Burning Man and Black Rock City
work, [Shister] offers a glimpse of festival history that not even
its dust–covered participants are likely to see.” —John Przybys,
Las Vegas Review–Journal
“Shister’s book combines a history of the event’s growth with a
look under the hood of Harvey’s theories about positive social
engineering.” —James Sullivan, San Francisco Chronicle
“A fascinating, immersive exploration of the annual weeklong
bohemian festival . . . Shister does a splendid job of sketching in
the features and the future of Burning Man and its residual global
influence with a vivid narrative and anecdotal interviews. A
focused insider's guide to Burning Man and a posthumous nod to its
intrepid creator.” —Kirkus Reviews
“How do you capture magic and serendipity in telling the historic
tale of how Burning Man has turned into the world's most storied
annual pilgrimage? Neil Shister weaves a compelling narrative—full
of fascinating characters and little–known details—that helps us to
understand why this event has become such a modern–day phenomenon.”
—Chip Conley, hospitality entrepreneur and bestselling author of
Wisdom @ Work: The Making of a Modern Elder
“Masterfully organized and written with a clarity and liveliness
that pulls us along, Neil Shister’s Radical Ritual meshes two
different approaches to its elusive subject. It combines the
intellectual insights of a seasoned objective reporter and analyst
who has studied Burning Man’s history and creators in depth with
the deeply personal responses of an active (though hardly
unquestioning) participant who conveys the experiential feel of
being there. The result is a brilliantly successful synthesis and
wonderful read from start to finish.” —Carl Smith, author of The
Plan of Chicago and professor of American studies and history at
Northwestern University
“An all–in history of, and love letter to, this one–of–a–kind
event. If you’ve been there, or want to go, you couldn’t possibly
find better companions than Neil Shister and his engaging book.”
—Daniel Okrent, author of Last Call and The Guarded Gate
“Radical Ritual reads like a zany, hip, futuristic novel. The
values of Burning Man might just help us figure out what is real
and human in an age of artifice.” —Anne–Marie Slaughter, author of
Unfinished Business
“Reading Radical Ritual is like a joyful meander through Black Rock
City—you can be sure it will be engaging, enlightening, and exactly
what you need at the moment.” —Jennifer Raiser, author of Burning
Man: Art on Fire
“Neil Shister’s book skillfully traces the evolution of Burning Man
and provides rare insights into how this cultural phenomenon is
changing the world.” —Michael Mikel, founding board member of the
Burning Man Project
“Virgins—those who have never been to Burning Man—should read this
book. Veteran Burners will want to read it twice. Read this book,
or I will leave MOOP everywhere.” —Grover Norquist, Burning Man
attendee and American political activist and strategist
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