The Cushion in the Road: Meditation and Wandering as the Whole World Awakens to Being in Harm’s Way

This “impassioned and genuine” (Publishers Weekly) collection of essays gathers the “lavishly gifted” (The New York Times) Alice Walker’s wide-ranging meditations on our intertwined personal, spiritual, and political destinies. For the millions of loyal fans who continue to flock to hear her speak, this book invites readers on a journey of political awakening and spiritual insight.

Widely discussed in the media, including in publications as varied as Ebony, the Chicago Tribune, and Ms., The Cushion in the Road finds the Pulitzer Prize–winning writer at the height of her literary powers. Walker writes that we are beyond rigid categories of color, sex, or spirituality if we are truly alive. She visits themes she has addressed throughout her career—including racism, Africa, Palestinian solidarity, and Cuba—as well as the presidency of Barack Obama. Combining ecstatic lyricism with vivid narratives, Walker explores her conflicting impulses to retreat into inner contemplation and to remain deeply engaged with the world, never once sacrificing the emotional bond that has made her so dear to so many readers.