Steven Gardner – författare

Philosophy in both Australia and New Zealand has been has been experiencing, for some time now, something of a 'golden age', exercising an influence in the global arena that is disproportionate to the population of the two countries. To capture the distinctive and internationally recognised contributions Australasian philosophers have made to their discipline, a series of public talks by leading Australasian philosophers was convened at various literary events and festivals across Australia and New Zealand from 2006 to 2009. These engaging and often entertaining talks attracted large audiences, and covered diverse themes ranging from local histories of philosophy (in particular, the fortunes of philosophy in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, and New Zealand); to discussions of specific topics (including love, free will, religion, ecology, feminism, and civilisation), especially as these have featured in the Australasian philosophy; and to examinations of the intellectual state of universities in Australasia at the beginning of the twenty-first century.These talks are now collected here for the first time, to provide not only students and scholars, but also the wider community with a deeper appreciation of the philosophical heritage of Australia and New Zealand.

Wall Street Journal Best Seller”This is a holy book” —Rabbi Lawrence KushnerGraham Hale Gardner died before turning twenty-three and never learned to walk or speak due to severe cerebral palsy complicated by epilepsy. Yet he left a legacy of love and compassion that deeply moved scores of people from widely different backgrounds.How was that possible?Graham’s story, written through the eyes of his father, speaks of the enormous legacy left by a boy who never spoke. A story that raises provocative questions about the “invisible lines of connection” that make us human.Graham was a strikingly beautiful boy who faced formidable challenges on a daily basis that most of us will never encounter. His ability to confront adversity with resilience and grace astonished and inspired nearly everyone whose lives he touched.On the bucolic island of Martha’s Vineyard, at a pioneering summer camp for the disabled, a place “where hope flourishes,” Graham and his father become camper and camp doctor. There, they encounter an eclectic group of people who eat, work and create together. They write and cry together. They argue and dance together.Camp Jabberwocky, as it is widely known, embraces the boy and his father and they become part of a passionate and zany extended family that will forever change how they see the world.As the years pass, Graham and his parents experience both surprising adventures and formidable challenges. Wherever they live and travel, they encounter people who are drawn to Graham. These people, from widely different backgrounds, want to be near him, to assist in his care and to laugh with him. To them, the person they uniformly cherish is nothing less than a living angel.Can we imagine living in a parallel universe known as “Jabberwocky,” where people open their hearts and minds to those who are different and nobody is left behind?

Wall Street Journal Best Seller”This is a holy book” —Rabbi Lawrence KushnerGraham Hale Gardner died before turning twenty-three and never learned to walk or speak due to severe cerebral palsy complicated by epilepsy. Yet he left a legacy of love and compassion that deeply moved scores of people from widely different backgrounds.How was that possible?Graham’s story, written through the eyes of his father, speaks of the enormous legacy left by a boy who never spoke. A story that raises provocative questions about the “invisible lines of connection” that make us human.Graham was a strikingly beautiful boy who faced formidable challenges on a daily basis that most of us will never encounter. His ability to confront adversity with resilience and grace astonished and inspired nearly everyone whose lives he touched.On the bucolic island of Martha’s Vineyard, at a pioneering summer camp for the disabled, a place “where hope flourishes,” Graham and his father become camper and camp doctor. There, they encounter an eclectic group of people who eat, work and create together. They write and cry together. They argue and dance together.Camp Jabberwocky, as it is widely known, embraces the boy and his father and they become part of a passionate and zany extended family that will forever change how they see the world.As the years pass, Graham and his parents experience both surprising adventures and formidable challenges. Wherever they live and travel, they encounter people who are drawn to Graham. These people, from widely different backgrounds, want to be near him, to assist in his care and to laugh with him. To them, the person they uniformly cherish is nothing less than a living angel.Can we imagine living in a parallel universe known as “Jabberwocky,” where people open their hearts and minds to those who are different and nobody is left behind?