Nationally recognized environmental law scholar and activist James Gustave "Gus" Speth will discuss his new memoir, "Angels by the River," during a free event from 12:45 to 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, in Room 007 in Oakes Hall at Vermont Law School. The talk is open to the public and press.
"Angels by the River: Reflections on race, environment, politics, and living on the front lines of change" explores the issues that have shaped the United States since the 1950s and that have contributed to the author's evolution from small-town Southerner to environmental advocate. Speth, former dean of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and co-founder of the Natural Resources Defense Council and World Resources Institute, has received critical acclaim for the book.
"'Angels by the River' is a personal look at the forces that shaped one of America's great environmental leaders and climate activists," said Frances Beinecke, president of the NRDC. "Gus doesn't shy away from the dangers of climate change, but he maintains an enduring faith that people can and will make the difference. This book will engage, enlighten, and spur readers to action—just as Gus has inspired so many of us with his commitment and drive."
"A longtime friend and ally, Gus Speth is a tireless advocate for the environment," said Al Gore, former vice president of the United States, in his review. "His accumulated stories and knowledge, the kind that could only come from decades of experience at the highest levels, provide a unique and insightful look into our history, and the way forward from here."
Speth was born and raised in a racially divided town that later became the scene of South Carolina's Orangeburg Massacre, during which highway patrol officers opened fire on 150 protestors demonstrating against racial segregation.
He joined the faculty at Vermont Law School in 2010. A Distinguished Senior Fellow with Demos, he completed his decade-long tenure in 2009 as dean of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. From 1993 to 1999, he was administrator of the United Nations Development Programme and chairman of the U.N. Development Group. Prior to his service at the U.N., he was founder and president of the World Resources Institute; professor of law at Georgetown University; chairman of the U.S. Council on Environmental Quality in the Carter administration; and senior attorney and co-founder of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Speth's talk opens the 2015 Spring Faculty Speaker Series, co-sponsored by the Environmental Law Center, Julien and Virginia Cornell Library, and the Faculty Development Committee at VLS. The series is held each fall and spring and features both VLS and non-VLS faculty who present recent scholarship and take questions from the audience.
Copies of "Angels by the River," published in November 2014 by Chelsea Green Publishing, will be available for purchase at the event. For more information about the book, visit angelsbytheriver.com. For more information about faculty scholarship at Vermont Law School, visit vermontlaw.edu/community/faculty.