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S2 Living Through Fire with Danielle Celermajer

This week's guest is the profound Australian author, Professor Danielle Celermajer. Dany is a philosopher, the director of the Multispecies Justice Project at the University of Sydney, and the author of Summertime: Reflections on a Vanishing Future (Penguin Books Australia 2021).

Dany started writing Summertime in situ during the peak of the Black Summer Climate Fires that decimated Australia in 2019-20. Through her book, she attempts to honor the voices and emotions of the wild and domestic animals who experienced the Great Fires - beings, she says, who are just as terrified and bewildered by the changes occurring on Earth as we humans.

In our interview, Dany bravely relives what it was like to encounter the fires, which raged for months, as she unravels and beautifully articulates some of its most valuable lessons - especially the deep love many of us feel for who and what we are losing.

She begs us to see that animals are knowing individuals. And she helps us understand that human survival hinges on choosing the more difficult of two paths - the one in which we become fully responsible to the other species who live amongst us.

Be sure to listen to the related bonus episode. Dany reads a short chapter of Summertime exclusively for Sentient Planet listeners.

Calls to Action:

Intro music: "The Spaces Between" by Scott Buckley.

Interstitial music: "Twilight" by Stellardrone.

About the Podcast

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Sentient Planet
Giving voice to the species with whom we share the Earth and the humans dedicated to their urgent defense and preservation. Long-form stories included every season. Like what you hear? You can support our message on Patreon.

About your hosts

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Susan Woodward

Susan is a writer and journalist with strong ties to Australia and the West Coast, USA. She resists the corporate destruction of nature and is a passionate defender of our more-than-human animal kin. You will often find her hiking in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest.
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Liam Wilkinson

Liam is our sound engineer and podcast editor. When he isn't working on our audio, you'll often find him walking around the parks of England, cooking up a storm, or writing and performing nature-inspired music under the moniker "Salad Sage."
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Ari Simmons

Ari lives in Portland, Oregon and manages all our podcast's social media demands. She's an avid climate activist and solar energy specialist who is driven to foster a sustainable future inclusive of all living beings.
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Janet Grimwade

Janet has a strong background in graphic design, having built a career in Australia and the United States. Her passion lies in being active in nature.