“The coolness of Buddhism isn't indifference but the distance one gains on emotions, the quiet place from which to regard the turbulence. From far away you see the pattern, the connections, and the thing as whole, see all the islands and the routes between them. Up close it all dissolves into texture and incoherence and immersion, like a face going out of focus just before a kiss.”

American writer and activist

Rebecca Solnit is an American writer and activist. She writes about feminism, the environment, politics, place, and art. Her work ranges across essays and commentary on public life, with recurring attention to how people move through the world and how ideas shape it. She is also known for writing on land, landscape, and culture, bringing together personal observation and social critique.