"One City is destined to be a modern spiritual classic. Ethan has a powerful voice and is at the forefront of the new generation of spiritual revolutionaries."—Noah Levine, author of Dharma Punx and Against the Stream
"One City is a user-friendly guide to living a more meaningful life: one that honors our gifts and recognizes the ways in which we are inextricably connected. With each page, Ethan Nichtern unpacks the tenets of Buddhism and reminds us of our true, dazzling purpose. I will come back to these words again and again."—Simran Sethi, NBC News Environmental Correspondent
"An exciting new book: One City: A Declaration of Interdependence, by Ethan Nichtern, a young Buddhist teacher based in New York's East Village. One City challenges us to go deeper than just caring about 'the world,' and shares a vision for how to be accountable for the ways in which our own thoughts and actions affect that world. 'I may have truly wonderful ideas about the pitfalls of American consumerism,' Nichtern writes, 'but have I taken the time necessary to familiarize myself with the mechanism by which my own mind craves things, moment by moment?' His examination doesn't end there. He also handily disabuses readers of the notion that our generation's mindset has somehow evolved from that of our nation's founders, who were somehow able to justify the horrors of colonization and slavery: 'When we start to assure ourselves that our assumptions definitely depict the truth, they become fortified into bullet-pointed ideology and bullet-proof dogma … (The unexamined mind) can easily be sold lies - even by itself - and can mistakenly interpret those lies as universal truth. That's the colonizing mentality.' Nor can any of us wash our hands of the violence that continues to erupt around the globe, says Nichtern. 'Violence is not just about the workings of some vague and massive military industrial complex, and it doesn't always come equipped with night-vision goggles, desert tanks, high-tech rifles, or terrorists' dirty bombs. Violence is right here in our bodies and minds, hatched from an icy glance, spiteful words, or bitter thoughts detonated quietly on inner minefields.' Understanding the depth of our connection with our world and the others who inhabit it isn't something that's limited to Buddhists, though. Martin Luther King saw it. So did Thomas Merton, Albert Schweitzer, Albert Einstein and many others throughout history who intimately understood their own responsibility for the state of the world, and fearlessly sought to live in a way that acknowledged their interdependence with all beings. As we remember the life and legacy of Dr. King this week, perhaps that's the most valuable lesson we can take away."-Jaime McLeod on think.mtv.com, (posted in January 08)
"Nichtern writes passionately and innovatively about our interdependence and its implications for our lives and our world. His toolbox is deep and original -- surprising metaphors, hip-hop lyrics, personal stories, plenty of traditional Buddhist training -- and his voice is resonant and refreshing. In a time when most Buddhist leaders seem up in the clouds and most political leaders seem lacking in moral imagination, Nichtern represents the wisdom of the in between."—The American Prospect
“Nichtern’s honesty about his own struggles to practice the Buddhist path is compelling, and I’m sure it is this that makes him such a popular Dharma teacher. One City is packed with examples of how his own states of mind fall short of the ideal, but not in a self-deprecating or self-loathing way, rather with a kind awareness that to be human is after all to be imperfect, and that this is okay! [ . . . ] His passion for life, in particular modern city life, is infectious and his care and concern for the bigger picture and the craziness at large in our world make for a compelling vision. One City is an expression of this vision in a young Dharma teacher who has something to say, in contemporary terms, that’s worth listening to. He’s one to watch!”—WildMind Buddhist Meditation blog
”One City comes to us as a trenchant and engaging call to an expanded awareness. Ethan Nichtern’s voice is fresh and compelling: Buddhism 3.0 meets the global consciousness movement.”—Daniel Goleman, author of Social Intelligence
"Nichtern talks about such complex concepts as egolessness, interdependence, enlightenment, and spirituality, often working in Buddhist philosophy, but he writes in a breezy, entertaining style that doesn't go over the reader's head. Whether you're an expert meditator or a novice, or, like us, you have no desire to ever cross your legs, free your mind, and chant, One City is a fun and fascinating look at who we are, who we can be, and how every individual can make a difference."—TWI-NY.com (This Week in New York)
"Nichtern speaks to us with keen, compassionate perception. This is your story and mine, alive and compelling."—Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness, The Revolutionary Art of Happiness
"This is the ancient wisdom of Buddhism made relevant for people who can watch TV while listening to their iPod and IM-ing friends."—Susan Piver, author of How Not to Be Afraid of Your Own Life
"This book is great. It should reach the next generation in the same way that classics by Jack Kornfield and Ram Dass reached mine. I'm sending a whole a bunch of copies to friends."—State Senator Eric Schneiderman (New York)
”"A great book. ...I consider this book a modern urban consumer psychological survival guide. A great tool for safely navigating the seas of technology obsession, pop culture instant gratification turn malaise, and our collective viral desensitizing."—Brick Window
"Nichtern, a twenty-nine-year-old teacher in the Shambhala tradition, is perhaps well-suited to consider the ways in which modern life derails us from our efforts to remain open. Like the rest of us, he’s been long tethered to the wheel of communication technologies. [...] Nichtern, who grew up in a generation coveted by advertisers, knows well the effects of relentless consumerism: the rootless desire it creates, the feeling of constant inadequacy. 'So much time in life has been lost chasing the morphing ghosts of Cool,' he says, 'when I could’ve been learning how to be Kind.' [...] One City crackles at times with humor and fresh insight, as when Nichtern quotes from some of our more unexpected dharma masters (the rapper Nas: 'Life’s a bitch and then you die / that’s why we get high'; or the Velvet Underground: “Between thought and expression lies a lifetime”).... It deals with the here and now, with the simple interactions that make up our daily lives. I wanted more of it, and I hope that Nichtern and others will continue to think in this direction."—Tricycle
"At age 29, Nichtern is keenly aware of the consumer wallpaper of our everyday lives. For him, the myriad 'stuff' that surrounds us presents many occasions to realize what he calls 'The Real Internet'—seeing things as they are, with ties to everywhere in the world through a long chain of cause and effect. We may be awash in the materialism that feeds desire, says Nichtern, but interdependence makes the planet one city."—Shambhala Sun
"I've had my nose buried in Ethan Nichtern's new book One City: A Declaration of Interdependence for the past week since receiving it in the mail. Ethan covers a lot of ground in this book. From 'Buddhism 3.0' to body image, video games, hip hop, the ad industry and mySpace, he proposes that by working to better understand ourselves and others we can effectively co-exist in this interdependence rather than feel isolated from the world we inhabit. Well done!"—blogger TMcG (tmcg.blogspot.com)
"I just finished a great book by a teacher I've been following for a couple of years now. Ethan Nichtern is the young founder of The Interdependence Project, a movement that promotes meditation, the awareness of interdependence and activism. Ethan puts out a weekly PodCast called 21st Century Buddhism. I never miss an episode. So, I was anxious to pick up his book when it came out. After the wait for the book, I was not disappointed. The book is One City: A Declaration of Interdependence. [ . . .] The thing I like about Ethan's teachings is he is firmly rooted in historical Buddhism yet, he takes these fifth century B.C. concepts and translates them into the language and culture of the 21st century. [. . .] If you're interested in learning more about yourself, how you can relate better to others and to the world and how you can contribute to making the world a better place, I recommend the book. There's no weird religious stuff in here you have to follow, no vows to take and you don't have to worship Buddha to learn from Buddhism. One City is written in a very non-threatening, easy to understand conversational style (just the way I like a book). Ethan takes a lot of the mystery out of a very practical way of life (Buddhism) that can seriously reduce your level of suffering and the level of suffering in the world. How can that possibly be a bad thing?"—Christian Universalism / The Beautiful Heresy
"Ethan Nichtern's recent book about interdependence is a manual for anyone who has accepted that we live in a modern soup of corpocracy, news, big government, advertising, and consumerism but doesn't want to give their mind over to the 'you are the center of the universe' message of these institutions. With techniques ranging from contemplation of the infinitely connected supply chain that goes into making common household items, to easily understood instruction for non-earthy-crunchy meditation practice, One City is a guide to poking your head above water and breathing fresh, clear air for the first time in maybe a while."—JerryKolber.com
"The message contained in One City is one of hope. Nichtern asks readers to open their eyes to the problems around them. His breezy style and reader-friendly approach to sharing knowledge will especially resonate with young people looking for a new way to better the planet. A great read for anyone looking for practical suggestions on how to leave the world in a better state than when we found it. -- Turning Wheel
