Surmountable, the book

Surmountable: How Citizens from Selma to Seoul Changed the World

By Brian Gruber & Adam Monier Edwards

Surmountable is the book written for the millions of people who have been interested in social movements, but have been disheartened by their recent lack of progress. If you are tired of signing petitions that are ignored by politicians or corporations, co-authors Brian Gruber and Adam Monier Edwards present 13 optimistic stories from across 4 continents to show how social change has been successful in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.

There are plenty of first-hand accounts written about individual initiatives, philosophical treatises about what drives people, and academic theories about how one should act. Surmountable is the first real world analysis that includes over 40 original interviews with activists, historians, and citizens near key landmarks to inspire the next generation by offering practical insights on how to make a difference.

As seen and heard on...

“Surmountable is required reading for any aspiring change agent who seeks to understand the sacrifices and contributions of past trailblazers and apply their lessons to solve our society’s greatest challenges.”
– Jocelyn Benson, Michigan Secretary of State

Featuring original interviews with...
Lucy Beard, Alice Paul Institute executive director emerita Sam Walker, National Voting Rights Museum and Institute historian Colleen Sheehan, Villanova professor, Heritage Foundation scholar, and 5-time author Todd Gitlin, Columbia professor, sociologist, and 16-time author	Gregory Watson, driving force behind the 27th Amendment Kalle Lasn, Adbusters co-founder and Occupy Wall Street co-creator Brewster Kahle, Internet Archive founder and Alexa Internet co-founder Jay O’Neal, West Virginia teacher strike leader	Sergii Kharchuk, Ukraine activist and Kyiv city councilman Lamine Alibi, Tunisia Patriotic Democratic Unity Party central committee member Hong-koo Han, Sungkonghoe professor and Korean historian LaDonna Brave Bull Allard, Standing Rock historian and NoDAPL movement co-founder