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Radical Ritual: How Burning Man Changed the World
Written from Neil Shister’s perspective as a journalist, student of American culture, and six-time participant in Burning Man, Radical Ritual presents the event as vitally, historically important. Shister contends that Burning Man is a significant player in the avant-garde, forging new social paradigms as liberal democracy unravels. Burning Man’s contribution to this new order is postmodern, a fusion of sixties humanism with state-of-the-art Silicon Valley wizardry.
Shister is not alone in his opinion. In 2018, the Smithsonian dedicated its entire Renwick Gallery, located next door to the White House, to an exhibition of Burning Man art and culture. The gathering intertwines conservative and progressive ideas. On one hand it is a celebration of self-reliance, personal accountability, and individual freedom; on the other hand it is based on strong values of inclusion, consensual decision making, and centered, collaborative endeavor.
In a wonderful mix of narrative storytelling and reportage, Radical Ritual discusses how Burning Man has impacted the art world, disaster relief, urban renewal, the utilization of renewable energy, and even the corporate governance of Google. The story concludes with the sudden death in April 2018 of Larry Harvey, now renowned as the philosophical epicenter of the movement.
Shister is not alone in his opinion. In 2018, the Smithsonian dedicated its entire Renwick Gallery, located next door to the White House, to an exhibition of Burning Man art and culture. The gathering intertwines conservative and progressive ideas. On one hand it is a celebration of self-reliance, personal accountability, and individual freedom; on the other hand it is based on strong values of inclusion, consensual decision making, and centered, collaborative endeavor.
In a wonderful mix of narrative storytelling and reportage, Radical Ritual discusses how Burning Man has impacted the art world, disaster relief, urban renewal, the utilization of renewable energy, and even the corporate governance of Google. The story concludes with the sudden death in April 2018 of Larry Harvey, now renowned as the philosophical epicenter of the movement.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
192 pages, Hardcover
First published July 30, 2019
30 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 17, 2022
I thought I knew what Burning Man was about but this book really opened my eyes to how much creativity, innovation, and inspiration have come out of this annual event that has become a ritual for so many. I was especially interested in the idea of gift economies and the ways that people who have attended Burning Man have attempted to take some of the concepts from it out into our economy and culture.
Burning Man might not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you have an open mind and an interest in the ways the world can be transformed to be a better place for all of us, it might just be worth trying.
The line that will stick with me from this book is: "You don't always get the burn you want, but you always get the burn you need."
Burning Man might not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you have an open mind and an interest in the ways the world can be transformed to be a better place for all of us, it might just be worth trying.
The line that will stick with me from this book is: "You don't always get the burn you want, but you always get the burn you need."
November 26, 2023
The nuance and history of burning man.
May 15, 2025
I went to Burning Man in 2023 aka the year of the Mud Man. Despite the muddy chaos, I had everything I needed and shared the experience with people who made it an unforgettable first Burn.
I started reading this book beforehand but paused halfway through. I didn’t want to go in knowing too much. I wanted to experience it for myself first. Finishing the book post-Burn added a deeper layer of meaning and connection to both the story and my time on the playa.
Some parts of the book felt a bit dry. At times it read like a research paper, and at others like a Vanity Fair article on the six founders and the early days of Burning Man.
Still, it offers an in-depth look at how Burning Man evolved from a small bonfire on a beach into a city of 75,000 in the Nevada desert every year. It captures the founders’ vision that shaped one of the most unique cultural movements in the world. There’s nothing like it in the world and I was glad to experience it at least once in my lifetime.
I started reading this book beforehand but paused halfway through. I didn’t want to go in knowing too much. I wanted to experience it for myself first. Finishing the book post-Burn added a deeper layer of meaning and connection to both the story and my time on the playa.
Some parts of the book felt a bit dry. At times it read like a research paper, and at others like a Vanity Fair article on the six founders and the early days of Burning Man.
Still, it offers an in-depth look at how Burning Man evolved from a small bonfire on a beach into a city of 75,000 in the Nevada desert every year. It captures the founders’ vision that shaped one of the most unique cultural movements in the world. There’s nothing like it in the world and I was glad to experience it at least once in my lifetime.
August 18, 2019
As a two time burner, I found the book a well-researched and in-depth look at the history of the people and organization that makes up Burning Man. While two photo caption errors were a little off-putting, I found it to be a captivating read about the event I find so near and dear to my heart. While I can see how a lot of the book could fall flat to those who haven’t experienced Black Rock Desert, it provides a 360 degree viewpoint on the evolution and direction of this unique event and organization which can be applied to any organization or person looking to go against the status quo. Recommended if you’re looking for a quick read about the world wide impact of Larry Harvey’s little beach bonfire.
May 30, 2019
I got up to page 67 and just couldn't go on. For a book about Burning Man, it was incredibly dull. Perhaps it picks up a bit later but I couldn't waste any more time on it.
June 25, 2019
The theme was exciting but the book seemed to me dull and a bit confusing.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
December 6, 2019
Like "Let My People Go Surfing" but with human capital instead of market capital as Burning Man's founder Larry Harvey's primary concern.
August 28, 2020
This was supposed to be the book I took to Burning Man this year, but, well. . .
What we have here is a fascinating account not of how Burning Man started and grew; that's a tale that has been told many times. Instead, it's about how the vision for what Burning Man could be changed from the early days of Baker Beach, the Cacophony Society, and Zone Trip 4 through the disaster of the 1996 Burn to today.
We meet the Funders and the people who came in at different times and see how the event has come to affect art, civic planning, even disaster relief, and renewable energy strategies. It is told in a very personable way by Mr. Shister, who merrily jumps around in space and time to weave the tapestry that is not just what happens in Black Rock City, but what happens at regional events around the world and in meeting rooms and conferences.
The book ends with Larry Harvey's death and his memorial service. While Larry may have started this flaming ball rolling, it has grown to be a force that is changing the world.
Highly recommended for any Burner, plus anyone interested in how social trends are shaped.
What we have here is a fascinating account not of how Burning Man started and grew; that's a tale that has been told many times. Instead, it's about how the vision for what Burning Man could be changed from the early days of Baker Beach, the Cacophony Society, and Zone Trip 4 through the disaster of the 1996 Burn to today.
We meet the Funders and the people who came in at different times and see how the event has come to affect art, civic planning, even disaster relief, and renewable energy strategies. It is told in a very personable way by Mr. Shister, who merrily jumps around in space and time to weave the tapestry that is not just what happens in Black Rock City, but what happens at regional events around the world and in meeting rooms and conferences.
The book ends with Larry Harvey's death and his memorial service. While Larry may have started this flaming ball rolling, it has grown to be a force that is changing the world.
Highly recommended for any Burner, plus anyone interested in how social trends are shaped.
January 25, 2020
I wanted to find out about Burning Man, so I bought this book. One of two things happened. Either this is an excellent book about something mediocre or a mediocre book about something excellent.
In the late sixties, or early seventies, one of the last of the flower children, had a public party (known at the time as a "happening") that ended with the burning of a make-shift statue of a man. Enough people liked the idea to do it over and over the course of time the happening has snow-balled into an event worthy of media attention, which these days isn't saying much.
Or, there is a fabulous spontaneous art show, where participation is more important than the artwork and the book written about it did not have an editor or a critic look at it before it went to print. It might have been a masterpiece that was disassembled. The paragraphs were recovered and put back in a random order like the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Find something else to read, or wing it, plunk your money down and be prepared for almost anything.
In the late sixties, or early seventies, one of the last of the flower children, had a public party (known at the time as a "happening") that ended with the burning of a make-shift statue of a man. Enough people liked the idea to do it over and over the course of time the happening has snow-balled into an event worthy of media attention, which these days isn't saying much.
Or, there is a fabulous spontaneous art show, where participation is more important than the artwork and the book written about it did not have an editor or a critic look at it before it went to print. It might have been a masterpiece that was disassembled. The paragraphs were recovered and put back in a random order like the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Find something else to read, or wing it, plunk your money down and be prepared for almost anything.
September 24, 2019
I’m not sure how a book about Burning Man ended up being so dry and procedural but it did. The book starts out with a lot of technical business background about the Founders and only gets into what the festival is and what being there is like in the second section. I guess if you were writing a research paper about Burning Man this would be a good resource but it doesn’t communicate much of the spirit of the event.
September 12, 2020
Excellent on the History and Excellent on the experience of attending. From there the author went on to "stretch" into other areas such as utopias and exaggerated influence on the world. Interesting thinking but BM suffers from the same problems that destroyed other utopias. I think the impact of the book would have been greater had the extrapolation been more realistic.
September 2, 2022
What a fantastic book! Very insightful and revealing. As one who has limited knowledge about Burning Man and its founders, I was captivated by the background stories, the history, and the passion.
I don't understand the low ratings here, as they are much higher on Amazon. This book is an excellent and informative read that holds your attention throughout.
I don't understand the low ratings here, as they are much higher on Amazon. This book is an excellent and informative read that holds your attention throughout.
January 31, 2021
A little wordy, a little self important, but a good insight to the early days of Burning Man, plus all the projects that have spawned from it over the years. Very informative read, but it kind of sucked the fun out of the entire event in how it was written.
October 16, 2022
If you're familiar with burning Man and want to hear the story of burning Man growing up, becoming a non-profit, purchasing fly ranch, and losing Larry Harvey, this book is for you. Wonderfully written journalism about one of my favorite topics. Shister made me want to go home again.
November 24, 2019
I learned a lot from this book, so enjoyed it.
January 11, 2020
Interesting behind-the-scenes of how Burning Man started and grown
February 16, 2021
How could a book about one of my favorite things be so uninteresting to me? A lot of the nitty gritty details I already knew, but I just lost interest regardless.
January 3, 2021
It felt very hard to follow the story - no clear structure was recognizable and random characters kept being introduced without obvious purpose. While the author seems very enthusiastic about Burning Man, I didn’t find this book enjoyable to read.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews