I'd love to hear about what you're reading. Even in our busy lives, it's so important to take the time to ponder the words and wisdom of others. Whether it's a book or an article, fiction or non-fiction, we want to hear about it...

updated by @deb-wisniewski: 04/24/19 07:54:32PM

I'll start out this discussion by sharing an article that I read in a recent issue of the Sun. (If you haven't checked out this magazine, you should - great writing & a lot of it by the readers). The article is called Who Will Heal the Healers? It's an interview with a doctor who gets frustrated by the medical system and decides to listen to the community about the type of clinic people really want (although the full article isn't online, the excerpt is long enough to give you a good idea of the doctor and her clinic)

Deb,Great article/story, especially in light of the current health care debate. Wonder if any of these lessons we've been learning over the years will be incorporated into the health care reform bill?Deb Wisniewski said:

Just finished Power and Love: A Theory and Practice of Social Change by Adam Kahane. Great book - an easy read filled with stories to illuminate the deeply profound lessons Kahane is highlighting. It was a great reminder for people like me who often tempted to sacrifice opportunity for real change to the alter of consensus and keeping feelings from being hurt. Kahane explores the tension between change (power fueled) and unity (love fueled) and the need to hold them in balance to avoid sliding into controlling power or anemic love. It is based his experiences as they exemplify the philosophy and theology of Paul Tillich, whose work was introduced to the mainstream by one of his most astute students: Martin Luther King, Jr.

The three books in my bag right now:Neighbor power: building community the Seattle way, by Jim DiersThe troublemaker's teaparty : a manual for effective citizen action, by Charles Dobson (no, not that tea party)The happiness hypothesis : finding modern truth in ancient wisdom, by Jonathan Haidt

When People Care Enough to Act - by Mike Green

Super useful to me because I love the interactive handbook style and Mike's accessible language. AND, I'm taking on a sort of independent, self-fashioned job as a full time community organizer around bridging local artists' talents and the community's overall thriving and resilience... and his Chapter on ABCD Community Organizing is priceless for this!

The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharpe

WONDERFUL book culled from a 30+ successful choreographer career... made for anyone seeking to reflect on the nature of creativity and how to effectively harness it to its greatest potential in their lives. She shares great personal stories and has powerful exercises peppered throughout... very no-bullshit voice that you can just imagine her using when getting a major dance production up running and successful! I happened to see one of her pieces performed at the Sarasota Ballet (my good friend is one of the dancer's there and got me free tix ) - and I LOVED that piece in particular. I saw the book mentioned in the program, then someone else mentioned her to me and I took it as a 'sign' that I needed to check out her book.

I'd Rather Be in the Studio by Alyson Stanfield -- the tagline says it all "The Artist's No-Excuse Guide to Self-Promotion"

Hello All,

I'm currently reading "Buildng Communities from the Inside Out" by Kretzmann and McKnight. I just finished reading a couple of articles entitled: "Citizen Participation, Neighborhood Planning and Empowerment of the Poor" and "African American Religion: The Struggle for Community Development in a Southern City". I must say both were excellent really helped me understand whythings are the way they are in our community.

I am currently reading "The Return of the Prodigal Son" by Henri J.M. Nouwen. I am also hoping to read "The New Jim Crow" before the end of the summer.

I am reading The Big Shift: Navigating the New Stage Beyond Midlife by Marc Freedman. I am about to "retire" from government work and approach the work and life from the other side of the fence! Maybe a coffee shop with cup mail......

A brilliant book called 'Insurgent Public Space'. It's looks at methods of creating truely public space not just through architecture but through action and the way we interact with architecture, either naturally emerging action or gurilla tactics. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Insurgent-Public-Space-Jeffrey-Hou/dp/04157...

Next on my reading list is 'Small is beautiful: a study of economics as if people mattered' Schumacher

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Small-Beautiful-Economics-People-Mattered/d...

One of my favorite fiction novels is "I Wish I had a Red Dress" by Pearl Cleage. Very helpful in thinking about the messes systems make and how people can move beyond them. An easy read.

And in non-fiction - "The Art of Possibility" by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander. This is a really interesting, practical book with a unique perspective about how to approach life personally and professionally. Another easy read with things you can use immediately.

And - "Last One Over the Wall" by Jerome Miller - I think this is must-read for anyone working inside any system. Almost unbelievable and yet very believable for anyone who has tried to make significant impact inside any big system.

OK, I'll be the first to admit it.... I'm diving into "beach reading" this summer... nothing heavy or taxing for my brain... a bunch of mysteries.... But thanks to you all, I'll have a great reading list for this fall...

The Abundant Community by John McNight and Peter Block.

Walk Out Walk On by Meg Weatley and Deborah Frieze

Wrestling with Grace by Robert Moore

My heart is singing as a witness (through the McNight and Weatley books) to the power of communities to self organize and sustain themselves without the interventions of "experts".

@ Anne Mitchell: Yes to The Art of Possibility. Do you know that Ben Zander has a powerful talk on TED.com? It supports what he and his wife talk about in the book.

@ Annie Allen: Thanks for mentioning "Walk OUt, Walk On". I love the fact that this title comes from India, where school dropouts are not called dropouts - they are called "Walk Outs" because they usually leave because the system is not delivering what they need. So, they walk out in order to walk on and create what is needed, which is the purpose of community development, yes?

I also just finished "Poke the Box" by Seth Godin, a great treatise to getting into action.

these look awesome!!! can't wait to read them myself. Both totally connect with what I'm doing in Sarasota around arts and local economy... Thank you!

Does anyone have any ideas about great books for holiday gift giving? I love giving books and could use some ideas?

Deb:

If you could be more specific about the types of books you like to give? General? Fiction? Non-fiction? Self-help?

Thanks-

Linda

Yes.....;-)

I like all kinds of books, depending on the person - fiction is great, funny stuff, etc. - whatever you've been reading that you just can't put down and you're thinking "I should tell someone about this book"

Everything except self-help. hee, hee...