Creating community and making it work is one of the most powerful imperatives of American life. While many social critics have been lamenting the loss of this precious resource in today's world, few have really treated the subject with the breadth and depth it deserves. The Company of Others: Making Community in the Modern World gathers together 32 essays on this important aspect of contemporary life. Editor Claude Whitmyer draws on his experiences as the coordinator of Briarpatch Community to introduce the sections of this paperback on seeking, making, finding, and living communities.
New forms of shared life, connectedness, and common purpose have come to the fore in our heterogeneous and pluralistic world. Essayists such as M. Scott Peck, Ram Dass, and Gary Snyder comment on the challenges of communication, authority, decision-making, and purpose in the maintenance of community.
One thing is for sure: there is no shortage of variety in the forms of association covered in this book. Some of the types include neighborhood service clubs, business support teams, food co-ops, men's and women's ritual groups, intentional spiritual communities, electronic networks, intellectual salons, and artists' groups. The Company of Others is one of the best books on community published in many a moon.