ReadersMagnet compiled a list of amazing books that will inspire us to embrace community building.

Creating a Life Together by Diana Leafe Christian

Our list begins with an exciting guidebook from Diana Leafe Christian and one of the best inspiring books on building communities. She is an author, former editor of Communities magazine, and a nationwide speaker and workshop presenter on starting new ecovillages, building communities, sustainability, and a true practitioner of living off the grid. In her book Creating a Life Together: Practical Tools to Grow Ecovillages and Intentional Communities, Diana discusses the steps we need to build an intentional community. Filled with practical lessons, tips, and guides based on many years of experience by the author and others who have practiced building intentional communities, Creating a Life Together by Diana Leafe Christian is the only book of its kind. 

Patchwork: Conversations between Generations by Carol Wilson-Mack

Carol Wilson-Mack is an author and has written scripts for plays and films. Patchwork: Conversations between Generations is her second book (she is the author of Fan Loyalty, published in 2013). In her latest book, Wilson-Mack talks about a community of women living in rural Bamberg, South Carolina, from 1939 to 1959. These community women had one thing in common- quilting. Quilting enables them to support their families, but it also gave them something else. The bonding allowed them to share stories with other women from different generations. By learning from each other, they were able to appreciate each other’s stories and experiences and build a community whose bond transcends generations. Patchwork by Wilson-Mack is an interesting narrative of how creative activities and livelihood can become a platform for expression and lay the groundwork for developing a healthy community.

How We Show Up: Reclaiming Family, Friendship, and Community by Mia Birdsong

Mia Birdsong’s How We Show Up: Reclaiming Family, Friendship, and Community is a particularly timely read for inspiring books on building communities. In this time of great pandemic (and it seems we are looking at a year or more before we can go back to normal), there is a great need to reaffirm our appreciation of family, friendship, and community. These three are the basic support systems that we really need right now, and somehow it has been altered because of the current situation. How We Show Up discussed important issues that we must address in order to genuinely understand what truly makes a family, identifies the value of friendship, and the importance of belonging to a community where each individual feels a sense of purpose and role. Through research, interviews, and real stories, Mia Birdsong takes us on a journey back to the feel of community where strength, generosity, and unity is celebrated.

It Takes a Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us by Hillary Clinton

Since its publication, exactly twenty-five years ago, former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton’s It Takes a Village continues to inspire social workers, grassroots organizers, and community workers. Clinton’s passion for children is known all over the world. Her extensive experience and work with children solidified her conviction that how children grow and their success is connected with how society, their community, and their respective families support them. Drawing from the classic idea that “it takes a village to raise a child,” Hillary Clinton’s book discussed many aspects of child and community development- technology, global economy, and social progress. These aspects affect a child’s growth, well-being and ultimately contribute a lot to his or her development. It Takes a Village is a must-read book, especially for those working with children and their communities.

Good Company: The Community Issue by Grace Bonney

Grace Bonney is a best-selling author whose published works and other initiatives have inspired millions to embrace the idea of creating creative communities.  In the Company of Women and Design*Sponge at Home, her previous works are both remarkable works that teach readers the value of inclusivity, equity, and support system. In 2018, she published another amazing book entitled Good Company (Issue 1): The Community Issue. The book is inspired by the success of her previous work, In the Company of Women. The book features essays, pep talks, interviews, group discussions, studio visits. Good Company hopes to provide readers with motivation, inspiration, practical wisdom, and a vital sense of connection and community for women. The book is designed for creative communities and all communities that aspire to embrace differences, provide a venue for its members to learn, grow, and strive to overcome collective challenges. It truly is among the finest inspiring books on building communities.