Living Community: Thirty Think Pieces for Moving from Dreams to Reality

"Joseph Schaeffer understands,

more than anyone else I know,

the essence of community and the qualities

of character of living community ...

The world needs this book."

-- Paul Born, author of Deepening Community

In thirty concise and compelling Think Pieces, Joseph Schaeffer takes readers on a journey beyond divisive habits and attitudes to a new way of thinking about community and communication: a way that makes it possible for those who lead organizations and groupings of any size -- and those who participate in them -- to live together with care and creativity.

The wisdom and experience that are evident on every page of this book flow from Schaeffer's personal, professional, and academic explorations, during which he has asked thousands of people from many ethnic backgrounds, walks of life, and geographic regions, "What would people be like within and with each other in a world you would like to be part of?"

In sharing his findings, Schaeffer reveals the five main qualities of character demonstrated by people who create vibrant, cohesive communities -- Genuine Interest, Acknowledgement, Deep Empathy, Altruism, and Mutual Trust -- and investigates the kinds of creative communication that nourish these qualities.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joseph Schaeffer is an author, speaker, consultant, and facilitator. He provides workshops and educational programs through Tamarack Institute and the Forsyth Centre. His previous books are The Stone People: Living Together in a Different World and The Pebble Game: Achieving Creativity in Human Interaction. Joseph has taught at Marlboro College, Royal Roads University, and Conrad Grebel University College. He earned his Master's in English and Ph.D. in Anthropology from Columbia University.