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Community: The Structure of
Belonging Book Review
Here is a review by
Vanessa Reid of Peter’s new book
Community: The Structure of Belonging
in Ascent magazine’s autumn work and service issue.
“The
essential challenge,” writes Peter Block in his introduction, “is to
transform isolation and self-interest within our communities into
connectedness and caring for the whole.” It is not enough to assume
individual transformation will lead to collective change, so Block
explores the nature of collective transformation and offers us concrete
ways to move forward.
Click Here to order now!
The real gem of this book is its focus on deeply meaningful and
life-affirming ways both of working and being together in the difficult
questions. Our questions, he says, are more transforming than answers.
The leaders we need are already among us. Our leadership practice is to
create the spaces, context and conversations that we, collectively, need
to be in.
What I appreciate about Peter Block’s body of work, and
this book is no exception, is how he illuminates what we already know
with language and processes that are inspiring and practical. He makes
it real: we need to connect, so let’s build a social fabric and
architecture infused with the spirit of people acting together in true
citizenship, as communities, based on our assets and gifts and not our
fears or problems. This is the structure of belonging. Do this well —
and yes, it is hard — but this IS the work.
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