loving my apartment, I've started thinking about moving elsewhere, I'd like to connect more and that's hard to do when most of my neighbors are only around for one school year.
I know the names of two of my neighbors, Then it dawned on me that I haven't made much of an effort myself, The Great Neighborhood Book inspired me to say hello to everyone I encounter, I've also ordered a nice, wooden name tag to wear when I'm out and about, I'm also going to commit to spending some time reading on my front stoop when the weather is nice.
Little changes, but it's a start, I have about a year to decide whether to stick around should I stay or should I go now.
More an idea and resource book than a howto, this book provides some inspirational reading for
bringing a sense of belonging and connection to our neighborhoods and towns.
I especially appreciated that the examples are not solely UScentric but include a good assortment from Canada and Britain as well as some from Europe.
Gratifying that some places I've lived Madison, WI, North Carolina and projects I've participated in EcoTeams are included, Depressing to find my current location completely unrepresented but not surprising as the movement is very small here and the geography and building designs not very compatible with it.
This is a collection of stories and successful projects all designed to inspire anyone to improve their quality of life, by improving their neighborhood.
I found a few ideas which I hope to implement, like setting up a walking school bus, However, one of the best parts of this book is realizing the great things that already exist in your neighborhood! This book has some great ideas and is generally very well written, although by aboutof the way through the book, Mr.
Walljasper's anecdotes start to sound a bit repetitious, as if he's trying to stretch his material across too many pages.
Inspiring examples and stories of community building Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography cclapcenter, com. I am the original author of this review, as well as the owner of CCLaP it is not being reprinted here illegally.
Gentrification. There. I said it. It's an instantly controversial term, one that means profoundly different things to different people for some it's ultimately positive, a process of cleaning up slummy innercity neighborhoods and making them thriving family communities again, while for others it's ultimately negative, conjuring up images of smug middleclass white people taking over a neighborhood like a plague, kicking out the "nasty coloreds, homeless and other undesirables" to make way for their precious little bicycles and their precious little Starbucks and their precious little twomilliondollar condos on every gddan corner.
And let's just face facts Jay Walljasper's The Great Neighborhood Book, a product of the nonprofit Project for Public Spaces, is pretty much a detailed blueprint on how to successfully gentrify an urban area, and what you think of the book depends directly on what you think of gentrification in the first place.
For those who are down with the cause, for example, this will be an imminently practical and inspirational little guide to urban revitalization or "placemaking," as Walljasper delicately puts it it is packed with small, concrete, physical plans for hundreds of neighborhood projects, everything from creating community spaces to increasing neighborhood safety, from getting local traffic to slow down to getting local businesses to move in.
If, however, the very concept of gentrification makes you grind your teeth, you need to stay away from this book like it was poison because to you that's what it actually is, a sanctimonious little manifesto about how freaking great it is to be a Caucasian with money and a whitecollar job, and how of course that gives such people the right to tell everyone else how to live too.
After all, isn't that how it works in America That the people with the most money are the ones most entitled to tell everyone else how to live their own lives I'm giving the book a fairly high score today, specifically in consideration for the people out there who will like it I'm warning you right now, though, that you might not be one of those people, depending on how you look at the issue of middleclassled city cleanup to begin with.
Out of: , Lots of fantastic ideas for building a stronger sense of community in your neighborhood!
Published in, the book is in need of an update with glossy pages, color photographs, and current stats.
I'd also like to see more practical detailed ideas for throwing block parties, organizing parades, planning backyard dinners, etc.
good start for the layperson, wanting to actually invest in their local space, It doesn't matter what a person's economy is, we are responsible for creating out own communities, This book is easy to read, It's not a book full of research, It's a book full of examples of ways people have improved their communities, It strongly advocates getting people out of cars and onto the streets, on foot, on bicycle, etc, strong public spaces, and getting people together,
It definitely has an urban focus, Most of the examples are urban and some of the suggestions put a bench in your front yard definitely work in suburbia, but a lot of them would not.
Honestly, I probably won't attempt any of the things in this book, Reading it, though, has spurred some creative juices and given me some ideas of other things I might do.
sitelinkThe Great Neighborhood Book is a fast and easy read, full of suggestions that will inspire you to make your neighborhood more like a village.
Assuming, that is, that you live in a city, I docked a star because there's absolutely nothing in the book for rural dwellers, and the author seems actively opposed to us in spots.
Anyone have a suggestion for a similar book for those of us who hate cities Thispage book is full of ideas about how to improved neighborhoods.
The ideas are shortonlypages eachand often accompanied by a success story or two, The ideas are gathered into eight chapters around themes like transportation, safety, clean amp green, economic vibrancy, etc, This is more of a resource of ideas that one can refer to, rather than a book with a logical thread that runs covertocover.
This is an excellent resource for anyone concerned with neighborhood revitalization, Easy to read and full of simple actions you can take to improve your neighborhood, Lots of examples of real people implementing the ideas and making a difference, Maybe I'll try some of them out! This book is meant entirely for urban populations, It does not even address rural neighborhoods,
Too bad.
If you live in a city, it's great, It's a fast read with some good ideas, but it's a bit basic if you've read anything on urban planning or urban design.
That said, this is a good starting place for those looking for a foothold to give their neighborhood a boost.
A large collection of howto stories about people improving their neighborhood, Project for Public Spaces, the group that compiled the book, calls it "placemaking" making your block or street a more friendly, safe, and interactive place to live.
Apart from being inspirational, reading these stories is just plain fun, I'm currently involved with a neighborhood group that is working to revitalize a neglected public space on our street as well as build community and pride in our everchanging neighborhood.
This book has given me/us great ideas to help develop our block into the smalltown feel of a community where neighbors know each other and help each other.
Not the most comprehensive book on planning and community development, but certainly provides an interesting array of powerful vignettes.
A better book for true beginners to the concept of recentralizing community than guide for those looking to make an impact in the near future.
Several stories were particularly inspiring however, and the Great Neighborhood Book does lead one to rebelieve in the power of small actions for great good.
Abandoned lots and litterstrewn pathways, or rows of green beans and pockets of wildflowers Graffitimarked walls and desolate bus stops, or shady refuges and comfortable seating What transforms a dingy, inhospitable area into a dynamic gathering place How do individuals take back their neighborhood
Neighborhoods decline when the people who live there lose their connection and no longer feel part of their community.
Recapturing that sense of belonging and pride of place can be as simple as planting a civic garden or placing some benches in a park.
The Great Neighborhood Book explains how most struggling communities can be revived, not by vast infusions of cash, not by government, but by the people who live there.
The author addresses such challenges as traffic control, crime, comfort and safety, and developing economic vitality, Using a technique called “placemaking”the process of transforming public spacethis exciting guide offers inspiring reallife examples that show the magic that happens when individuals take small steps and motivate others to make change.
This book will motivate not only neighborhood activists and concerned citizens but also urban planners, developers, and policymakers.
Jay Walljasper is a senior fellow of Project for Public Spaces PPS, whose mission is to create and sustain enriching public places that build communities.
He is a former editor of The Utne Reader and currently executive editor of Ode magazine.
Inspired by European cities, The Great Neighborhood Book highlights practical solutions for the revitalization of North American cities.
Jay Walljasper chronicles stories from around the world that point us toward a greener, equitable, and enjoyable future, His focus goes beyond whats in the headlines to chronicle the surprising real life of communities today, Jay is a Senior Fellow and editor at OntheCommons, org, an organization devoted to restoring an appreciation of the common purpose and common assets to contemporary life, He is also a Senior Fellow at Project for Public Spaces, a New York based organization that helps citizens enliven their communities by improving public places.
He is also a Contributing Editor of National Geographic Traveler, reporting regularly on sustainable tourism initiatives, and as an associate of the Citistates Group, a public affair Jay Walljasper chronicles stories from around the world that point us toward a greener, equitable, and enjoyable future.
His focus goes beyond whats in the headlines to chronicle the surprising real life of communities today, Jay is a Senior Fellow and editor at OntheCommons, org, an organization devoted to restoring an appreciation of the common purpose and common assets to contemporary life, He is also a Senior Fellow at Project for Public Spaces, a New York based organization that helps citizens enliven their communities by improving public places.
He is also a Contributing Editor of National Geographic Traveler, reporting regularly on sustainable tourism initiatives, and as an associate of the Citistates Group, a public affair consortium focusing on metropolitan regions.
Walljasper is the author of The Great Neighborhood Bookand Visionaries: People and Ideas to Change Your Life, His new book, What We Share: A Field Guide to the Commons appears in July, His experience includes being the editorial director and editor of Utne Reader, executive editor of Ode magazine, and travel editor at Better Homes Gardens.
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