The Field Guide

Field Guide

Books, groups, and half-formed thoughts about community. Not a blog - just the things I keep coming back to.

The Shelf

The ones I keep pressing on people.

Pick a book for the note.

Bowling Alone

Robert D. Putnam

Putnam counted every way Americans stopped showing up for each other and then published the graphs. It came out in 2000 and it reads like it was written last week.

The Anxious Generation

Jonathan Haidt

Haidt's case for what changed when childhood moved indoors. The chapters on unsupervised play are the ones I keep thinking about.

The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters

Priya Parker

Parker's argument is that most gatherings fail before anyone arrives, because nobody decided what the thing was actually for. The chapter on generous authority changed how I plan everything.

In my ears

Episodes and pieces worth the time.

Artwork for The Ezra Klein Show, a photograph of Ezra Klein beside the show title and the New York Times T logo.podcastIs Your Social Life Missing Something? This Is For You.The Ezra Klein ShowEzra Klein and Priya Parker on hosting, and on why the gatherings that matter do not organize themselves.

Coves

Groups doing this in person, city by city. These are the ones the 5% goes to.

Field notes

Short thoughts on community, as they come.

Nothing here yet. First one's coming.

5% of revenue goes to community organizations.

Here's the pledge.