“A comprehensive, entertaining, and compelling argument for how rebuilding
social infrastructure can help heal divisions in our society and move us
forward.”—Jon Stewart NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR •
“Engaging.”—Mayor Pete Buttigieg, The New York Times Book Review (Editors’
Choice) We are living in a time of deep divisions. Americans are sorting
themselves along racial, religious, and cultural lines, leading to a level of
polarization that the country hasn’t seen since the Civil War. Pundits and
politicians are calling for us to come together and find common purpose. But
how, exactly, can this be done? In Palaces for the People, Eric Klinenberg
suggests a way forward. He believes that the future of democratic societies
rests not simply on shared values but on shared spaces: the libraries,
childcare centers, churches, and parks where crucial connections are formed.
Interweaving his own research with examples from around the globe, Klinenberg
shows how “social infrastructure” is helping to solve some of our most
pressing societal challenges. Richly reported and ultimately uplifting,
Palaces for the People offers a blueprint for bridging our seemingly
unbridgeable divides. LONGLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE
IN NONFICTION “Just brilliant!”—Roman Mars, 99% Invisible “The aim of this
sweeping work is to popularize the notion of ‘social infrastructure'—the
‘physical places and organizations that shape the way people interact'. . . .
Here, drawing on research in urban planning, behavioral economics, and
environmental psychology, as well as on his own fieldwork from around the
world, [Eric Klinenberg] posits that a community’s resilience correlates
strongly with the robustness of its social infrastructure. The numerous case
studies add up to a plea for more investment in the spaces and institutions
(parks, libraries, childcare centers) that foster mutual support in civic
life.”—The New Yorker “Palaces for the People—the title is taken from the
Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie’s
description of the hundreds of libraries he funded—is essentially a calm,
lucid exposition of a centuries-old idea, which is really a furious call to
action.”—New Statesman “Clear-eyed . . . fascinating.”—Psychology Today Read
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