b A comprehensive, entertaining, and compelling argument for how rebuilding social infrastructure can help heal divisions in our society and move us forward. Jon Stewart/bbrbrbNAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR Engaging. Mayor Pete Buttigieg, iThe New York Times Book Review /i(Editors Choice)/bbrbrWe 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?brbrIn iPalaces for the People/i, 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, iPalaces for the People/i offers a blueprint for bridging our seemingly unbridgeable divides.brbrbLONGLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE IN NONFICTION/bbrbr Just brilliant! bRoman Mars, i99% Invisible/i/bbrbr 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. b iThe New Yorker/i/bbrbr iPalaces for the People /ithe 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. b /bibNew Statesmanbrbr/b/i Clear-eyed . . . fascinating. bi Psychology Today/i/b