Radha Agrawal

I think I would have benefitted more from this if I'd read it in my early 20s...not that I had any wherewithal about what "community" really meant at that age. I operated much like Agrawal's own description of her 20s (sans the high-powered corporate job). As it stands now at 36, none of this came as news to me. I was hoping for a few new insights, but came up short. This is not to say that there isn't any merit here. Agrawal provides a lot of insight and great exercises to help readers explore their needs, and the illustrated format makes for a fun read. I also appreciate that Agrawal is very much trying to create her brand here as "Community Architect," though the amount of acronyms and catchphrases grew pretty tiring pretty quickly. I guess I realized I already have the tools I need to create community. Not too shabby.

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Many thanks to Workman Publishing Company and NetGalley for this advanced copy.… (plus d'informations)

Belong by Radha Agrawal is about connecting with people by joining and building communities. The premise is we all feel happier when we are connected to other people. In fact, Radha says “having weak social ties is as harmful to our health as being an alcoholic, and twice as harmful as obesity” – scary.

The aim of the book is for you to become “aware of who you are and intentional about what you want so that you can go out and build your dream community.” Therefore the book includes sections on understanding yourself and caring for your own wellbeing and energy levels as well as interacting with other people.

* review copy from Netgalley… (plus d'informations)

Belong opens up with Agrawal's own discovery that she was surrounding herself with the wrong community. She then guide her readers to become introspective and to delve deep on what they really want from the community they are in and how they can be better versions of themselves in order to attract and contribute to that community they want. The second part of the book gives the readers the advice and tools they need to create the community they want to belong to; how to deal with conflict, how to plan events, etc.
Agrawal not only gives her readers the tools to building their own community, she also periodically stops that readers to offer engaging exercises. Very relevant points are made on the false sense of community that social media offers its users and the negative effects a toxic community can have. There are valuable lessons to be learned and all readers can gain knowledge on how to create a healthy self and community.… (plus d'informations)

A quick, inspiring read, with lively illustrations and an engaging voice. I would characterize it more about how to make friends and develop your friend group than really about "community" in a larger sense. The parts around checking what energy you're putting out in the world were especially insightful, even if my idea of a good vibe might be very different from the author's. Very much speaking to younger people, despite a brief discussion of aging. I wanted to share it with my tween daughters, especially the sections on developing awareness of how screens may or may not be serving you.… (plus d'informations)