Short book, almost a pamphlet, of African American reflections of valued ways of the past that Taulbert claims to keep small communities strong. I read this in 1 1/2 hours, so I liked that. Not many short books can be so well written and stay on point. No heavy thinking here just reflections on living in the segregated south (Mississippi Delta) and hearing tales of slave times from elders who wanted to survive and prosper despite the horrible ages past. He says these are essential to taking personal care of each other and promoting shared experiences. Hope, responsibility, dependability, high expectations, a nurturing attitude, friendship, brotherhood, and courage. Seems like it would be good for classroom reading either in high school or university. Glad I picked this up.

I'll start my list with the following:

1. Eight Habits of the Heart - Clifton Taulbert.

I gave this book 4 stars because he eloquently explained something in 113 pages that I have been trying to understand for a long time. He says that community building occurs when people follow 8 habits of the heart: Nurturing Attitude, Responsibility, Dependability, Friendship, Brotherhood, High Expectations, Courage, and Hope.

I love quotes and this book has a lot of great quotes....
"...we still face a vast array of challenges to community that cannot be overcome by technological innovations. Even the Internet, which facilitates communication of all kinds, can be used either as bridge that brings us together or as a weapon that tears us apart....In a world where progress is measured in bits and bytes, advanced technology will never be able to replace the need for good minds, strong wills, and unselfish unhearts."

I highly recommend this book. ( )