The great good place : cafés, coffee shops, bookstores, bars, hair salons, and other hangouts at the heart of a community

The Great Good Place argues that "third places" - where people can gather, put aside the concerns of work and home, and hang out simply for the pleasures of good company and lively conversation - are the heart of a community's social vitality and the grassroots of democracy. World of Beer A book that should be read by everyone in North America over the age of 16. The landmark survey that celebrates all the places where people hang out--and is helping to spawn their revival A New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice "Third places," or "great good places," are the many public places where people can gather, put aside the concerns of home and work (their first and second places), and hang out simply for the pleasures of good company and lively conversation. They are the heart of a community's social vitality and the grassroots of a democracy. Author Ray Oldenburg portrays, probes, and promotes th4ese great good places--coffee houses, cafes, bookstores, hair salons, bars, bistros, and many others both past and present--and offers a vision for their revitalization. Eloquent and visionary, this is a compelling argument for these settings of informal public life as essential for the health both of our communities and ourselves. And its message is being heard: Today, entrepreneurs from Seattle to Florida are heeding the call of The Great Good Place --opening coffee houses, bookstores, community centers, bars, and other establishments and proudly acknowledging their indebtedness to this book. Pt.1 : The problem of place in America The character of third places The personal benefits The greater good. Pt.2 : The German-American lager beer gardens Main street The English pub The French café The American tavern Classic coffeehouses. Pt.3 : A hostile habitat The sexes and the third place Shutting out youth Toward better times...and places. The Great Good Place argues that "third places" - where people can gather, put aside the concerns of work and home, and hang out simply for the pleasures of good company and lively conversation - are the heart of a community's social vitality and the grassroots of democracy. -- Distributed by Syndetics Solutions, LLC