In this compact volume listing more than 200 individuals and groups notable for communalism in the twentieth-century U.S., entries are alphabetically arranged from
Abbott, Leonard to
Zion City and usually run about a half page (200 words). Included is an overview of each group's background, purpose, history, and current situation (for those still in existence), along with cross-references and between one and five references. About a third of the entries are for people, such as Dorothy Day and David Koresh.
A nine-page introduction describes the variety of communities--religious, intentional, utopian, social visionary, and hippie--as well as other existing sources of information. Sutton's stated purpose in compiling this volume is that the twentieth century has been overlooked in other sources, although many of his entries cite Miller's Quest for Utopia in Twentieth-Century America (Syracuse University Press, 1998) and the Communities Directory (Fellowship for Intentional Community, 2000). A list of five Web sites, a nine-page bibliography of books and scholarly journals (but no popular periodicals such as Mother Earth News, Mother Jones, or Off Our Backs), and an index follow the dictionary.
Although this can be a useful work for high-school students and older, it could have been much better. No criteria for inclusion are specified, and several groups have been omitted, such as Pioneer Valley Cohousing, Warehouse Family, and Steppingwoods. Question marks are given for the dates of author Ken Kesey, although his dates of 1935-2001 are confirmed in several other sources. Indexing is by name only, so there's no way to identify groups by geographic location, religion (except under religious communities), or other category. If there are any Brooklyn art collectives or other thematic groups described, there's no way to find them. Although it's handy to have the information on communes in one place, this volume is certainly not essential. Susan Gooden
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Review
"[C]ollege-level recommended, and also a pick high school libraries can use: an excellent historical background and introduction….[s]urveys utopian communities around the country, providing historical overviews of 20th century US communes covering their beliefs, key founders, and history. An A-Z reference makes it easy to look up individuals or communes alike. Recommended for social science reference holdings."
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MBR Bookwatch
"Sutton covers religious and secular communities, including Amity Colony, Farm Eco-Village, Holy City, the Branch Davidians, Shaker Communities, and The Farm. Each entry includes a list of print and electronic sources for further reading."
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Reference & Research Book News
"[A] useful work for high-school students and older….[h]andy to have the information on communes in one place."
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Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
