Share

Buy New

$10.95

Only 7 left in stock (more on the way).

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Turn on 1-Click ordering for this browser

This item ships to France. Want it Monday, July 2? Order within and choose AmazonGlobal Priority Shipping at checkout. Learn more

Select delivery location

Buy Used

$9.06

+ $0.00 shipping

Select delivery location

Used: Very Good | Details

Sold by hippo_books

Turn on 1-Click ordering for this browser

Added to

Unable to add item to List. Please try again.

Other Sellers on Amazon

Add to Cart

$10.95

Sold by: sweethomeliquid2

Add to Cart

$10.95

Sold by: Yr_Satisfaction_Guaranteed

Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See all 3 images

Self-Renewal: The Individual and the Innovative Society Paperback – April 8, 2015

by John W. Gardner (Author)

20 customer reviews

See all 21 formats and editions Hide other formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Kindle

"Please retry"

$3.12

—

—

"Please retry"

$14.96

Paperback

"Please retry"

$10.95

Mass Market Paperback

"Please retry"

$24.15

In his classic treatise Self-Renewal, John W. Gardner examines why great societies thrive and die. He argues that it is dynamism, not decay, that is dramatically altering the landscape of American society. The twentieth century has brought about change more rapidly than any previous era, and with that came advancements, challenges, and often destruction. Gardner cautions that "a society must court the kinds of change that will enrich and strengthen it, rather than the kind of change that will fragment and destroy it."

A society's ability to renew itself hinges upon its individuals. Gardner reasons that it is the waning of the heart and spirit-not a lack of material might-that threatens American society. Young countries, businesses, and humans have several key commonalities: they are flexible, eager, open, curious, unafraid, and willing to take risks. These conditions lead to success. However, as time passes, so too comes complacency, apathy, and rigidity, causing motivation to plummet. It is at this junction that great civilizations fall, businesses go bankrupt, and life stagnates. Gardner asserts that the individual's role in social renewal requires each person to face and look beyond imminent threats.

Ultimately, we need a vision that there is something worth saving. Through this vision, Gardner argues, society will begin to renew itself, not permanently, but past its average lifespan, and it will at once become enriched and rejuvenated.

Frequently bought together

+

Total price: $29.90

One of these items ships sooner than the other. Show details

Buy the selected items together

This item:Self-Renewal: The Individual and the Innovative Society by John W. Gardner Paperback $10.95
Only 7 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
On Leadership by John W. Gardner Paperback $18.95
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details

Customers who bought this item also bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

John W. Gardner

29

Paperback
$18.95
Marci Alboher

119

Paperback
$9.83
John W. Gardner

9

Paperback
$16.95
William Bridges

240

Paperback
$10.19
Laura Carstensen

29

Paperback
$9.85
Richard Rohr

1,592

Hardcover
$13.56

Sponsored products related to this item (What's this?)

Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1

Feedback

Ray Dalio

580

Hardcover
$16.93
Feedback

Bob Lee

Many organisations with great perks and benefits are lousy places to work. So how do the best workplaces do it? Spoiler alert - think 'managers'!

3

Kindle Edition
$7.99
Feedback

Marc Miller

38

Kindle Edition
$8.99
Feedback

Jacob Nordby

This is a book about "creative recovery." Tired of living by the old rules of success? Read this to gain a deep sense of your true value & creativity.

132

Kindle Edition
$4.95
Feedback

Charles G. Chandler

Capitalism is broken, and management theory is at fault. Here is the solution.

28

Kindle Edition
$9.95
Feedback

David Kadavy

Find the inspiration and motivation to finally start something.

106

Kindle Edition
$0.99
Feedback

Bob Garrett

1

Paperback
$101.99

Special offers and product promotions

Product details

Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Echo Point Books & Media; Reprint ed. edition (April 8, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1626540845
ISBN-13: 978-1626540842
Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 0.4 x 9.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 8.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 20 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,278,533 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3880 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Political

Would you like to tell us about a lower price?
If you are a seller for this product, would you like to suggest updates through seller support?

NO_CONTENT_IN_FEATURE

Sponsored products related to this item (What's this?)

Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1

Feedback

Ray Dalio

580

Hardcover
$16.93
Feedback

Marc Miller

38

Kindle Edition
$8.99
Feedback

Jacob Nordby

This is a book about "creative recovery." Tired of living by the old rules of success? Read this to gain a deep sense of your true value & creativity.

132

Kindle Edition
$4.95
Feedback

Bob Lee

Many organisations with great perks and benefits are lousy places to work. So how do the best workplaces do it? Spoiler alert - think 'managers'!

3

Kindle Edition
$7.99
Feedback

David Kadavy

Find the inspiration and motivation to finally start something.

106

Kindle Edition
$0.99
Feedback

Charles G. Chandler

Capitalism is broken, and management theory is at fault. Here is the solution.

28

Kindle Edition
$9.95
Feedback

Mike Bhangu

Amazon best-seller (2018-06-26). From time to time, the “haves” tamper with information. This to control thoughts and actions. Discover the tactics.

17

Kindle Edition
$9.99

Customer Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars

3 star (0%)

1 star (0%)

Write a customer review

See all 20 customer reviews

Top customer reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Best book I've read in at least 10 years

January 26, 2010

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This is NOT a self-help, pop psychology book.
This IS a profoundly eloquent, deeply perceptive, compelling set of antidotes to soundbites.
It is timeless. It puts forth pragmatic and resonant ways of navigating the complexities of dynamic change within the necessary stability of society.
Gardner's observations on innovation, creativity, motivation are quietly inspiring.
Please look at the Table of Contents to get a glimpse.

9 people found this helpful

Big picture optimism at it's best

August 18, 2013

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This is a book that you can't help but feel positive and hopeful for a better tomorrow. Some might find it a bit too hopeful but this book's prediction of some of the great things our society will become is already coming true. It's a short book that should be read every couple of years to help you refocus on possibilities of the greatness that resides in individuals. I just read a new book and it talked about how society can't be great if the individuals only care of about their own success and I couldn't disagree more. If every individual took care and improved himself then society would be much better.

2 people found this helpful

Inspiring and confirming

January 11, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Excellent, inspiring and confirming. Gardner validates and encourages the courage and nimbleness of human creativity. His work expands limited thinking and honors resiliency. I read this slowly and underline. I've given it to friends.

One person found this helpful

liked his book "On Leadership"

October 1, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Outdated information, not helpful. However, liked his book "On Leadership", true gem.

This wonderful book can be a real life changer if you let it.

September 21, 2016

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

This is a wonderful book and can be a real life changer if you let it. I recommend you do.

One person found this helpful

A fascinating read and astonishingly prescient.

November 1, 2014

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

A fascinating read and astonishingly prescient.

One person found this helpful

What John Gardner was doing and what he wrote about ...

August 25, 2014

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

What John Gardner was doing and what he wrote about sometime ago has lasting value. His clarity leaves no doubts about ways we can benefit individually and how to go about doing so in body, mind, and spirit. It's our Common Cause.

One person found this helpful

Amazon Customer

December 4, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

In excellent condition. love it!

Most recent customer reviews

Amazon Customer

Published on October 9, 2015

Published on January 25, 2015

Lorrie Miller Kohler

The book itself is wonderful..

The book itself is wonderful...and timeless. The condition of the book...how shall I say this....seasoned; much marked up and highlighted.Read more

Published on January 2, 2015

Published on December 30, 2014

Published on December 21, 2014

The book is in great condition, no pages missing, nothing torn off, barely a small bent on the side, but that i can deal with.
Merci!

Published on July 29, 2014

Order arrived and completed as advertised.

Published on July 3, 2014

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Self-Renewal: The Individual and the Innovative Society

Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway

This item: Self-Renewal: The Individual and the Innovative Society

Set up a giveaway

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

John W. Gardner

29

Paperback
$18.95
John W. Gardner

9

Paperback
$16.95
Daniel Coyle

750

Hardcover
$22.09
Norman Doidge

1,033

Paperback
$10.87
Collins

2,529

Paperback
$13.40
John Medina

938

Paperback
$12.67

English United States

Conditions of Use
Privacy Notice
Interest-Based Ads
© 1996-2018, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates