Community, democracy, and a search for the good life.

A "third place" is a convivial, regular hangout, not home and not work - a place where everyone knows your name. I corresponded for years with Ray Oldenburg, who coined the term in his 1989 book The Great Good Place. He left me with the task of writing a new edition. Visit https://www.greatgoodplace.org for details about the new book.

Reports from the Trenches: Insider tips and truths about the world (and economics) of book publishing today.

China notes by Karen Christensen, whose company Berkshire Publishing Group is known for its award-winning books about China past and present. Karen works with hundreds of China scholars and is a research associate at the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard, focusing on community and women’s issues.

Sustainability science, environmental history, and home ecology (preparing for climate change without losing our minds)

This is where I post additions to past letters - sometimes new ideas, sometimes information sent by readers - as well as notes about things I am pondering. It's only for diehard readers!

The salons are only online, sad to say, but informal and conversational, aiming for a third-place atmosphere. All paid subscribers get an automatic invitation, but here's where free subscribers can get themselves on the list.