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The Art of Belonging

Hugh Mackay

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The Art of Belonging

by Hugh Mackay
The Art of Belonging
The Art of Belonging

Fictional suburb explores community's moral complexities.

"The Art of Belonging" might resonate with you if you've ever found yourself torn between personal freedom and community responsibilities. As Mackay gives life to Southwood's residents, you'll not only witness their challenges and triumphs but also reflect on what it truly means to be part of a community. Let this suburb's narrative kindle your thoughts about the common good and how we balance it with individual desires.

Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.

The Art of Belonging

by Hugh Mackay
Condition guide

Book Condition Guide

Books in Like New Condition

This book may contain very minor cosmetic defects, but it is in pristine condition. There should be no yellowing, no foxing, no water damage, and no annotations of any kind on the cover and the pages. For paperbacks, there should not be any crease marks on the spine. This book is good as new — lucky you!

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Very Good Condition

This book has been used, but it is still in a clean condition. There should be no foxing or annotations of any kind on the inner pages, but a sparse amount may be present on the cover, title pages, or outside edges of the book. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be light crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Good Condition

We do our best to ensure the quality of our books, but there is no escaping the wear and tear that comes with time. Slight foxing and some annotations may be present on the pages and the cover. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be several crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Well Read Condition

This is a well-read book, which means that the previous owner probably really enjoyed it! The cover and pages may include moderate foxing and annotations, but the text is not obscured and still readable. Moderate cosmetic defects and minor water damage may be present on the edges of the book. For paperbacks, there may be multiple crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

 

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ISBN: 9781743538920
Author: Hugh Mackay
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Date of Publication: 2015-12-22
Format: Paperback
Related Collections: Personal Development, Sociology
Related Topics: Psychology, Social Issues, Personal Development
Goodreads rating: 3.32
(rated by 247 readers)

Description

The eternal question 'Who am I?' must be weighed against an even deeper 'Who are we?' We are writing each other's stories as much as we are writing our own. In his bestselling book, The Good Life, Hugh Mackay argued that kindness and respect for others are the hallmarks of a life well lived. Now in The Art of Belonging, Mackay shows how strong communities develop our moral sense and build our emotional security. He says that as 'social creatures' we can only reach our potential when we engage with our communities - in the local neighbourhood, at work and even online. Drawing on his lifelong work as a social researcher, Mackay creates a fictional suburb, Southwood, and populates it with characters who, like most of us, struggle to reconcile their need to belong with their desire to live life on their own terms. Through a series of stories, illuminated by Mackay's social analysis, we witness the conflicts that arise when individuals assert their needs at the expense of others, but we also glimpse the satisfactions that flow from contributing to the common good. Compellingly argued and written with wisdom, compassion and wit, The Art of Belonging is for those who yearn for a society that sustains and nurtures the many, not just the fortunate few.
 

Fictional suburb explores community's moral complexities.

"The Art of Belonging" might resonate with you if you've ever found yourself torn between personal freedom and community responsibilities. As Mackay gives life to Southwood's residents, you'll not only witness their challenges and triumphs but also reflect on what it truly means to be part of a community. Let this suburb's narrative kindle your thoughts about the common good and how we balance it with individual desires.

Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.

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