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This Is Where You Belong: The Art and Science of Loving the Place You Live by Melody Warnick
mangoway's review against another edition
5.0
Rarely have I read a book that's had such an immediate impact or that's addressed so many issues on the top of my mind.
Like many in my age group facing looming retirement, the constant topic is where. This book doesn't address that. It's about how to make that place, wherever you go or wherever you are, the best possible place to be. There are lists at the end of each chapter-- from simple actions anybody can do, to suggestions for ways to shift your perception of your town, as well as tools to do deep dives into cultural & civic engagement.
Everyone worries about how to find a community after moving to a brand new town. This book made me want to pack up and go today, because it spells out the ways to start that process. Ways to engage with and savor what's good about any place, but also many ideas to make wherever you live a better place, not only for yourself but your neighbors, too.
I HIGHLY recommend this book to anybody who's considering a move or anyone who has landed somewhere that maybe wasn't their first choice. The author is the trailing spouse of an academic. Blacksburg, VA was not a city she'd have chosen. But in the process of researching this book and following all her own suggestions, she found ways to connect with the city and was able to re-frame her perception of her surroundings. And she's convinced me that it's not only possible but necessary.
Can't wait to read her latest book and hope she writes many more.
Like many in my age group facing looming retirement, the constant topic is where. This book doesn't address that. It's about how to make that place, wherever you go or wherever you are, the best possible place to be. There are lists at the end of each chapter-- from simple actions anybody can do, to suggestions for ways to shift your perception of your town, as well as tools to do deep dives into cultural & civic engagement.
Everyone worries about how to find a community after moving to a brand new town. This book made me want to pack up and go today, because it spells out the ways to start that process. Ways to engage with and savor what's good about any place, but also many ideas to make wherever you live a better place, not only for yourself but your neighbors, too.
I HIGHLY recommend this book to anybody who's considering a move or anyone who has landed somewhere that maybe wasn't their first choice. The author is the trailing spouse of an academic. Blacksburg, VA was not a city she'd have chosen. But in the process of researching this book and following all her own suggestions, she found ways to connect with the city and was able to re-frame her perception of her surroundings. And she's convinced me that it's not only possible but necessary.
Can't wait to read her latest book and hope she writes many more.
afarre01's review against another edition
4.0
Very practical book with good tips to get settled in a new place
jonapelson's review against another edition
3.0
"There's no right town for everyone, there's the right town for you right now."
An obvious (if you're involved in your place and focus on the good you'll feel the good) but still decent read. Some parts were interesting and captivating, some were remarkably dull. Glad this was an audiobook!
An obvious (if you're involved in your place and focus on the good you'll feel the good) but still decent read. Some parts were interesting and captivating, some were remarkably dull. Glad this was an audiobook!
rachaelwindsor's review against another edition
5.0
I am a chronic mover from a family of chronic movers. My husband and I are about to make a cross country move and I want to make sure it sticks. This book was so helpful in giving me ideas of what to look for in my next community and how to build place attachment. Whether you’re moving, staying, or debating, this book is for you.
audaciaray's review against another edition
3.0
This past fall I left NYC after 17 years and I'm trying to make a place for myself in the Hudson Valley/Catskills (and sometimes not sure its the right place - but also knowing that rightness doesn't really exist and the home I left no longer exists). Making a new home is really, really hard. And though I don't feel like I gained any new huge insights from it, I'm glad I read this book. The thesis is basically that placemaking is about committing to where you are and digging in, shopping and eating local, getting involved in community and politics, walking and biking. There's also some white nonsense like making nice with police (NEVER) and it doesn't address gentrification, race, and the ways that placemaking is often a colonialist act, which are things I think about a lot. Its definitely a book by and for white people with class and geographic mobility.
ncrozier's review against another edition
Very topical to my life at the moment, but I would have preferred more personal stories, and less facts.
idgetfay's review against another edition
3.0
I don't love where I live. In fact I kind of hate it. I've hated it since before I ever got here. My husband and I thought we would transition out of here in 6 months. It's been 2 years with no end in sight. Reading this book was interesting, but not earth shattering. The first few chapters confirmed what I already knew: I don't belong here. The author talks about how walking around your community can help you appreciate it and form a mental map. Once I walked to my husband's work and almost died on a road without a sidewalk and the whole experience gave me anxiety. We also have zero markets or shops within walking distance and walking here is rarely safe or comfortable. Similarly, buying local and meeting the neighbors seemed beyond my energy levels for a place I know I don't want to stay. The rest of the book passed in a mix of things I already do, can't do, and don't want to do. It's not Warnick's fault if I don't want to take her advice. Some of it makes sense. Parts of this book were really heart-wrenching reminders of what is important. And I could tell she worked really hard on it and researched a lot. Her attitude of forcing herself to love her town seemed, well, forced. I may hate where I live, but I'm happy here. I'm happy because I tend to focus on what's good. But I don't see the point in eating repeatedly at the same restaurant just for the stamp of 'regular' or trying to organize a community event when my heart isn't in it. Yes, loving where you live can be a choice, but I'd like to grow to love a place organically. And if I'm going to put the work in, I want it to be somewhere I care about deeply. Warnick didn't help me love where I live... but she did give me hope that someday I could love a place enough to invest in it. It was just a reminder that place isn't here.
ewg109's review against another edition
4.0
Recommended reading for any looking for ideas for community improvement
emilyholladay's review against another edition
4.0
This Is Where You Belong is just the book I needed to write as I begin my 3rd year in a “new” town. According to Warnick, year 3-5 is when you plateau in your ability to love where you live (I didn’t explain that well, but she did). I heard about this book on the One Great Book podcast by Anne Bogel and just hadn’t gotten around to reading it until now. I’m grateful for the insights presented. It has given me a lot to think about.