July 11, 2010 | Read Time: 1 minute
Big Citizenship: How Pragmatic Idealism Can Bring Out the Best in America
By Alan Khazei
Part memoir and part blueprint, City Year co-founder Alan Khazei describes how he came to create the community-service organization with his Harvard Law School classmate Michael Brown, his work to draft and push through the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, and his ideas for promoting service across America. Mr. Khazei says a belief in holding government solely responsible for solving social and economic problems is outdated and diminishes the power and talent of ordinary citizens in making a difference.
Among his recommendations: Create and expand a “civilian G.I. Bill” by providing people who pursue community service full time with educational or monetary benefits akin to those given to soldiers who served in World War II.
He also suggests increasing government funds that will forgive college loans for bright people who hope to work at nonprofit organizations.
Publisher: PublicAffairs, 250 West 57th Street, Suite 1321, New York, N.Y. 10107; (212) 397-666; fax (212) 397-4277; http://www.publicaffairsbooks.com; 300 pages; $25.95; ISBN 978-1-58648-786-7.
