"Paul Loeb brings hope for a better world in a time when we so urgently need it."
—Millard Fuller, founder, Habitat for Humanity

"The voices Loeb finds demonstrate that courage can be another name for love."
—Alice Walker

"You are part of what's good about this world and I admire your work very much."
—Bill Moyers

"Paul Loeb has been doing wonderfully patient work, exploring the American conscience from the inside. I regard Loeb as something of a national treasure."
—Susan Sontag

"A lot of smart people who have some influence on the course of history will read and admire you--and learn from you."

—Kurt Vonnegut

"I stayed up half the night reading Soul of a Citizen, finding it a beautiful and morally transcendent work that speaks in gentle words directly to the heart. The new edition is magnificent. "
— Jonathan Kozol

In April 2010, St. Martin's released Paul Rogat Loeb's wholly updated exploration of citizen involvement, Soul Of a Citizen: Living With Conviction In Challenging Times. The new edition is already in its fourth printing. With over 100,000 copies in print, Soul's original version has become a classic handbook for budding social activists, veteran organizers, and anyone who wants to make a difference—large or small. An antidote to powerlessness and despair, it has inspired thousands of citizens to make their voices heard and actions count—and then stay involved for the long haul. Soul explores what leads some people to get involved in larger community issues while others feel overwhelmed or uncertain; what it takes to maintain commitment for the long haul; and how community involvement and citizen activism can give back a sense of connection and purpose rare in purely personal life. It will speak particularly to how citizens can remain engaged despite damped hopes from the euphoria of Obama's election. Click here for Soul's description, sample sections, and wonderful reviews, as well as information on classroom use and a link to preorder an advance copy.

Paul's previous book is The Impossible Will Take a Little While: A Citizen's Guide to Hope in a Time of Fear (Basic Books, 2004),  named by The History Channel and The American Book Association as their #3 political book of 2004. A global anthology on political hope, it creates a conversation among some of the most visionary and eloquent voices of our time: Think Nelson Mandela, Maya Angelou, Arundhati Roy, Tony Kushner, Václav Havel, Pablo Neruda, and Howard Zinn. Alice Walker, Jonathan Kozol, Diane Ackerman, Susan Griffin, and Marian Wright Edelman. Cornel West, Terry Tempest Williams, Jim Hightower, and Desmond Tutu.  With this book Loeb explores what it's like to go up against Goliath, whether South African apartheid, the iron fist of Eastern European dictatorship, or Mississippi segregation.  The stories he collects don't sugarcoat the obstacles. But they inspire hope by showing what keeps us keeping on--even when the odds seem overwhelming. They replenish the wellsprings of our commitment. The Impossible is also a BookSense bestseller with 65,000 in print and won the Nautilus Award for the best social change book. Click here for a description, excerpts, rave reviews, and information on The Impossible's own fruitful classroom use.

If you're not already receiving Paul's monthly articles, sign up to receive them. Paul continues to lecture widely on both Soul and The Impossible. Click here to see if he's coming to your community or to bring him in, and here for some ways you can pass the word on his books. 

COMMENTS ON SOUL OF A CITIZEN

"A passionate but reasoned call for Americans to become involved in issues that matter."
—Chicago Sun-Times


"Soul of a Citizen has inspired countless students, faculty, and other readers since its publication a decade ago. Amazing as that book was, this new version is even wiser, deeper, and more inspiring. Loeb has given even more soul to his wonderful work."
—Thomas Ehrlich, former president Indiana University and Dean of Stanford Law School

"Brims with stirring stories of everyday heroes who saw something wrong, heeded the voice of their conscience, gathered support and, acting in concert with others, changed things and made a difference."
—Philadelphia Inquirer

"Soul has been a powerful inspiration to citizens acting for environmental sanity, showing how they can take committed stands, even if they don’t know every last answer. The new edition is even more inspirational."
—Bill McKibben

"Rich, engaging, clearly written. An essential book for anyone who wants to work for change. It will inspire people new to activism, and deals with cynicism and burn­out in a good way for movement veterans. Altogether, a wonderful job, rich with specific experience."
—Howard Zinn

"Soul of a Citizen helps us find the faith we need to act on our deepest beliefs — and keep on."
— Marian Wright Edelman, Children's Defense Fund

COMMENTS ON THE IMPOSSIBLE WILL TAKE A LITTLE WHILE

"Deeply moving and motivating…a plethora of commentary from those dedicated to the concept of a better world"

—Baltimore Sun

"This might possibly be the most important collection of stories and essays you will ever read."

—from American Book Association and History Channel listing of top ten 2004 political books

"Hopeful, inspiring, and motivating...May well be required reading for us all.”

—Sierra Club magazine

"[This] magnificent anthology celebrates hope, guts, and the power of taking action.
—Pam Houston, The Oprah Magazine, lead review

"A much needed salvo against despair."

—Psychology Today

"An anthology of some of the most powerful voices of our time."                    
—Boston Globe

"For anyone worn down, The Impossible Will Take a Little While is a bracing double cappuccino!"
— Barbara Ehrenreich

PAUL ROGAT LOEB is the author of Soul of a Citizen: Living With Conviction in Challenging Times (St Martin's Press 1999 and 2010, now with over 130,000 copies in print), The Impossible Will Take a Little While: A Citizen's Guide to Hope in a Time of Fear (Basic Books, 2004, and named the #3 political book of that year by the History Channel and the American Book Association), Generation at the Crossroads: Apathy and Action on the American Campus (Rutgers University Press, 1994), Nuclear Culture, and Hope in Hard Times. Both The Impossible and Soul won the Nautilus Award for best social change books of their respective publication years. Paul has written on social involvement for The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, AARP Bulletin, Boston Globe, Psychology Today, Utne Reader, Redbook, Parents magazine, Christian Science Monitor, Mother Jones, Salon, the Village Voice, National Catholic Reporter, Chronicle of Higher Education, and the International Herald Tribune. He's been interviewed on CNN, NPR, PBS, C-SPAN, NBC TV, the BBC, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, American Urban Radio, Voice of America, and national German and Australian radio. He's lectured on 400 college campuses and at numerous national conferences. His January 2002 talk at the annual provost's conference of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities helped inspire what is now a 200-campus American Democracy Project. In 2008 Loeb worked with Campus Compact to create and coordinate the Campus Election Engagement Project, helping colleges and universities in 15 states engage their students in the election. He participated in the Department of Education's 2011 roundtable on higher education and civic engagement and blogs regularly at HuffingtonPost.

Click here for a longer bio.