Rating: 
Summary: A Guide for Active Citizenship
Review: "I've used Soul of a Citizen for the last two years with students taking our new required course on citizenship and social change. They've really been enthusiastic about the book. Loeb's stories of citizen engagement, coupled with his insightful commentary, help them get beyond a personal, individualistic searching for meaning and happiness. It's really inspired students who've done service with groups like Habitat for Humanity and Sierra club, and one who even did her Mission trip (she's Mormon) in the Ukraine last year. Soul of a Citizen challenges students to see that they can find meaningful living by working for the common good and living a life of community."-Melinda Dukes, Professor of Psychology, Tusculum College, Greenville, TN
Rating: 
Summary: Some Good Stuff - But a Bit Highhanded and Critical!
Review: "I've used Soul of a Citizen for the last two years with students taking our new required course on citizenship and social change. They've really been enthusiastic about the book. Loeb's stories of citizen engagement, coupled with his insightful commentary, help them get beyond a personal, individualistic searching for meaning and happiness. It's really inspired students who've done service with groups like Habitat for Humanity and Sierra club, and one who even did her Mission trip (she's Mormon) in the Ukraine last year. Soul of a Citizen challenges students to see that they can find meaningful living by working for the common good and living a life of community."-Melinda Dukes, Professor of Psychology, Tusculum College, Greenville, TN
Rating:
Summary: GREAT BOOK
Review: I like the way Paul outlines ways to keep working for justice without getting burned out. He is quite specific. Pick out the cause closest to your heart. Don't worry about the finding the "most important" cause. Take the one you have energy for. Figure out how much time you can commit to that cause each week without getting burned out. Then do that much.
The alternative is to do too much and get burned out or to try and ignore the problem and get depressed. I liked the examples. I'm not sure why one reviewer wanted more theory--this is a book about action, not theory. Another reviewer described his family acting out parts of the book and the rest of the family collapsing in giggles. That must be one very cynical family. It's easier to make fun of people who are trying to right a wrong than to actually work toward righting wrongs. It's also safer to make fun, rather than risking defeat.
Rating: 
Summary: psuedo-intellectual bile
Review: I must say that never before has a book started such a lively conversation at the dinner table. I am a student entering university, and this book was assigned as reading that would be discussed in focus groups at the beginning of the year. Unfortunately, this book did not provide entertainment through its intellectual means, but instead family members chose random passages throughout the book that the whole family would act out and laugh histerically at!
While many of the sentences on first glance may seem provocative, they are almost entirely meaningless; devoid of any content.
I have never read something composed of such pretentious, pathetic bile, nor had anyone in my extended family. Its psuedo-intellectualism insults its readers, and is a complete waste of time.
Do not buy this book; you would find more intellectual stimulation by watching two obese people tearing off each other's clothes on the Jerry Springer show.
Rating:
Summary: Unenlightening and cynical.
Review: I read this book for Macro Practice in Social Work. It is by far one of the best reads I have had in the year and a half that I have been in graduate school. It gives great examples how each and everyone of us can make change in our world. I loved it! Mr. Loeb even responded to a classmates e-mail and appreciated the imput.
Rating:
Summary: A Book that Instructs and Inspires My Students
Review: I've been using Soul of a Citizen in my Sociology of Empowerment class ever since it came out. Students get it, respect it, and are even inspired by it. Loeb has over the years written outstanding books that are gems of insight and superb calls to action. With Soul of a Citizen, he has done it again.-Gordon Fellman, Professor of Sociology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA
Rating:
Summary: Soul of a Citizen is a great book
Review: My husband and I have always wanted to help improve the world, especially on enviromental and sustainability issues. In the past we have felt overwhelmed to do anything. All issues appeared to big, the gov't too far away and unreachable. Then we both read the book "Soul of a Citizen" by Paul Roget Loeb, we now know that our efforts do add up and make a difference. We are currently working on a letter writing campaign to get the Children's Enviromental Protection Act passed. This is an excellent book. Read it today and start changing the world!
Rating: 
Summary: Duty, Obligation, and Responsibility
Review: Regardless of one's ideology, political preference, or religious perspective, "Soul of a Citizen" serves as a reminder that service to others for humane involvement and action is the greatest of adventures. Though the stories to support his basic premise are numerous and never seem to stop they do, however, illustrate the creative, innovative, and compassionate involvement of people because it is the right thing to do. Loeb makes a point worthy of developing in more depth, that being, the transformative nature of civic and humanitarian involvement on the person given to the cause. It seems that being other-focused rather than self-focused has significant benefits for well-being and attitude. All in all, it is a book for one to search their own soul, and if you choose, go make the world a better place in spite of all the obstacles.
Rating:
Summary: A handbook for our time
Review: This book is a keeper. It's a good, inspiring read, plus it's good to simply have around, reminding you of its contents. It struck me as a political version of Julia Cameron's "The Artist's Way." While she explains that "born" artists are a myth, Loeb describes community activists who aren't saints or crazies. Both writers try to motivate flawed, busy people to forget about perfection and take the plunge-whether it be into playful creativity or a social cause-in order to feel more whole and alive. I recommend this personal guidebook to everyone, to every age and class, from the left to the right.
Rating:
Summary: inspiriation in a cynical world
Review: This book is a must read! Anyone who cares in this time of apathy will be inspired and keep hope for a better world!
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