TAKING CHARGE OF OUR LIVES: Living Responsibly in the World

An introduction to what used to be called ""alternatives""--attempts to say some sort of no-thank-you, however modest, to societal blunders in energy use, food production, housing, health care, and general relationship to the planet. Derived from an earlier and slighter AFSC guide (Taking Charge, 1977), it's organized as a study-group workbook and resource Baedeker. The eleven chapters map out major issues, from treatment of the elderly to rehumanization of the workplace, and suggest reordered self-valuation and a lessening of global tensions as the ultimate implication of all these concerns. A lengthy final section provides addresses for dozens of relevant local and national action groups, along with a myriad of bibliographic suggestions. The main body of the text combines solid information and encouragement to insight--for example, on the possibility of devising a local energy analysis as has been done by pesky citizens in more than one US county--with the somewhat overprogrammed stratagem of workbook-style questions (""Do I realize my life-sharing potential through blood donations?"") and suggested exercises (""Go on your own supermarket awareness tour""). On balance, more-than-serviceable as a ""people's Yellow Pages""--with an orientation toward community consciousness-raising that will probably work better with some groups than others.