The New Civic Path
Restoring Our Belief in One Another and Our Nation
by Richard C. Harwood
You must sign in to see if this title is available for request. Sign In or Register Now
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app
1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date 13 May 2025 | Archive Date 15 Nov 2025
Description
We are suffering from a crisis of belief in our country today. So many people have lost faith in America—in our leaders, institutions, and even one another. The status quo is not working for far too many of us. Our central task today is to meet this historic moment. But how do we grow our belief that we can get things done together—not as Republicans or Democrats or Independents, but as Americans? How do we rebuild trust and reclaim agency?
In this deeply personal manifesto written while crisscrossing the country for his “Enough. Time to Build.” civic campaign, Richard C. Harwood reveals how we can address the fundamental challenges holding us back in America today. We must dedicate ourselves to forging a new civic path that grows our belief that we can move forward amid our real differences. The New Civic Path is a must-read for those who want to spark civic renewal and get our communities and the country moving again.
Advance Praise
“Rich Harwood refuses to give up on the American experiment. He’s spent decades working in some of the country’s most challenging local communities and has a message today for those alarmed by the nation’s polarization. Change will come, but it has to be from the bottom up. Starting in our neighborhoods, towns, and cities, we must learn again to trust one another, to listen to one another, and to realize the hardest problems will take time to solve. In The New Civic Path, he reminds us what’s at stake is nothing less than our own future.”
—Judy Woodruff, senior correspondent, PBS NewsHour: America at a Crossroads
“In this gripping guide to civic renewal, Rich Harwood provides readers with inspiration, insights, and tools we can all draw upon to restore trust in our fellow citizens and faith in our cherished civic institutions. At a time when national reconciliation and repair feels especially daunting, Harwood’s book encourages and empowers us to act as agents of transformative change in our local communities. As more and more communities join this ‘new civic path,’ Harwood explains, we travel toward a stronger, more patriotic, and more unified future for the country as a whole.”
—Kristin Hansen, executive director, Civic Health Project
“Worried about American democratic decline? Then stop fighting. Stop withdrawing. Start building—as citizens of your local community! Rich Harwood’s new manifesto summons a path to civic renewal hidden below today’s national partisan brawls. Four decades of working with communities of all political persuasions has taught Harwood the historic nature of democracy’s deepest DNA: Ordinary people joining together to tackle the urgent, practical problems of their collective, everyday lives. The New Civic Path now offers those lessons to us—if we have the courage to learn and act with one another as fellow citizens.”
—Brook Manville, co-author, The Civic Bargain: How Democracy Survives
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9798992071122 |
| PRICE | 14.95 |
| PAGES | 148 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Reviewer 867429
A timely reminder for today of the need to develop a new path forward in a manner that is not a solo journey, but a community adventure. We often fall prey to seeing only a herculean effort for real change to happen, or only able to see the negative, which leaves us unable to see the small steps with and within community that can lead to effective, long lasting change. Harwood helps us to see and understand how starting small will helps end big.
Sarah J, Reviewer
Book Review: The New Civic Path: Restoring Our Belief in One Another and Our Nation by Richard C. Harwood
The New Civic Path is a timely and thought-provoking exploration of America’s fractured civic landscape, offering a blueprint for rebuilding trust and collective purpose. Harwood, a seasoned civic leader, combines rigorous analysis with hopeful pragmatism, arguing that meaningful change begins with reconnecting to shared values and local action.
Thesis & Relevance
Harwood confronts America’s crisis of belief—in institutions, each other, and the future—head-on. His central premise is compelling: restoring civic health requires moving beyond polarization to rediscover common ground. The book excels in diagnosing systemic challenges while avoiding partisan traps, making it essential reading for our divided era.
Structure & Approach
The narrative balances theory with actionable steps, organized around Harwood’s “Time to Build” framework. Case studies from communities like Owensboro, KY (featured in his Institute’s work) ground abstract ideas in real-world success. Some sections lean heavily on organizational jargon, but the core message remains accessible.
Writing Style & Impact
Harwood’s prose is direct and motivational, blending data-driven insights with storytelling. While not literary in the traditional sense, his clarity of purpose and urgency resonate. The tone avoids cynicism, instead fostering a sense of agency—a rarity in contemporary civic discourse.
Themes & Takeaways
Key themes include:
-The power of “small bets” (local, incremental change)
-Redefining leadership as rooted in listening
-Replacing transactional politics with relational trust
-The closing chapters on “stepping forward” inspire readers to engage without prescribing one-size-fits-all solutions.
Score Breakdown (Out of 5)
Originality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) – Fresh synthesis of civic theory and practice.
Practicality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) – Exceptionally actionable for leaders and citizens.
Narrative Flow: ⭐⭐⭐✨ (3.5/5) – Occasionally dense but purpose-driven.
Relevance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) – Vital for current societal challenges.
Emotional Resonance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) – Hopeful without being naive.
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.5/5) – A galvanizing call to rebuild civic life from the ground up. Harwood’s blend of idealism and pragmatism makes this a standout in its genre.
Who Should Read It?
-Community organizers and local leaders
-Readers seeking antidotes to polarization
-Fans of Bowling Alone or The Sum of Us
-Anyone weary of political gridlock
Who Might Not Love It?
-Those preferring academic rigor over practitioner perspectives
-Readers seeking partisan solutions
Acknowledgments:
Thank you to NetGalley and the author, Richard C. Harwood, for providing an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.
