ALA Booklist (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

The concept of an ideal society has likely been around since the beginning of human civilization. Of course, not everyone has the same ideas about what makes a community perfect. Over the last 400 years, there have been countless efforts to attain utopia, with decidedly mixed results. Thirty different intentional communities, micronations, visionary environments, and others are chronicled in this cheery collection of optimistic human vision. Covering everything from a seventeenth-century democratic community of pirates and slaves to single-occupancy nations to self-sufficient art and religious communes, these stories collectively celebrate the human desire to live without strife, need, or structured government. In the wrong hands, this could have been a dour list of failures, but Dam's vibrant, bright palette and simple but pleasant figures create an optimistic tribute to the human can-do spirit, which is mirrored by the lighthearted, nonjudgmental narrative that provides basic overviews and quirky highlights. This is a fascinating, if slightly cautionary, introduction to those who found their own societies lacking and dared to create something better.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Those who have dreamed of leaving behind their day-to-day lives for a greater cause will find inspiration in these tales of little-known utopian communities, micronations, and self-made states, which chronicle how one individual-s ambitious (or even crazy) dream can become a reality. Warner (Brief Histories of Everyday Objects) and Dam present thirty stories that illuminate the establishment of idealistic societies, from Auroville-the City of Dawn-in Southeast India, to the Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands. They capture the spirit and optimism that drive each society-s founder, while challenging, in the process, how people allow themselves to be organized by the societies in which they live. Even one man can declare himself sovereign, such as Dean Kamen (notably the inventor of the Segway scooter), who establishes himself as the ruler and sole inhabitant of North Dumpling Island off the coast of Connecticut while minting stamps, printing currency, and signing a nonaggression pact with the United States. The charming line-art imbues a fabulist feel, with a simple color palette reflecting the simple values of these communities. Establishing a haven from social and political strife is certainly topical, and this comics history offers armchair escapism. (May)

School Library Journal (Wed May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

In 2015, a young Czech man read on Wikipedia about a disputed bit of land between Serbia and Croatia that neither country wanted. His decision to claim it and call it Liberland, a home for libertarians the world over, didn't go over well with the Croatian government, which has since arrested him. That is only one of 30 fascinating tales of intentional communities, radical ideas, and utopian visions, all gathered in one place and shared in a funny, enlightening graphic format. Organized by category, each short encapsulation highlights a different community's founders and their visions, the ideals upon which it was based, and how it all fell apart or changed over time. Each story is humorous, sobering, and thought provoking, as the advantages and pitfalls of these kinds of communities are laid bare. The colorful format, with speech bubbles and concise, descriptive paragraphs, will keep students engaged, and there's just enough information to encourage further independent research. VERDICT A fun, intriguing book that is sure to please a variety of readers. Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA