SocialButterfly

#read4change

In September 2009, with some inspiration and a desire to create deeper connections with the talented online community, SB launched “read4change,” an online social change book club–where anyone can participate.

Once a month–using the Twitter account @read4change and the hashtag #read4change–do gooders, social changers, nonprofiteers and the like gather around the last Wednesday of the month and read a social change-themed book. The hope is to have authors or experts join us in the conversation as a unique opportunity to have meaningful conversations in a meaningful way.

Everyday–Be on the lookout for #read4change challenges where we identify ways where you or I’s reading can have a direct impact into a positive change. It might not be everyday, but we’ll do our best. If you or your organization has an action you want highlighted, just shoot me an email or direct message.

Bonus: Any funds raised through our online bookshelf (run through Amazon’s Associates program) will be donated to a charity of the group’s choice at the end of the year.

Ways to Get Involved

1. FOLLOW us @read4change on Twitter.
2. RECOMMEND a book or monthly themes. Email me at socialbutterfly4change@gmail.com.
3. VOTE each month on which book we should read. The top book will be chosen.
4. READ the book or browse our bookshelf to see what we’ve recently discussed.
5. DISCUSS the books with us on Twitter the last Wednesday of the month at 8PM EST using the #read4change hashtag.

All Stars

Shoot me an email if you want to be on the #read4change All Star list. This means you plan to partake in 3 (at least) of our 11 chats this year and you be given some link-love from this page.

2010 Reads and Info

February–Approach to Change:  Empathy + CSR

You Chose: Wired to Care
Special Guest: Wired to Care’s Pete Mortensen
When: Weds. Feb. 24, 8PM EST
Description: We’ll chat about how the concept of empathy can revolutionize our organizations and our causes. We’ll also examine the impact and role empathy can have on corporate social responsibility as an approach to change–given Chase Bank, Pepsi, Disney and other current initiatives, CSR may be the name of the game.
Missed the event? Read this recap and summary.

Notable, but not chosen (this time):

• Change By Design by Tim Brown
• Momentum by Alison Fine
• Trust Agents by Chris Brogan
• Thinking in Systems by Donella Meadows

March–Going Green

You Chose: Hot, Flat and Crowded by Thomas L. Friedman
Special Guest: TBA
When: Weds. March 31, 8PM EST
Description: What does going green mean? We’ll focus on what this means for our world and our causes–and how we can respond to this call-to-action. Fueled with insight and sparked by the argument Thomas Friedman makes in this notable book about climate change and the role of energy, this is sure to be one discussion you won’t want to miss.

Notable, but not chosen (this time):

• Climb the Green Ladder by Amy V. Fetzer and Shari Aaron
• The Green Collar Economy by Van Jones
• Our Choice by Al Gore
• Cradle to Cradle by William McDonough & Michael Braungart

April–Social Entrepreneurship

You Chose: The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki
Special Guest: Liz Forkin of Sseko Designs, @ssekodesigns
When: Weds. April 28, 8PM EST
Description: What’s the future of doing good look like? Some might say social entrepreneurship. Join us as we chat about what social entrepreneurship is, what it means for the good work our community is doing and the art of getting started.

Notable, but not chosen (this time):

• How to Change the World by David Bernstein
• Rules for Revolutionaries by Guy Kawasaki
• The Meaning of Social Entrepreneurship by Greg Dees
• Finding the Sweet Spot by Dave Pollard
• Companies We Keep by John Abrams

May–Stories of Change

You Chose: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
Special Guest: Stacey Monk, Epic Change
When: Weds. May 26, 8PM EST
Description: Stories stay with us. Inspire us and motivate us. This month, we read about a high school boy’s story and how it lives on to inspire others in changing the world. We’ll talk about best practices when it comes to storytelling and how we can use multi-media and interactive storytelling to communicate a personal cause or organizational mission.

Notable, but not chosen (this time):

• The Help by Kathryn Stockett
• The Blue Sweater by Jacqueline Novogratz
• Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
• War Child by Emmanuel Jal

June–Economics

You Chose: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
Special Guest: TBD
When: Weds. June 30, 8PM EST
Description: We take a look this month as a topic some may say is too abstract or outside the lines of change-economics. We’ll discuss how economic concepts and insights can be applied to our daily work of instigating change.

Notable, but not chosen (this time):

• The Social Atom by Mark Buchanan
• Remix by Lawrence Lessig
• Freakonomics or Superfreakonomics by Steven D. Levitt
• The Real Wealth of Nations by Riane Tennehause Eisler

July–The Big Screen (Movies) (Weds., July 28, 8PM EST)

You Chose: VOTE
Special Guest: David Neff of Lights. Camera. Help. and Founder of the Nonprofit Film Festival
When: Weds. July 28, 8PM EST
Description: This month, we take it to the big screen. We’ll talk about the role of film in creating change–and how we can better use video to communicate our mission. 

• Call+Response
• Invisible Children or War Child
  
• Freedom Writers
• An Inconvenient Truth
• FOOD, Inc.

August–Back to Basics

Already Chosen: The Networked Nonprofit by Allison Fine and Beth Kanter
Special Guest: Allison Fine and Beth Kanter
When: Weds. April 28, 8PM EST
Description: Not only is it back-to-school time, but it’s also back to basics. We’ll read “The Networked Nonprofit” written by two of the top, premier changebloggers on the Web. We’ll talk about what it means to be a networked nonprofit, how to become one and what to do once you’ve “arrived.” The conversation will touch on current challenges and trends, cases of social media for good and much, much more.

September–Today’s Woman

• Letter to My Daughter by Maya Angelou
• An Unreasonable Woman by Diane Wilson
• Pearls, Politics and Power by Madeleine Kunin
• The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan
• What I Know Now Edited by Ellyn Spragins

October–Global Issues

• Up and Out of Poverty by Philip Kotler and Nancy Lee
• Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
• The Bottom Billion by Paul Collier
• Ending Slavery by Kevin Bales
• The Epidemic by Jonathan Engel

November–Inspiration and Motivation

• Drive by Daniel H. Pink
• Hope on a Tightrope by Cornel West
  
• Life, Inc. by Douglas Ruskoff
• Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuck
• 29 Gifts by Cami Walker

December–Enjoy the Holidays (no book)

Future Topics

• Millennials Rising
• Domestic Issues
• Get Jiggy. (Music)
• Recommend one. (see below)

Recommend a Book or Topic

The book club is like any other book club–the group decides what book to read. Now, we are also doing continuous voting so we have more time to read and more time to vote. I am limiting the choices to five, so If you don’t see your book on there or if you’re book isn’t chosen, no worries. While this looks like a complete calendar, it is only “final” about 3 months out, so we can revise and move books and topics around, so stay tuned. Also–some books might not get included as the goal of the club is to focus on social-change-do-gooder books. Both non-fiction and fiction. To recommend a book or topic, fill out the form below or email me at socialbutterfly4change@gmail.com.

*Browse our #read4change bookshelf to see a list of all the books that have been recommended.

[form to be added]

Past Books

• November 2009–Causewired featuring author Tom Watson
• December 2009–Actions Speak Loudest featuring author Bob McKinnon

Disclosure

Just because a book is on the above list or on the bookshelf, does not mean that I, Alexandra Bornkessel, recommend or endorse the book. This is a community thing.