“The Internet provides the potential to separate us into a cacophony of discordant voices or to congregate us as purpose-driven communities. Jono Bacon, in his insightful The Art of Community, teaches the latter path, detailing the principles of successful community-building in a way that will appeal to both neophyte and expert alike. Given the increasingly critical role of community managers in the technology industry and beyond, The Art of Community should find a place on any businessperson’s bookshelf, not to mention that of the PTA president, book club organizer, or union activist. Yes, it’s that good.”

“The success of the open source software movement demonstrates that no obstacle is insurmountable when people come together around a shared vision. In The Art of Community, Ubuntu Community Manager Jono Bacon gives readers a profound glimpse into his hands-on experience as the orchestrator of one of the movement’s most powerful communities. His book offers valuable lessons on effective leadership and community building. Its compelling combination of useful theory, real-world best practices, and instructive personal anecdotes make it a richly comprehensive guide for both aspiring and experienced community leaders.”

“Jono Bacon truly understands communities, and, more importantly, how to build communities that thrive. This is the definitive guidebook to building successful communities—definitive because it is based on Jono’s extensive experience as community manager for Ubuntu, a product that inspires an Apple-esque devotion in very large part because of its vast and dedicated community. For developers and entrepreneurs who want to learn how to tap into the power of community, as Ubuntu has done so masterfully, this book is a must-read.”

“Communities are very complex ecosystems of human beings. Cultivating, growing, shaping, and guiding the community to make it productive is definitely as much (or even more) art as science. In The Art of Community, Bacon does an excellent job of explaining in detail the considerations for managing and cultivating a healthy open source community. He provides a blueprint for developing and maintaining an open source community in a programmatic way, and his attention to detail and understanding of the dynamics of communities make this book an invaluable resource for anyone looking to build and maintain a community. Drawing from his own extensive experience, Bacon does a great job of explaining how to help foster a community, and provides great advice, ranging from choosing infrastructure, measuring growth, and even hiring a community manager. All in all a must-read for any community manager.”