The Art of Community is a good read, although it may be slightly too technical for those looking to start a community that is not software-based. At times I found myself thinking, “what would grandmothers, church groups, or any other non-technical crowd make of this?” I understand that Jono has tremendous experience as a community manager for Ubuntu, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I just think that the book is slightly out of focus when it attempts to simultaneously address both the technical and non-technical crowds. My advise would be to pick one audience and stick with it, not write for both. The result of not having just one audience firmly in grasp is a sort of communication breakdown that occurs because, for some readers, the text is too technical, while for other readers the book may not be technical enough. A perfect example of this audience disconnect is when Bacon explains Twitter: for one group it will be a sufficient explanation, while for the more technical audience, the Twitter explanation verges on the insulting (I’m sure no insult was intended, but the technical crowd can certainly be an ornery group at times.)

Nonetheless, The Art of Community is still a good read, and should be read for anyone thinking of starting a technical community. There are countless invaluable nuggets to be found within its covers. Also important is that there is a second edition currently being written and if you don’t like something in this first edition, or would like to see changes or expansions made, I’m certain Bacon will be glad to hear from you. His website and blog are only a couple of clicks away where readers are indeed encouraged to participate in discussion. And perhaps this characteristic, above all others, is what makes The Art of Community so compelling, so valuable: the characteristic that readers can participate in the book’s actual creation.