What readers are saying …
Mr. Hume:
Have just finished your amazing and insightful book “Taking Back our Cities”.
As a ‘recovering municipal politican’ myself, I commend you on work and the many insights you share. Your book should be mandatory reading for any first term city councillor or Mayor. Same thing for every Premier and Minister responsible for Municipalities.
As one who served his community for six years and fought for the largest capital building project in our community’s history, I can say that I’ve read just about everything that’s been published over the last couple of decades on Cdn municipal politics. As someone who also wrote a weekly newspaper column in both Ontario and BC for over seven years, I’ve come to have a great appreciation of great writing.
Your work is, hands down, the very best I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading on the subject. While I borrowed your book from my local library, it’s already been put at the top of my list of 2012 Christmas presents I want from my kids. I want your book in my personal library.
Thanks for an amazing piece of work.
Sincerely,
Bruce Beck, Abbotsford, BC
“I read your book, “The Local Food Revolution”. It was informative and I have presented to town and county councils using information in there. Thank you for writing it, it is a great resource!”
Eva Bogdan, Project Manager, Community Futures Elk Island, Alberta
“What a terrific book! And so timely. I loved your writing style and the content is urgently important to municipalities today!”
Public Health manager, Ontario
“I just finished The Local Food Revolution. Thank you for writing such an informative and insightful book. Gord, it was wonderful. Not only did I buy it but lent it to many friends and advised others to get it from the library. Thank you so much for such a learning experience in a book form…”
Cindy Bailey, London, Ontario
“I read Gord Hume’s book this weekend. The early chapters laid the groundwork for the relevance of local spending and the ‘creative’ economy. This led nicely into food innovation and thinking outside the box. Then the hook … local government. The concept of municipal action plans dealing with local growers and processors was such an ‘aha’ moment. And the waste component certainly got my attention.
Certainly we need to keep local food at the core (pardon the pun) of strategic planning for our municipality. Before reading Gord’s book, I had intended to share my copy with community leaders; but having read the book I now understand that this would take too long. I think it’s important for us to challenge our community leaders to get their own copy and spend an evening reading it and reflecting on what this would mean for our community’s future sustainability.
I’m currently reading Michael Pollan’s book, The Locavore’s Dilemma. Between this and Gord’s book we need a wake-up call. I hope you can create a sense of urgency among Municipal World readers.”
Cathy Bingham, County of Oxford
Hume’s books are among the most thought-provoking, engaging books I’ve ever read on municipal/local politics. It’s sad to note that perhaps only one or two (at most) on our own council will read this book.
Ian Chadwick, Columnist
