By Charles Durrett and Kathryn McCamant
New Society Publishers, 2011

Chuck and Katie, as they are known to the cohousing world, are the birth parents of cohousing in North America. They introduced the concept to the US in the late 80’s after they wrote the original edition of this book — which has become known as the “cohousing bible.” The original was also my guidebook as I researched cohousing common houses around Denmark in 2004 — literally holding up pictures in the book along streets to identify the cohousing communities I was trying to visit. The Danes, unlike Americans, are not interested in creating a cohousing “movement” — it’s simply a way of life and another form of housing to them. So there is no website for a national organization, just books like this to provide a window into an alternative way of living.

This latest edition provides the how to’s for starting a cohousing community,
and it describes the different settings in which cohousing can be found. It also includes more photos from recently completed projects in North America and Europe, as well as the examples of how cohousing can lead to a more sustainable and community oriented way to live.