Legacy Book Tour: 42 Years of Building Community

Winter and Spring 2020: See our Events Calendar for latest schedule.

Suzanne Belote Shanley and Brayton Shanley have written a book about the history of the Agape Community, called Loving Life on the Margins: The Story of the Agape Community.

The book describes the community’s rich background of gospel-based nonviolence, interfaith perspective, and action on such issues as the death penalty, war, racism and environmental degradation.

Suzanne and Brayton are currently on a book tour, and have given numerous talks at colleges such as Fordham, Boston College, Iona and Stonehill, as well as the Paulist Center in Boston, various faith communities, Pax Christi, and Quaker groups, and will be speaking at the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker in Washington DC in February.

40 years of Community, Resistance, Nonviolence and Sustainability
Loving Life on the Margins: The Story of the Agape Community available now from Haleys The book covers the life of its co-founders, Suzanne Belote Shanley and Brayton Shanley, together with Fr. Emmanuel Charles McCarthy and Steve and Nancy James. Read about the community beginnings with the McCarthy family in Brockton, MA, to the current Agape location on 34 acres of land in the Quabbin Reservoir watershed in Hardwick, MA, where efforts at sustainability include two buildings with total solar energy and hot water, as well as a straw bale house with a compost toilet and a large organic garden. Hear from former interns and members of the extended Agape community as hundreds of people journeyed to Agape to build both residences and a hermitage behind the main residence, Francis House. From college retreats, immersions and internships, to six major events a year, including and annual Francis Day, Agape members have loved living on the margins, though not without struggle and failure. This book is an excellent primer on alternative living, nonviolence and sustainability for high school, college and graduate students as well as peace communities and sustainability communities to ecological responsiblity.
What others are saying about Loving Life on the Margins
Order Form – mail in Books may also be ordered directly from the publisher via email at: [email protected]
Book Cover Photo —Skip Schiel, steadfast confidante, photo-journalist, whose record of Agape events comprises a stunning tribute to his artistry and the community’s collective memory since the beginning of our tenure in Hardwick and years before these Agape days; Skip wants us to tell you can reach him at[email protected]