The World Cafe: Shaping Our Futures Through Conversations That Matter

This is an incredibly hard book for me to review. As with some other business books I've read in the past, I think the ideas are good and useful. On the other hand, despite its deceptively friendly appearance, I find this an incredibly difficult book to read.

My main complaint is simple and, again, commonplace among books of this type: it is entirely too long for what it is trying to achieve. This is a two hundred-plus page book that could have easily accomplished its purpose in thirty pages. It is bulked up by vagueness, repetitiveness and numerous personal anecdotes that are only occasionally useful. With much more direct and succinct writing, the authors could have given us a clearer picture of how to make the world cafe process unfold.

Still, it needs be said that the world cafe idea is a good one. I've used it a few times in meetings and it has always been successful. If you're looking for what the world cafe is about, this is the place.

As CEO Coach, Poet and author of a leadship book that helps leaders unleash the genius of themselves, their teams and their businesses, I recomend this book. I have been through the process described in this book and find it an excellent way to discover the wisdom of a team or a company. Paul David Walker Unleashing Genius: Leading Yourself, Teams and Corporations

This book provides useful insight on leading discussions of diverse groups. I found the ideas to be a fresh way of looking at the discussion process. Especially useful for classroom and retreat situations.

This book gives a nice overview of World Cafe's. Good introductory text. This is really a book about setting the stage for good conversations that are meaningful and productive.

Full of clear and sensible information about how to manage complex conversations and consultations with large and diverse groups. A pleasantly 'unacademic' approach to achieving good results.