Kat Kinkade (1930–2008)

"Kat" Kinkade records her experiences as a founder of America's biggest and oldest secular egalitarian commune, from seeking out other folks inspired by Skinner's Walden Two, to jumping headfirst into an experimental co-living situation on a rustic tobacco farm, with all the ensuing challenges, drama, and triumphs. Some parts get a little dry (and Kat, for all her talk about "women's lib," seems to only find the male members of the community interesting enough to write in depth about), but this is overall a lively and accessible account of idealism being forged into reality.

As a newer resident of Twin Oaks Community, this out-of-print book is of special interest to me. 45 years later, Twin Oaks is still going strong, and it's fascinating to read about the creation of structures we still rely on (both physical and organizational), in contrast with other practices we've long since given up (the communal raising of children never did work out well, and we no longer have to get jobs in town to keep ourselves afloat).

For those without direct ties to Twin Oaks, I'd instead recommend Kat's second book, Is It Utopia Yet: An Insider's View of Twin Oaks Community In Its 26th Year, for a more seasoned perspective on communal living.… (meer)

Kat's reflection of her experiences founding and living in Twin Oaks is fascinating and informative. She thoroughly explains the theories that the community members tried to put into practice, and interpretation as to why it failed, but doesn't seem to lose faith that these things could be possible, still. For example, egalitarian schooling and child-rearing, in which the children are considered to belong to the community, and not their parents. My students study the theory & practice of raising children in an egalitarian society (according to Kat) while we read Lowry's The Giver. While I find the reasons why their theory doesn't work in practice in a community with high turnover to be the most interesting part of that section of the book, they are usually appalled at the theory!

What really stood out more than anything were the flaws, the frustrations, and a sadness that it never may quite become Utopia for them after all of these years trying. It does seem, however, like an ideal place for the adults to live, if even for a while. My favorite moment was when all this controversy and hostility erupted when Kat tried to have a microwave oven in her room. All this bitterness and hysteria over a microwave, as it was seen as something evil that would scramble the brains of all the poor children, etc. Ha!

I definitely gained some perspective and vital vicarious experience reading this book and I recommend it to anyone.… (meer)

Oh boy did I enjoy this book! For about the last year or so I've just wanted to see some better solutions offered in the world of finance, ecology, government, violence, criminal justice, etc. (I don't want much.) There has been plenty in the news, as usual, about problems. I've been learning more about anarchy and wanted to know some of those solutions also. I found some good books at The Left Bank (anarchist) bookstore in Seattle last summer, Yes magazine, and other sources that focus on solutions, and been reading about many people who just go out and live the way they think we should rather than so much fighting against what is. The first thing I've learned is that I'll never make an anarchist because that requires self-sufficiency and I am WAY too lazy for that. Nevertheless, I do enjoy my fantasy life.

Kat Kinkade is one of the founders of the Twin Oaks commune in Virginia in 1967 and this book was written for their 25th yr anniversary. They are still going strong and you can take a peek at www.twinoaks.org.

This is a very thorough look at a broad range of issues this community had to address in order to establish their home. There are very specific descriptions of how they functioned in many areas such as labor, finances, ownership, child care, art, music, recreation, etc. etc. In other words, all of the issues we face in daily life and then some, but all with a fairly new model. Well, new to me anyway. They developed a labor pool bookkeeping system as well as receiving an allowance for personal use above the ordinary cost of daily living. The community raises a lot of their food and also has a business onsite for income. They developed a system of government that seems to support their egalitarian values. They have even figured out how to allow for personal differences such as low energy vs. high energy people. They have been able to respond to theft and violence without outside interference. For me the beauty of this system, and what amazes me, is that it is a community of fairly strong diversity in beliefs and values. Although initially based on the old Walden Two ideas, there are some differences in political perspectives and religion or the lack thereof and they all work together.

Kinkade addresses her bias while simultaneously addressing failures and weaknesses within the community (and herself). That is probably while they are still in existence. She herself left the community for a few years and returned, as have others. It takes tough skin and a deep commitment to this idea. It seems as if their system of government has found a balance between process and action. All of these ideas are presented with examples illustrating how the community came to their current configuration. Lots of trial and error of course.

For me with my interests, this was a five star read. Recommended for those with an interest in different ways of living.

By the way - although each member of the community has a private room, by the end of the book I wanted to go become a hermit. For awhile anyway.… (meer)