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When Thomas More wrote Utopia in the 16th century, he ensured that all those who would seek out a perfect society, inspired by his book, would have to answer for the literal Greek meaning of its title: \u201cno place.\u201d So, has there ever been a utopia? It depends on whom you ask. Adrian Shirk, who joined Smarty Pants several years ago to talk about her previous book, takes utopia to mean communities that \u201chave intentionally understood themselves as world-building a way out of a death-dealing system, in the service of making, if only briefly, some idea of heaven on earth\u2014not just for themselves, but however foolhardy, for all of humankind.\u201d From that definition\u2014and from the bop by Belinda Carlisle, of course\u2014comes the title of her new book, Heaven Is a Place on Earth, an exploration of moments and movements in American utopianism then, today, and tomorrow, from the Shakers to the rebuilding of the Bronx to a Waffle House by the side of the road.

Go beyond the episode:

• Adrian Shirk\u2019s Heaven Is a Place on Earth: Searching for an American Utopia
• Read essays that became part of the book: \u201cA Brief History of American Utopian Communities,\u201d \u201cOdd Fellows at the Rockland Palace,\u201d and \u201cA Visit to Charlotte Street.\u201d
• Also mentioned: Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell
• Even The New York Times is profiling the \u201cnew generation\u201d of intentional communities
• You can, of course, still visit the classics

Tune in every week to catch interviews with the liveliest voices from literature, the arts, sciences, history, and public affairs; reports on cutting-edge works in progress; long-form narratives; and compelling excerpts from new books. Hosted by Stephanie Bastek. Follow us on Twitter @TheAmScho or on Facebook.

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Have suggestions for projects you\u2019d like us to catch up on, or writers you want to hear from? Send us a note: podcast [at] theamericanscholar [dot] org. And rate us on iTunes! Our theme music was composed by Nathan Prillaman.

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