Utopian ventures are worth close attention, to help us understand why some succeed and others fail, for they offer hope for an improved life on earth. This book is a guide to utopian communities and their founders. It examines the utopias from antiquity to the present and surveys utopian efforts around the world. Included are more than 600 alphabetically arranged entries: roughly half are descriptions of utopian ventures; the other half are biographies of those who were involved. Entries are followed by a list of sources; a general bibliography concludes the volume.