National Service Bookshelf

Interested in learning more about national service? Find books about national service, categorized by topic, below.

History of National Service in America

by Steve Waldman

The story of the legislation that created the Corporation for National and Community Service and AmeriCorps.

by John Bridgeland

The story of civic engagement in America, from our founding to present, with a special emphases on national service.

Stories of the impact of AmeriCorps members and a vision for national service.

Founding Stories

The founding story of Teach For America.

by Scott Stossel

A biography of Sargent Shriver, the creator of the Peace Corps and VISTA. Includes founding stories of both programs.

by Harris Wofford

Reflections by Harris Wofford of his time in the Kennedy administration, including helping to start the Peace Corps.

The Case for National Service

by William Buckley

The conservative case for national service.

by Richard Danzig & Peter Szanton

A case for universal national service and an exploration of what it would look like.

by Charles Moskos

Proposal for a national service program for young people aged 18-23 from the 19

Reference Books

Collection of articles by different authors about national service.

Reader with pro and con articles by different authors about national service (originally designed for use in debate competitions).

by Amanda McBridge and Michael Sherraden

A comprehensive analysis of national service programs in different countries around the world.