de Visser, Jaap2019-08-192019-08-192009de Visser, J. (2009). Book Review: Improving Local Government. Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance. , 4:164-169http://hdl.handle.net/10566/4845This book is a compilation of ten essays on local government with an introductory and concluding chapter. The themes discussed include metropolitan governance, the role of community leadership, the value of best practice as an administration technique, indigenous knowledge, intergovernmental relations, public-private partnerships and local management.Academic literature that engages in a comparison of local government systems, policies and practices and their impact on democracy and development is hard to come by. Yet, these comparisons are critical as they shed light on challenges, failures and best practices in local government across jurisdictions. They also reveal an often-surprising similarity in challenges and choices experienced by countries that engage in decentralisation and are therefore critical resources for policy entrepreneurs and policy makers. This book is thus a very welcome addition to this small pool of academic publications that pursue such comparisons.enLocal governmentCommunity leadershipIndigenous knowledgeIntergovernmental relationsMetropolitan governanceArticle