Giving

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Manufacturer: Knopf
Category: EBooks

List Price: ~~$17.95~~
Buy New: $4.75
You Save: $13.20 (74%)

Format: Kindle Book
Media: Kindle Edition
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 256

Dewey Decimal Number: 361.7
ASIN: B000UZJQ00

Publication Date: September 4, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
Here, from Bill Clinton, is a call to action. IGiving/I is an inspiring look at how each of us can change the world. First, it reveals the extraordinary and innovative efforts now being made by companies and organizations - and by individuals - to solve problems and save lives both "down the street and around the world." Then it urges us to seek out what each of us, "regardless of income, available time, age, and skills," can do to help, to give people a chance to live out their dreams.BRBRBill Clinton shares his own experiences and those of other givers, representing a global flood tide of nongovernmental, nonprofit activity. These remarkable stories demonstrate that gifts of time, skills, things, and ideas are as important and effective as contributions of money. From Bill and Melinda Gates to a six-year-old California girl named McKenzie Steiner, who organized and supervised drives to clean up the beach in her community, Clinton introduces us to both well-known and unknown heroes of giving. Among them:BRBRDr. Paul Farmer, who grew up living in the family bus in a trailer park, vowed to devote his life to giving high-quality medical care to the poor and has built innovative public health-care clinics first in Haiti and then in Rwanda; a New York couple, in Africa for a wedding, who visited several schools in Zimbabwe and were appalled by the absence of textbooks and school supplies. They founded their own organization to gather and ship materials to thirty-five schools. After three years, the percentage of seventh-graders who pass reading tests increased from 5 percent to 60 percent; Oseola McCarty, who after seventy-five years of eking out a living by washing and ironing, gave $150,000 to the University of Southern Mississippi to endow a scholarship fund for African-American students; Andre Agassi, who has created a college preparatory academy in the Las Vegas neighborhood with the city's highest percentage of at-risk kids. "Tennis was a stepping-stone for me," says Agassi. "Changing a child's life is what I always wanted to do"; Heifer International, which gave twelve goats to a Ugandan village. Within a year, Beatrice Biira's mother had earned enough money selling goat's milk to pay Beatrice's school fees and eventually to send all her children to school - and, as required, to pass on a baby goat to another family, thus multiplying the impact of the gift.BRBRClinton writes about men and women who traded in their corporate careers, and the fulfillment they now experience through giving. He writes about energy-efficient practices, about progressive companies going green, about promoting fair wages and decent working conditions around the world. He shows us how one of the most important ways of giving can be an effort to change, improve, or protect a government policy. He outlines what we as individuals can do, the steps we can take, how much we should consider giving, and why our giving is so important.BRBRBill Clinton's own actions in his post-presidential years have had an enormous impact on the lives of millions. Through his foundation and his work in the aftermath of the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, he has become an international spokesperson and model for the power of giving.BRBR"We all have the capacity to do great things," President Clinton says. "My hope is that the people and stories in this book will lift spirits, touch hearts, and demonstrate that citizen activism and service can be a powerful agent of change in the world."

Customer Reviews: Read 81 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

The Gift of Giving November 30, 2008
Each holiday season, we often find ourselves giving to the Salvation Army, donating to a local homeless shelter or buying toys for impoverished children. But after the holiday season is finished, do you still continue to give? "Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World" by Bill Clinton is an excellent guide for those who want to give more. And the book not only addresses all the means of giving but also WHY we should give with examples of many people who have changed and improved the lives of others through their efforts. br /br /"Giving" shows the reader the many facets of contribution. For example, you may not have a lot of money to donate but you have extra time on your hands. Donating your time to help at a homeless shelter is a perfect example of how you can give back to your community. Four chapters are dedicated to the following methods of giving: Money, Time, Things and Skills. By teaching children to read at your local school, donating to Goodwill or other nonprofit organizations or gifting money to a charity, you are helping your community as well as well feeding your spirit. Some of my favorite examples in the book are tennis great Andre Agassi's college preparatory school for at-risk students, which requires promises of good faith from teachers, students and parents; Kiva.org, an online charity (and a personal favorite of mine) that donates money to people in third world countries in order to start or maintain business or improve their personal lives; and Heifer International which gives animals that sustain a family with meat and milk as well as provides income and requires the person receiving the animal to then pass on one offspring in order to continue impacting others. Recycling is another gift to your community and the world. Taking time to organize a recycling center at your job or home is essentially giving back to EVERYONE! br /br /This book is a great gift, full of inspiring stories that are bound to have you opening your wallet, clearing time in your schedule or rummaging through your closet or garage to find things that you no longer use for donation. From the richest person to the low income individual who wants to give back, there are plenty of ideas and resources in "Giving". The back of the book has a listing of charities, organtizations, books, websites and more, broken down into the categories of money, time, skills and things. Many charites, such as Kiva.org, make contribution easy and require little time. br /br /So, regardless of your political affiliation, your income or age you can find a method of giving from this insightful book. You may give for a variety of reasons; your faith, because it makes you happy, the belief that it is a moral duty. Whatever your reason, giving will make a difference in the lives of others, as well as your own.

5 out of 5 stars

Great ideas November 25, 2008
I ordered this book right when it came out after seeing Clinton interviewed on a show. Overall I would say that if you need to get inspired to find worthy non-profits to donate to or want to start something of your own then this book will inspire you and give you ideas

5 out of 5 stars

Giving November 17, 2008
Clinton describes, how now that he has time, his world experiences in giving as a private person. He describes many NGO's fund raising and giving processes. He describes giving of money, time, ideas, as well as different models of giving. He claims there are three trends leading to an increase in giving, the Internet, charitable giving, democracy, the third of which speaks to the ultimate price we have paid for a free and democratic Iraq. He didn't say that in print, but I read it in the white space between the lines. While he described a stereo-typical agenda of a republican what you really come to appreciate is the non partisan tone in his overall message, a message to take note of. I also took note of his portrayal of a healthy and flourishing economy American economy under G. W. Bush (in print); a far cry from his party dogma, especially his wife. ("this administration...")br /br /While inspiring, the book takes on the persona of a Clinton rant, much like the one America endured in his farewell address. br /br /To view the rest please visit my blog at: keyword search cigarroomofbooks

5 out of 5 stars

Great Book November 3, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I read this from cover to cover and couldn't put it down. It reminded me that we can all do something grand with our time. Clinton mentions volunteering with young people and I agree that it is so very important. If you have young ones as well, check out: The Ultimate Volunteer Guidebook for Young People Both books are an awesome gift to any young person.

4 out of 5 stars

Inspiring October 30, 2008
This book awakens the spirit of giving. Everyone has something to offer not necessarily monetary. This book is about paying it forward. Pretty easy read.

Copyright 2007 White Hat Communications.
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