Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World by Bill Clinton Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World
Book Review: Nice to hear about ordinary people helping out
Summary: 3 Stars
To me, it was odd that Clinton would publish a book about giving your time and/or money in a country that has always been profuse in doing so. We are the most charitable people in the world, either when our government gives tons and tons of foreign aid to poor countries, to tragedy victims, and even to wealthy countries, or when we do it ourselves. Nine-eleven, anyone? Americans take out their life's savings, risking their futures, to give in times of tragedy. We quit our jobs, open our homes, even deny our children their futures, in order to help out. We're hated because we give so much. Unfortunately, much of the giving is taken by corrupt individuals, so the charity is meaningless. However, Clinton's book (I'm not at all sure he wrote it, but I can't find out who did) tells us about individuals who manage to get past the corruption and really help, mostly by doing all the work themselves. It's nice to hear about these ordinary people. The corporations also doing charity? I'm not so sure about them, since we always hear about corporate ills such as pollution or lately, poisoned foods and toys. Then there are the things we don't hear about! So corporate giving is a lot less holy. I do think it funny that Clinton is asking all us little people to give and give, though, when he and his wife are so wealthy. A news report today put Hillary's wealth at about fifty million dollars. She didn't accumulate that by giving but rather by getting. I think she needs to read this book. I wonder too if Clinton isn't only making himself into a saint in order to help himself, I mean his wife, be our president again? Then again, he's gotten pretty wealthy himself what with his weighty biography as well as all his speaking engagements. I don't like it when the rich and famous tell those of us with real jobs and struggling incomes to give. I really want to see them bankrupt themselves on their charity. I'll be glad to give when they run out of funds. I enjoyed the book, though. Maybe I just wish it had a different author -- say, the one who really wrote it for him?Book Review: For everyone who is or should be making a difference in the world
Summary: 5 Stars
Everybody has something to give, everybody knows that. Everybody has something to give which can change the world, Bill Clinton knows that. In this book, he tells you how via means each of us has, even if we don't think we have those means through our own misconceptions and misperceptions of what we can contribute to the world, including the pretentious notion that changing the world happens all at once on some grand scale rather than one contribution for one cause and/or one person at a time. This is a book for everyone, whether you are already giving and making a difference in the world on any scale so you can do more, or whether you need to be convinced to join the giving movement gaining momentum recently but still falling short of what is really needed in the world to make it a better and more socially just place for all to live.
Bill organizes ways he proposes we consider giving by means of money, time, things, skills, recognition & new beginnings, self-sustenance, examples, ideas, organization and more. Anecdotal stories proliferate the book, not as merely stories for inspiration but also serving as successful real life examples of the diversity of each theme on giving. The interesting thing I found about most of them was that many started out very small and humble, truly like things we could each do, and either grew into something large by continuous effort or equivalent efforts by others each chipping in the same small contribution. In fact, I would think most readers reading these small contribution stories would say to themselves, "I could do more than that" and follow up on it.
There were also many conversational clippings Bill had with some more prominent givers, whether by amount or efforts Herculean relative to their lives. What was inspiring about these were their philosophies about giving and how simple and practical they could be to anybody, but yet, probably few think about it in those ways which was among the reasons Bill wrote the book. It really opens up the possibilities for all of us wanting to give in ways that can change the world.
Overall, for the value of what this book can inspire everybody to do, no exceptions, I would not only highly recommend this book, but also give it that prestigious but generalist distinction of the one book from this year I would choose to give every person in the world if I could.
Book Review: Despicable Man? Nah.
Summary: 5 Stars
I thought he was a bad man after what he did while in office. Not anymore. His insights into society and giving are refreshing and intelligent. Great read.Book Review: SURPRISINGLY DECENT!
Summary: 3 Stars
Coming from a morally bankrupt person like William Jefferson Clinton, surprisingly this is a pretty good book. Great suggestions, but I suspect bill "took" much more than he ever "gave". (ask Monica) Only other problems I had when reading it was:
1---HOW can he be so truly lacking in morality and have his name on this book?
2.---WHO ghost-wrote it for him?
and,
3.---It was difficult to concentrate on many of the really good suggestions knowing who Bill Clinton really is (from his despicable actions in the Oval Office)!
Wait for the paperback..........n someone's Yard Sale!
Book Review: Yes, "Giving" illustrates that same important theme as "Anchors Aweight"
Summary: 5 Stars
This well written book has the essential elements that help us all understand the importance of self sacrifice. I am certain that after reading "Anchors Aweight" President Clinton would, without doubt, declare each book an exemplary example of self sacrifice!!