The Power of Giving: How giving back enriches us all (2008)

Billed as a ‘down to earth’ guide to giving, this book explores the act of giving (financial and otherwise) and offers advice on whom to give to, when to give and how much. The authors are both described as ‘inspirational speakers’ with extensive experience of fundraising and volunteering, who draw on anecdotes from their own lives to clarify their points.

The book is written in a conversational style, designed to help readers to finesse their ‘giving skills’ and provide inspiration by emphasising the positive consequences of giving for both recipients and givers. Whilst inspirational quotes and stories are not everyone’s cup of tea, this book contains some particularly good examples of quotes and secular parables that illustrate the authors’ argument. For example, it offers a story of a man who went to his empty fireplace and said, “Give me heat and I’ll give you the wood." just as the wood must precede the heat, so, this book argues, giving must precede a rich and happy life.