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Book reviews
Philanthropy in Democratic Societies – Rob Reich, Lucy Bernholz and Chiara Cordelli (eds)
Reviewed by Anthony Tomei Philanthropy involves private persons using power to influence the public realm. To what extent is the exercise of this power compatible with the values of a liberal democratic state? This is …
This changes everything: Capitalism vs the climate – Naomi Klein
Naomi Klein’s books – bestsellers all – dive deep into the global challenges of our times, and come back with powerful reporting and polemic with the power to upend conventional thinking. They follow a similar …
Public good by private means: How philanthropy shapes Britain – Rhodri Davies
It may be a cliché to describe a book as ‘timely’, but in this case the description is fully justified. In a moment when civil society, and hence philanthropy, seems beset with attempts to limit …
The Palgrave Handbook of Global Philanthropy – Edited by Pamala Wiepking and Femida Handy
Review by John Harvey The Palgrave Handbook of Global Philanthropy calls itself a ‘comprehensive reference guide to the practice of philanthropy’. This description is perhaps not quite on the mark: while certainly comprehensive, the book …
No Such Thing as a Free Gift: The Gates Foundation and the price of philanthropy – Linsey McGoey
Review by Richard Jenkins Why might anyone think philanthropy was a bad thing? Linsey McGoey explains why with thoroughness, insight, flair, first-hand experience and an impressive range of arguments marshalled from fields as wide-ranging as …
Doing Good Better: How effective altruism can help you make a difference – William MacAskill
Review by Lidwien Sol and Kellie Liket Social media has us ‘doing good’ in increasingly visible ways, from ice buckets to Zuckerberg’s letter to his daughter. However, tackling global challenges – as individuals but also …
Getting Beyond Better – How social entrepreneurship works Roger L. Martin and Sally Osberg
Reviewed by Michael Alberg-Seberich This is a book about systems change or, as the authors call it, ‘equilibrium change’. It may be a cliché, but in social sciences or humanities this issue often implies complicated …
The most good you can do: How effective altruism is changing ideas about living ethically by Peter Singer
Reviewed by Nick Temple Peter Singer’s book is the latest from him about ‘effective altruism’, a movement dedicated to applying reason and evidence to do the most good we can. What this means for Singer …
Staying the Course – William S Moody with Priscilla Lewis (ed)
Reviewed by Walter Veirs Know the context, develop trust, work collaboratively, take a long-term view of complex change, rely on solid leadership and be flexible. These are the valuable lessons contained in Bill Moody’s retrospective …
Doing Good Great: An insider’s guide to getting the most out of your philanthropic journey – Doug Balfour
Reviewed by Michael Alberg-Seberich As a closet Trekkie I always sensed a connection between Gene Roddenberry’s science fiction saga Star Trek and philanthropy. Exploring the various unknowns in our world is part of philanthropy. It …
