Giving: How Each Of Us Can Change The World - Bill Clinton Review

Recommended Read: Yes

Rate: 3/5

Whether you are a philanthropist, a person willing to give time to someone in need or someone who is willing to lend money to someone in need of help. Whatever it may be, if you are willing to give: Go get this book now! Now I am not a person who read a lot of politics, watches a lot of news or even cared about look at those ads that show homeless kids in Africa struggling in need of any help they can get. However, this book shows you the value of helping people.

This book is a CALL TO ACTION. Bill Clintons talks about his own experience in what he has done in helping the world, when he was a university student, during his presidency and after his presidency until the current situations. His introduction starts off by telling us about his young years, he has learnt giving through his church where children were required to give small amounts of money to help people who are in need. Then in his teen years he volunteered in school activities, and in Thanksgivings. He gives many examples based on initiative to change. People who have helped change the world by contributing their time, money, skills, and things. Volunteering, donating, or starting your own non-governmental organization to help change the world can be done at any age, and there are examples of the people who have done this. From the rich, middleclass, and poor individuals who have strived to help others by going through many obstacles. This book takes us on a reality tour of political forces, government decisions, and how important global unity is to humans. The ending of the book touched my heart because I noticed that throughout the book all the statistics and the amount of money that has been given to fund causes in countries that are poor and rich is just phenomenal. Then he combines religious views in terms of how much giving is important in any religion. He reminds us how we have been brought up by learning that giving is important. Giving at least 1% of our money we make, volunteering at least 1 hour per week, or even volunteering for projects can help make a huge difference to the world. Hence the meaning, HOW EACH OF US CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.

After reading this book, I wanted to research more. Find out more about his (Author) view on why he wrote this book. After watching a bunch interviews, I compiled my all of what I learned below.

LECTURE ABOUT THE BOOK GIVING BY BILL CLINTON

-“If you have the right vision, if you understand that we have to restore America’s standing in the world, we have to rebuild the middleclass stream in America, and we have to reclaim the future for our kids by restoring our science, innovation, technology including stem cell research and we have got to do something about climate change – That’s the right vision”

Then the question is:

·         What are your policies? (who’s got the best health care policy, energy policy.etc)

·         Who is the best agent of change? (not the best symbol the next agent – who have proven the    ability to make positive change?)

This is because being able to turn positive intention into helping people’s lives depends on the policies we have to accomplish that. 

Notice I rated this book 3/5. The reason being is that Mr. Clinton writes in a perspective of "I was always a giving person". I couldn't relate with his exprience in his university years. Matter of fact, I couldn't relate to any of his experience as an average human being. What I did learn were lessons. What I did do after reading this book was dedicated my university years to volunteer and help people in need by giving my time and dedication. Through this I gained knowledge, awareness and compassion. So what I do recommend readers to do after reading this book is to go out there and give (your time or money) to organizations that are helping improve the quality of life and standard of living of any community in the world.     

"Bill Clinton Clip." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 06 Jan. 2010. .

Clinton, Bill. Giving How Each of Us Can Change the World (Random House Large Print (Cloth/Paper)). New York: Random House Large Print, 2007. Print.