- Paperback: 256 pages
- Publisher: Picador; Airside & Irish ed edition (20 Mar 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0330479806
- ISBN-13: 978-0330479806
- Product Dimensions: 21.4 x 13.6 x 2.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,217,365 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Review
'[A] radical voice... Australian philosopher Peter Singer throws out a challenge to western arrogance and apathy.' --The Irish Times
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
'If you believe world poverty is far too big a problem to solve, this book will convince you otherwise. A 'can do' lifesaver... just one or two steps along the evolutionary tree from Nudge, the political bestseller on the art of guiding and nudging individual behaviour toward sensible lifestyle choices. Singer's is a Nudge solution: if millions of people each give a small percentage of their income toward the care of desperately poor children, we could shrink the problem of world poverty to something more manageable.'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
The basic premise of this book is a simple question: "What would you give up to save someone's life?" Drawing from thought exercises you can do yourself, controlled psychological studies, the teaching of many religions, examples from the lives of the rich, the poor, and the in-between, and from the vast range of global statistics on giving and on poverty, philosopher Peter Singer paints a compelling picture of how inconsistent our moral theories are with our true behaviour, and how only a small amount of giving on our part can save lives in the poorest parts of the world.
Singer's writing is absolutely lucid throughout, and there is never a moment where he loses the reader, or asserts something as true which is not obviously and apparently so once he has explained it. In fact, this book could stand as an example of the most clear and compelling writing on really any subject. Singer is, of course, not the first person to write this kind of book, and he won't be the last, but this is not simply a rehash of North-South (The Brandt Report) or even Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Singer brings to bear the latest in psychological research, and the actions and successes of the generation that grew up after the 1970s upswing in global responsibility, and in doing so he is able to counter many of the arguments for doing nothing which have grown up in reaction.
The fundamental tenet of this book is very simple: giving a part of our income does work, and we should all do it. The case that Singer makes for this is more or less watertight.
And yet, as he himself points out, the book has a fundamental weakness: it is likely to be bought and read by those who are already convinced of its argument, and are probably already doing something about it. This is a great pity, because this is a book which we very much need to read and to heed, especially in a time of recession when the reasons to not give will seem stronger than ever.
If you're interested enough to be reading this review, then you probably already share Singer's underlying convictions. My advice is, buy the book anyway. Reading it may refresh a flagging commitment to world justice. It may prove a hard book to lend out to un-likeminded friends, but if it just convinces one other person to set aside part of their income to save lives, then it will have achieved its purpose.
Singer's writing is absolutely lucid throughout, and there is never a moment where he loses the reader, or asserts something as true which is not obviously and apparently so once he has explained it. In fact, this book could stand as an example of the most clear and compelling writing on really any subject. Singer is, of course, not the first person to write this kind of book, and he won't be the last, but this is not simply a rehash of North-South (The Brandt Report) or even Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Singer brings to bear the latest in psychological research, and the actions and successes of the generation that grew up after the 1970s upswing in global responsibility, and in doing so he is able to counter many of the arguments for doing nothing which have grown up in reaction.
The fundamental tenet of this book is very simple: giving a part of our income does work, and we should all do it. The case that Singer makes for this is more or less watertight.
And yet, as he himself points out, the book has a fundamental weakness: it is likely to be bought and read by those who are already convinced of its argument, and are probably already doing something about it. This is a great pity, because this is a book which we very much need to read and to heed, especially in a time of recession when the reasons to not give will seem stronger than ever.
If you're interested enough to be reading this review, then you probably already share Singer's underlying convictions. My advice is, buy the book anyway. Reading it may refresh a flagging commitment to world justice. It may prove a hard book to lend out to un-likeminded friends, but if it just convinces one other person to set aside part of their income to save lives, then it will have achieved its purpose.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Peter Singer's most recent book makes a compelling case for people to make a modest (or more) donation to charities to save the lives of the world's poor. He points out that almost all of us in rich industrialised countries have more money that we strictly 'need' and that we could all give a little without it having too much impact on our decadent lifestyles. He points out the moral imperative for doing so - failure to act is, for Singer, the same as walking on by rather than saving a child drowning in a pond when we could get our feet and clothes wet and save them. In other words, the sacrifice of wet feet and clothes is relatively small in comparison with what is being saved - a human life. He considers all the reasons we might have for not giving and explains why we should give anyway, and also offers up advice about how to decide which charity will use our donations as effectively as possible. There is also an interesting discussion about how much is the 'right' amount to give and a thought provoking section about how much we should do for our own children as opposed to the children of others.
In response to an earlier review, Singer does consider historical giving to the world's poorest people, and discusses which countries are the most and least generous in their giving. However, as a proportion of GDP, that giving has been very small, and has often been tied to trade agreements which has meant that the money has not been used most effectively.
This is a powerful book with lots of illustrations and statistics included to back up the author's points. However, that doesn't mean that it is difficult reading - far from it. It's quite a page turner, with moral urgency ringing from every page.
I would recommend that everyone should read this book. Of course, its appeal will be largely to those who already share Singer's viewpoint, but the points he makes should be heard by everyone. Not only are there lives that you can save, but more to the point, there are lives that you should save! Buy this book, read it and tell everyone you know about it!
In response to an earlier review, Singer does consider historical giving to the world's poorest people, and discusses which countries are the most and least generous in their giving. However, as a proportion of GDP, that giving has been very small, and has often been tied to trade agreements which has meant that the money has not been used most effectively.
This is a powerful book with lots of illustrations and statistics included to back up the author's points. However, that doesn't mean that it is difficult reading - far from it. It's quite a page turner, with moral urgency ringing from every page.
I would recommend that everyone should read this book. Of course, its appeal will be largely to those who already share Singer's viewpoint, but the points he makes should be heard by everyone. Not only are there lives that you can save, but more to the point, there are lives that you should save! Buy this book, read it and tell everyone you know about it!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Singer's hypothesis in this book is simple: we can and we should give more. He begins by discussing the reasons why people give using some of his own very interesting philosophical arguments and by referencing some clinical psychological research. He then makes some strong points why people should give and how they can give effectively.
A lot of these arguments are based on value comparisons. For example, what someone in a rich society does with their money (that they usually don't really don't need to do) and what the equivalent amount of money could do for someone in a poor country. These are always strong arguments. But I think Singer goes a little bit further here by using examples that may not be that obvious to people. For example, in my own case, I didn't know much about the treatment needed for obstetric fistulas in Ethiopia and I doubt many readers would either.
There's also plenty of US bashing in the book. But the points are well made. For example, the lack of US contributions to oversea's aid and how in many cases that if it does happen, it can politically motivated and skewed. For example, Egypt gets a lot of US aid because of its strategic importance in the middle east. Colombia gets aid in what appears to be an attempt to suppress cocaine cartels. Plenty of other examples show the US does not seem to direct its aid to the poorest but to countries from which it can receive some sort of political gain. In fairness Singer does ad that some European countries also follow similar patterns except of course the Scandinavian countries which in many regards but us all to shame.
Singer also makes some points about economic development. Again he explains his points clearly whether he's talking about Dutch disease or the evolution of micro-finance. He also makes some excellent points about the efficiency of charity referencing organisations such as GiveWell and they work they have done.
Finally, he finishes with a challenge to the reader to give more. He sets out targets based on your income and details why he think those are reasonable targets. In my own case I fell below this income levels and I was giving prior to reading to the book, so how this part of the book applies to you depends on your individual circumstances.
The only point I think he missed in what is an excellent book is that I think those on lower incomes can help in other ways. For example, if you can't give money you should be able to give up some of your time. He does make some references to this, but it's not really dealt with in the same depth that giving money is.
A lot of these arguments are based on value comparisons. For example, what someone in a rich society does with their money (that they usually don't really don't need to do) and what the equivalent amount of money could do for someone in a poor country. These are always strong arguments. But I think Singer goes a little bit further here by using examples that may not be that obvious to people. For example, in my own case, I didn't know much about the treatment needed for obstetric fistulas in Ethiopia and I doubt many readers would either.
There's also plenty of US bashing in the book. But the points are well made. For example, the lack of US contributions to oversea's aid and how in many cases that if it does happen, it can politically motivated and skewed. For example, Egypt gets a lot of US aid because of its strategic importance in the middle east. Colombia gets aid in what appears to be an attempt to suppress cocaine cartels. Plenty of other examples show the US does not seem to direct its aid to the poorest but to countries from which it can receive some sort of political gain. In fairness Singer does ad that some European countries also follow similar patterns except of course the Scandinavian countries which in many regards but us all to shame.
Singer also makes some points about economic development. Again he explains his points clearly whether he's talking about Dutch disease or the evolution of micro-finance. He also makes some excellent points about the efficiency of charity referencing organisations such as GiveWell and they work they have done.
Finally, he finishes with a challenge to the reader to give more. He sets out targets based on your income and details why he think those are reasonable targets. In my own case I fell below this income levels and I was giving prior to reading to the book, so how this part of the book applies to you depends on your individual circumstances.
The only point I think he missed in what is an excellent book is that I think those on lower incomes can help in other ways. For example, if you can't give money you should be able to give up some of your time. He does make some references to this, but it's not really dealt with in the same depth that giving money is.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Well intentioned, but an ultimately contrived and petty attack on...
I work for the Red Cross and approached this book with an open mind. Whilst there is undeniably useful, and hard-hitting, advice here, I couldn't take it seriously for the militant... Read more
Published on 3 April 2010 by ric03
Clear and calm, but shocking and highly original
Professor Singer explains why we have a duty to help people living in absolute poverty, provides detailed rebuttals to the counterarguments, and gives practical advice about how... Read more
Published on 1 Mar 2010 by Mr. R. P. Mountford
Sometimes its good to just hear an intelligent conversation...
In a world with the issues that ours has, a book on the importance of charity is always a good thing. Read more
Published on 3 July 2009 by M. Bhangal
Would you reach out your hand to save a drowning child?
Of course you would... Singer's basic premise here is that saving an unknown child dying on the other side of the world because of poverty is basically the same thing - that is to... Read more
Published on 30 Jun 2009 by Andrew Sutherland
Challenging, but inspiring
This book guides the reader through an exploration of a slightly uncomfortable question: are you doing enough to help the needy in the world? Read more
Published on 14 Jun 2009 by S. Pawley
Food for thought
As a long time fan of Peter Singer's writing I felt this book perfectly matched up to his already high standards. Read more
Published on 21 May 2009 by Road Apple
Well presented book
I have no previous knowledge of Peter Singer.However on reading this book he came across as a very articulate, intelligent and passionate man. Read more
Published on 17 May 2009 by pepemia
Clear and challenging
Singer writes to convince the reader to give lots of money to help people. He uses clear arguments and thought experiments to show you how inconsistent it is not to do so. Read more
Published on 5 May 2009 by William Fross
If only I was ten years younger!!!!
This would have been a great book for me at Uni, and while the content are as relevant to how I live my life today as they were then I feel that there is nothing more here than... Read more
Published on 28 April 2009 by Mr. P. Tanner
Sorry Peter....
Peter Singer is a philosopher - and well regarded in that respect. In fact his strengths are clearly looking at ethical situations and teasing out our prejudices (he invented the... Read more
Published on 20 April 2009 by N. A. Bakhshov
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