Today’s poverty-related book of the day is Do Unto Others by Samuel Oliner. Check out the overview:
“In Do Unto Others, Holocaust survivor and sociologist Samuel Oliner explores what gives an individual a sense of social responsibility, what leads to the development of care and compassion, and what it means to put the welfare of others ahead of one’s own. Having been saved himself from the Nazis at age 12 as the result of one non-Jewish family’s altruism, Oliner has made a lifelong study of the nature of altruism. Weaving together moving personal testimony and years of observation, Oliner makes sense of the factors that elicit altruistic behavior – exceptional acts by ordinary people in ordinary times.”
The book looks inspiring to me, especially for those of us who so desperately want more unity and compassion in society. I hope to read it soon.
If the idea of altruism interests you, you may also want to read a short philosophy article I wrote in which I talk about altruism: Is Selfishness Compatible with Kindness?
If you know other good books related poverty, including those related to humanitarianism in general, please post about them in our World Hunger and Poverty Forums. Thanks!