Doing Well and Doing Good: Money, Giving, and Caring in a Free Society

by Os Guinness

Ever since the first coin was minted in the seventh century B.C., money has been central to human society as one of the elemental forces driving the affairs of individuals and nations. But in spite of mankind's preoccupation with the making of money, little attention has been paid to the meaning of money in modern society. Modern society has also overlooked questions about the culture of giving and caring. What motivates one to give? Why should someone care for those outside his or her own social circle-especially for the poor dwelling on the fringes of society? How a society answers questions such as these is critical in determining the character of that society. And yet, these are questions that modern societies have largely ignored. Doing Well and Doing Good addresses this blind spot, exploring the big ideas that shaped the rise of the unique Western tradition of giving and caring by examining selected writings from some of the most influential thinkers of Western society. Sometimes controversial, often challenging, always illuminating, the issues of money, giving, and caring are vital themes that stand at the crossroads of many issues in contemporary society. They are topics that no responsible citizen or leader in a free society can afford to ignore.

Genres: Theology

324 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2001

About the author

Os Guinness (D.Phil., Oxford) is the author or editor of more than twenty-five books, including The American Hour, Time for Truth and The Case for Civility. A frequent speaker and prominent social critic, he was the founder of the Trinity Forum and has been a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution and a guest scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Studies. He lives near Washington, D.C.

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a collection of excerpts and quotes encompassing a wide variety of opinion on the matters of giving and philanthropy. Addressing the issue from a historical and contemporary perspective, the reader is not told what to believe or how to respond, but is instead left to think through the issues himself. I appreciated the transparency and lack of agenda in this book.