What do you think?
Rate this book
If It Takes a Village, Build One: How I Found Meaning Through a Life of Service and 100+ Ways You Can Too
A must have book for anyone has
ever wanted to make a difference in the world.
________________________________________________
Service is the rent we pay for living" says preeminent children's advocate Marian Wright Edelman and this is the motto by which Malaak Compton Rock, dedicated humanitarian and wife of comedian Chris Rock, lives her life. From a childhood grounded in the importance of giving back to her work in public relations at The U.S. Fund for UNICEF to becoming a full-time mother and humanitarian, Malaak's life has fully embodied this sentiment.
Part memoir, part practical guide, If It Takes a Village, Build One offers readers insightful advice on everything from how to find just the right volunteer opportunity, how to get kids involved in a life of service, how to research charities, and even how to start a nonprofit, as Malaak did several years ago. All of this practical wisdom is grounded in inspirational anecdotes about her own experience with service, including her work with Katrina rebuilding and her recent brainchild, Journey for Empowering Youth Through Global Service, a program for at-risk kids from Bushwick, Brooklyn, which takes teens on a two week service mission to South Africa to volunteer and experience the world.
The book also features interviews with other well known humanitarians, like PR powerhouse Terrie M. Williams, activist Bobby Shriver, and journalist Soledad O'Brien and engaging sidebars with interesting facts about service and nuggets of advice. At the end of the narrative readers will find a compendium of information including Malaak's favorite charities, unique service ideas, and suggested reading and web resources, which will make this a book to be visited time and time again.
Far from being preachy or sanctimonious, Malaak's warm voice reminds us all that giving back is ultimately easier and infinitely more fulfilling than we thought it could be. Warm, honest, and accessible, If it Takes a Village, Build One will be the must-have book (and perfect gift!) for aspiring do-gooders.
ever wanted to make a difference in the world.
________________________________________________
Service is the rent we pay for living" says preeminent children's advocate Marian Wright Edelman and this is the motto by which Malaak Compton Rock, dedicated humanitarian and wife of comedian Chris Rock, lives her life. From a childhood grounded in the importance of giving back to her work in public relations at The U.S. Fund for UNICEF to becoming a full-time mother and humanitarian, Malaak's life has fully embodied this sentiment.
Part memoir, part practical guide, If It Takes a Village, Build One offers readers insightful advice on everything from how to find just the right volunteer opportunity, how to get kids involved in a life of service, how to research charities, and even how to start a nonprofit, as Malaak did several years ago. All of this practical wisdom is grounded in inspirational anecdotes about her own experience with service, including her work with Katrina rebuilding and her recent brainchild, Journey for Empowering Youth Through Global Service, a program for at-risk kids from Bushwick, Brooklyn, which takes teens on a two week service mission to South Africa to volunteer and experience the world.
The book also features interviews with other well known humanitarians, like PR powerhouse Terrie M. Williams, activist Bobby Shriver, and journalist Soledad O'Brien and engaging sidebars with interesting facts about service and nuggets of advice. At the end of the narrative readers will find a compendium of information including Malaak's favorite charities, unique service ideas, and suggested reading and web resources, which will make this a book to be visited time and time again.
Far from being preachy or sanctimonious, Malaak's warm voice reminds us all that giving back is ultimately easier and infinitely more fulfilling than we thought it could be. Warm, honest, and accessible, If it Takes a Village, Build One will be the must-have book (and perfect gift!) for aspiring do-gooders.
- GenresNonfiction
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
1 person is currently reading
60 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 25, 2011
I wanted to like this a lot more than I did. I picked it up at a juncture in my life, trying to decide which direction to head. I expected practical advice along the lines of: how to figure out if you want a career with a non-profit, what kinds of work are behind the scenes, etc. But I suppose that would be a book about work, not volunteer service.
I didn't realize that the author is a celebrity of sorts (wife of Chris Rock). And although the overview says "part memoir, part practical guide" it's way more memoir than practical guide. I was trying my best not to be cynical, but someone reading this who wasn't already doing service and volunteer work might end up thinking "this kind of stuff is only possible for people who are on speaking terms with Oprah and other power brokers." Maybe it's because she spent so much time at the end on her Journey for Change project - which is very a very impressive initiative! - but not something a beginner is going to accomplish. Perhaps the book would be better if it started with the pie-in-the-sky world-changing stuff and then pulled back to more practical things that ordinary folks can do. I say this as an ordinary person who is involved in volunteer work - but without much in the way of social capital amongst movers and shakers, and no interest in organizing things from the ground up.
I didn't realize that the author is a celebrity of sorts (wife of Chris Rock). And although the overview says "part memoir, part practical guide" it's way more memoir than practical guide. I was trying my best not to be cynical, but someone reading this who wasn't already doing service and volunteer work might end up thinking "this kind of stuff is only possible for people who are on speaking terms with Oprah and other power brokers." Maybe it's because she spent so much time at the end on her Journey for Change project - which is very a very impressive initiative! - but not something a beginner is going to accomplish. Perhaps the book would be better if it started with the pie-in-the-sky world-changing stuff and then pulled back to more practical things that ordinary folks can do. I say this as an ordinary person who is involved in volunteer work - but without much in the way of social capital amongst movers and shakers, and no interest in organizing things from the ground up.
September 15, 2016
It seems to me that Ms. Compton-Rock wasn't sure what kind of book she really wanted to write. I think this would have been better as a memoir than an half memoir /half how-to book. One can pick up on her "how to" hints by reading the text.
She is a brilliant woman with a pretty impressive background. She clearly deeply cares about service. Her passion for Diesploot in South Africa is apparent.
Once in a while she comes across just the tiniest bit tone deaf. When she talks about chartering a jet to New Orleans after Katrina, for instance.
I also found it a little hard to relate to her stories about million dollar fundraisers, though, to be fair, one should write about what one knows. She would have sounded disingenuous if she pretended to count her pennies.
I googled her families net worth after I was done with the book and it really put a sour taste in my mouth. Suddenly her donation of $10K to transport New York kids to South Africa didn't seem like much of a sacrifice. In fact, I'm personally a little perplexed as to why multi-millionaire do things like "fundraisers" or start foundations at all. They can literally just GIVE THE MONEY TO THE THING. But I guess that's not how it's done. ::shrug::
It's an ok book with some interesting stories. In fact Ms. Compton-Rock's life sounds pretty interesting, so if she writes a straight forward memoir in the future, I might pick it up.
She is a brilliant woman with a pretty impressive background. She clearly deeply cares about service. Her passion for Diesploot in South Africa is apparent.
Once in a while she comes across just the tiniest bit tone deaf. When she talks about chartering a jet to New Orleans after Katrina, for instance.
I also found it a little hard to relate to her stories about million dollar fundraisers, though, to be fair, one should write about what one knows. She would have sounded disingenuous if she pretended to count her pennies.
I googled her families net worth after I was done with the book and it really put a sour taste in my mouth. Suddenly her donation of $10K to transport New York kids to South Africa didn't seem like much of a sacrifice. In fact, I'm personally a little perplexed as to why multi-millionaire do things like "fundraisers" or start foundations at all. They can literally just GIVE THE MONEY TO THE THING. But I guess that's not how it's done. ::shrug::
It's an ok book with some interesting stories. In fact Ms. Compton-Rock's life sounds pretty interesting, so if she writes a straight forward memoir in the future, I might pick it up.
April 19, 2011
Absolutely inspiring! Anyone can serve, and that's the beauty of this book!
May 28, 2010
I was a bit leary going into this book, since it claimed to be a great resource for everyone who wants to serve. Coming from a wealthy woman who is married to a famous man, I wasn't sure she'd be able to relate to the average American.
Many of her expamples were as I expected, starting non-profits, hosting benefits which cost between $10,000 - $30,000 a plate, etc.
She also did a lot of research and shared it about types of service, how to determine if an organization is healthy enough to deserve your donations, ideas of how to find areas of service, ex. by passion or it may find you, and how to get your children involved.
After reading the book, I agree with the claims that this is a good resource for people who are looking to incorporate service into their lives.
Many of her expamples were as I expected, starting non-profits, hosting benefits which cost between $10,000 - $30,000 a plate, etc.
She also did a lot of research and shared it about types of service, how to determine if an organization is healthy enough to deserve your donations, ideas of how to find areas of service, ex. by passion or it may find you, and how to get your children involved.
After reading the book, I agree with the claims that this is a good resource for people who are looking to incorporate service into their lives.
April 19, 2010
if you are a parent, a nonprofit leader/fundraiser or just someone who wants to learn more about how to give back then you must read Malaak's book - If It Takes a Village build one. She reaffirmed my fund raising beliefs and tactics, reminded me of a few tools I had forgotten over the years, taught me about new organizations and inspired me to do more every day. Thanks Malaak!
June 27, 2010
I really give this book 3 1/2 stars. I liked the fact that Malaak gave background on her service endeavors as well as gave the reader resources if you are considering starting your own non-profit.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews