A Year of Living Generously: Dispatches from the Frontlines of Philanthropy

Can one person make a difference?

When we write a cheque to a charity, or run in a fundraiser, or volunteer at a food bank, we’re part of the solution, aren’t we? Lawrence Scanlan went on a year long odyssey to discover the answers and uncover the true face of philanthropy – its players, its politics, its undeniable satisfactions and its fundamental perils. Scanlan builds housing in New Orleans, teaches journalism in Senegal, works with AIDS/HIV victims in Costa Rica and the homeless in Canada. He encounters the legacies of famous philanthropists, from Andrew Carnegie and Bill Gates, to lesser-known figures like prison nun Mother Antonia. Finding hope and humor every step of the way, he nevertheless confronts some uncomfortable truths about direct engagement and the societal divide that allows most of us to look away. A Year of Living Generously is a passionate call for greater connection and genuine commitment from us all.