Top 10 Philanthropy Books of the Decade

- Dien S Yuen

As I reflect on the last decade, I thought I would share with you the top 10 books in philanthropy that I found to be thought-provoking and that influenced my work.  What books influenced you in the last decade? 

Here's my list in chronological order:

1. The Seven Faces of Philanthropy: A New Approach to Cultivating Major Donors by Russ Alan Prince (2001). The author is famous for his work with high-net worth donors and advisors. I learned about major gifts fundraising from this book.

2. The Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister, Charles H. Green and Robert M. Galford (2001). Part of the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP) program required reading. The main lesson for an advisor is that he or she must gain the confidence of their clients.

3. Investing in Ourselves: Giving and Fundraising in Asia (2004).  There is a book for each country - India, Indonesia, Philippines, Pakistan, Nepal, Thailand and Bangladesh. Must reads if you are interested in philanthropy in Asia - especially the Preface that was written by Barnett Baron, Founding Chair of APPC. He is one of the reasons why I am working at Give2Asia. The link takes you to free downloads of all the books.

4. Inspired Philanthropy: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Giving Plan and Leaving a Legacy by Tracy Gary (2007). Not only is this a great book for donors but a must read for advisors that want to work with donors.

5. Portrait of a Giving Community: Philanthropy by the Pakistani-American Diaspora by Adil Najam (2007). Prof. Najam looks at how Pakistani-Americans manage their multiple identities through their charitable giving and volunteering. Prof. Najam also founded the blog, All things Pakistan and is an expert on environmental policy in developing countries.

6. Money Well Spent by Paul Brest and Hal Harvey (2008). I learned about this book from Sean's blog, Tactical Philanthropy; great companion pieces are Sean and Paul's posts about strategic philanthropy.

7. Grassroots Philanthropy: Field Notes of a Maverick Grantmaker by Bill Somerville (2008). I bought more than 20 copies as gifts for people wanting to start a career in philanthropy. Giving made simple. Bill has a flip camera now...grantmaker + flip camera = no grant reporting and instant documented impact?

8. Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism by Muhammad Yunus (2008). A great read for understanding the issues of micro-credit and the potential of social businesses.

9. Law and Society in Vietnam: The Transition from Socialism in Comparative Perspective by Mark Sidel (2008). This book helped me understand the country in which I was born in but never knew. Prof. Sidel was with the Ford Foundation before becoming a professor of law. I follow all of his work.

10. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn (2009). Great authors making a compelling case for investing in the health and autonomy of women and girls.

Special mentions:

11. Diaspora Indians: On the Philanthropy Fast Track by Priya Viswanath (2003). Priya was the former CEO of Charities Aid Foundation India. Priya is well-known for her work with individual and corporate donors in India. The book features many well-known Indian philanthropists and their stories.

12. Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson (2006). Inspirational and moving - the Central Asia Institute has now constructed more than 50 schools in rural Pakistan and Afghanistan.

13. Leaving Microsoft to Change the World by John Wood (2006). Besides learning about the story behind Room to Read, the book is a great intro for for-profit folks diving into the nonprofit world.

14. The Places in Between by Rory Stewart (2007). Inspiring and informative, the author recounts his trek through Afghanistan in the footsteps of the 15th century Emperor Babur. Rory is the Executive Chairman of Turquoise Mountain Foundation.

15. Sikh Diaspora Philanthropy in Punjab: Global Giving for Local Good by Verne A. Dusenbery and Darshan S. Tata (2009). Great book to learn more about the religious and cultural context of Sikh philanthropy and the contributions of the diaspora.

Comments

[Dien Yuen]

Happy new year to you too Dale!

Thank you for reading the blog. I look forward to your feedback on the books I had listed.

Dien

[Dale Asis]

Hello Dien,

Happy New Year! What a great list! I already ordered several books at Amazon from recommendations. I'm looking forward to reading your blog and please keep inspiring us all!

Dale

[Dien Yuen]

Hello Archana,

"Diaspora Indians" is published in India. Amazon and many other book stores do not have it. I received my book via a friend traveling from India to the US.

[Archana]

Do you know how to order "Diaspora Indians" - it looks like it's published in India? I'm going to have a family member try to get it on an upcoming trip, but would love to get it here in North America.