The Power of Half: One Family's Decision to Stop Taking and Start Giving Back by Kevin Salwen and Hannah Salwen is a heartwarming story of how the Salwen family embraced its teenager's idea that just writing a check to charity wasn't enough. The idea of doing more is prevalent throughout the book and the Salwens graciously include suggestions for doing more that don't involve giving or donating money, making their idea of giving half achievable by all.
How the Salwens Gave Half
How does somebody give half of something? The Salwens incredible and life changing decision was to sell their house, move to a house half its size, and donate half of the proceeds from the sale of their former home to a charitable organization. This sort of charitable giving is not something that all Americans can do and the Salwens acknowledge this. While they were able to give a large sum of money to The Hunger Project they also provided additional aid in other ways, such as the story of Hannah giving away half her clothes to a local Atlanta-based charity.
The Salwen's Suggestions for Others to Give Half
For those who are not able or willing to downsize by half and donate half the profits to charity, The Power of Half includes very reasonable suggestions on how to give half in other ways by focusing on what the Salwens call the three T's:
- Time
- Treasure
- Talent
Without going into too much detail their suggestions involve finding time by cutting back on time spent on hobbies or other activities that don't benefit others by 50% and then using that new free time to volunteer or work towards making the world a better place in whatever way you see fit. The audiobook contains many specific ideas on how to accomplish this, and while the tone may sometimes come across as pedantic or self-congratulatory as they weave in stories of how they have used these suggestions themselves, the suggestions are truly good and are ideas that many Americans can do.
The Power of Half Audiobook
The audiobook is not read by Kevin Salwen or Hannah Salwen. Instead the book on CD is read and narrated by Frank Sanders as well as an unnamed female reader who reads the chapters that are labeled as "Hannah's Take." The readers are smooth voiced and easy to listen to.
The Power of Half: One Family's Decision to Stop Taking and Start Giving Back is offered as an unabridged audiobook on CD or via download from Audible.com and is a mere 6 hours and 44 minutes long. For those with over a thirty minute commute each direction the audiobook can be finished in less than a week.
Recommended Reading
The Power of Half is a touching book suitable for both teenage and adult readers and listeners as well as:
- Fans of Greg Mortensen's Three Cups of Teas
- College students considering non-profit careers
- Families looking for ways to increase their giving
Publication Information
Salwen, Kevin and Hannah Salwen. The Power of Half: One Family's Decision to Stop Taking and Start Giving Back. Unabridged audiobook. HarperAudio (2010). ISBN: 978-0061824968
Tracey Carter - Tracey holds a B.A. in English from Hood College and is an avid reader, educator, blogger, and aspiring librarian.
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