Notices

Philanthropy in Europe: A rich past, a promising future
Norine MacDonald and Luc Tayart de Borms (eds)
London: Alliance Publishing Trust, 2008. 304pp. Paperback. ISBN 978-0-9558804-0-7. To order contact Alliance magazine at publishing@alliancemagazine.org or the European Foundation Centre at efc@efc.be.

This collection of essays about the diverse role played by European foundations is an attempt to plug the gap in a literature that is largely dominated by information about American foundations. It includes profiles of thirteen foundations, selected as examples of ‘the rich variety and diversity’ found in the European foundation sector, including the UK’s Wellcome Trust and Impetus Trust. The editors argue that the social, political and economic fabric of European countries means that foundations in this continent are ‘a different animal’ to the Anglo-Saxon style of philanthropy found in the US. The book ends with a plea by the European Foundation Centre’s Gerry Salole for a ‘long overdue’ European foundation statute to enable the sector to enjoy the same cross-border freedoms as other organisations based within the European Union. The preceding essays and profiles ought to strengthen Salole’s case that such a statute is a ‘vital issue’ which will enable the sector to have even greater impact.

For the Love of Mankind: A sociological study on charitable giving
Pamala Wiepking
Amsterdam: Vu University, April 2008. 164pp. Cloth. ISBN 978-90-77383-07-0. www.wiepking.com €20

At a time when the UK and Scottish governments have committed £2.2m (alongside the Carnegie UK Trust) to fund research into charitable giving and philanthropy, Wiepking’s book – which addresses the core problem of ‘why do some [Dutch] people donate more money to charitable organisations than others?’ – is a reminder that other European countries are also starting out on the path of creating a knowledge base for their philanthropic sectors. Drawing on an extensive dataset of giving in the Netherlands, Wiepking offers four extended studies of giving and introduces a novel, and useful, suggestion that there exists a ‘giving standard’ which influences the level of donations that are felt to be appropriate in specific situations. Wiepking is a promising young academic but her book is fully accessible to lay readers and will repay close reading by people working in all areas of the philanthropic sector.

Unjust Rewards: Exposing greed and inequality in Britain today
Polly Toynbee and David Walker
London: Granta, 2008. 250pp. Paperback. ISBN 978-1-84708-093-6. www.granta.com £12.99

This book is an extended critique of the holding, and holders, of wealth and the impact of economic inequality on contemporary UK society. It contains a chapter entitled ‘Philanthropy is no excuse’, which describes charitable giving by the rich as ‘mere ostentation’, a ‘passport to the in-crowd’ and ‘another way of exerting power and control’. It is, therefore, a little ironic that the book is published by Granta, owned by the widely admired philanthropist Sigrid Rausing, and that the research upon which the book is based was funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Barrow Cadbury Trust. This book is a polemic without nuance – all the rich are greedy and anti-tax; all rich philanthropists are in it for themselves. It is a shame that Toynbee and Walker, both distinguished social commentators, fail to acknowledge the other sides to their story: that philanthropic motives range from the self-interested to the selfless and that philanthropic acts can benefit the neediest as well as the elite. Despite the infuriating sweeping statements, this book is worth reading to comprehend the essence of the anti-philanthropy position.

Burden or Benefit? Imperial benevolence and its legacies
Helen Gilbert and Chris Tiffin (eds)
Bloomington & Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, May 2008. 240pp. Paperback. ISBN 978-0-253-21960-2 http://iupress.indiana.edu/ $22.95

This book examines the evolution of the ideas and practices of benevolence, chiefly in the context of British imperialism, from the late eighteenth century to the present. The editors raise philosophical questions about the relationship between benevolence and self-interest, concluding that these concepts ‘are not incompatible in the quest for a better world’. The collected essays cover more than a dozen examples of practical and theoretical benevolence, from the anti-slavery movement to modern activities such as refugee asylum, opposition to female genital mutilation and restoring the wetlands in post-Saddam Iraq. Of particular interest to Philanthropy UK readers will be Alan Lester’s chapter on British humanitarianism and Sarah Richardson’s chapter on women, philanthropy and imperialism in early nineteenth century Britain.

Contributing Citizens: modern charitable fundraising and the making of the welfare state 1920-66
Shirley Tillotson
Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia Press, May 2008. 352pp. Hardback & Paperback (Jan 2009). ISBN 978-0-7748-1473-7 (hardback) 978-0-7748-1474-4 (paperback)  www.ubcpress.ca  $85/$32.95

Written by a historian, this is the first Canadian book to explore the evolution of modern charitable giving and the development of that country’s welfare state. The author’s meticulously traced account of the rise of professional fundraising leads her to argue against the popular view that the welfare state killed off private charity. Indeed, she concludes that ‘organised charity’ (exemplified by the early twentieth century ‘community chest’ appeals run jointly by charities in all major Canadian cities) provided the blueprint for how to organise the large-scale funding and delivery of welfare services; modern charity was thus ‘the welfare state in waiting’. However persuasive the reader finds this argument, it is worth getting hold of a copy of this book for the illustrations alone. Tillotson has collected a dozen superb examples of early twentieth century fundraising appeals that represent a unique slice of social history, and show how far the fundraising profession has come in just a few decades.

The Bill Cook Story: Ready, Fire, Aim!
Bob Hammell
Bloomington, Indianapoliss: Indiana University Press, October 2008. 424pp. Cloth. ISBN 978-0-253-35254-5. http://iupress.indiana.edu $24.95

The subject of this biography, Bill Cook, is said to “epitomize the American success story”. From the early days of conducting business from the spare bedroom in his apartment, Cook built up a global multi-billion dollar business. So far, so American Pie. But the twist in the tale is that Cook continued to live a modest life and spends his money on a wide array of philanthropic causes, from historic preservation to marching bands. Whilst it seems a bit of an exaggeration to suggest this is typical (most super-wealthy givers seem comfortable being simultaneously conspicuous consumers and philanthropic), it is always fascinating to gain insights into the life and thoughts of notable donors. Given unlimited access to the subject and his wife, the author is able to paint a particularly intimate portrait, albeit one that is written in a style that never lets the reader forget his day job as a sports journalist. Readers will either like or loathe Hammel’s writing style – breathlessly short sections, bullet-pointed paragraphs and a plot-driven account full of narrative tricks – but those who stick with the text will emerge with many insights into the mind of a generous, though probably atypical, American businessman.