The Power of Half

The Power of Half
The Power of Half:
One Family's Decision to Stop Taking and Start Giving Back  
Power of Half.jpg
Author(s) Hannah Salwen,
Kevin Salwen
Country USA
Language English
Subject(s) Consumption (economics) and consumer behavior; Moral and ethical aspects
Publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication date February 2010
Media type Hardcover;
Audiobook on CD
Pages 256
ISBN 0547394543
OCLC Number 317917971
Dewey Decimal 174 22[1]
LC Classification HC110.C6 S255 2010[1]

The Power of Half: One Family's Decision to Stop Taking and Start Giving Back, is a book written by Kevin Salwen and his 14-year-old daughter Hannah in 2010.[1][2][3]

It describes how the Salwen family came to decide to sell its home, so that it could donate half the proceeds to charity.[4] The family then bought a new home for itself, half the size.[4] It also discusses what the family went through in selling its home, donating half the sales price, and down-grading to a smaller home, and what they learned in the process.[4]

Contents

Synopsis

The teen-age Hannah had a desire to do something to fix the world’s wrongs, and make a difference.[2][3] To do that, she had to convince her family—her father Kevin (a magazine start-up founder and former Wall Street Journal journalist and editor), her mother Joan (a former management consultant partner at Accenture, who had turned to teaching English), and her younger brother Joseph.[2][3]

The book details why and how the Salwen family sold their home in 2006.[5] The home was a luxurious, 6,500-square-foot (600-square-meter), 1912 historic dream-house in Ansley Park, in suburban Atlanta, Georgia.[6] It had Corinthian columns, five bedrooms, eight fireplaces, four ornate bathrooms, and a private elevator to Hannah's bedroom.[7][8][3][9][10]

The family down-graded, by replacing their home with a house that was half as expensive, and less than half the size.[8][11] The Salwens donated the other half of the proceeds of the sale of their original home ($850,000) to a charity. They chose The Hunger Project, a charity that works to lessen the hunger of 30,000 rural villagers in over 30 villages in Ghana, and help the villagers move from poverty to self-reliance.[12][13][2][14][7][15][8][3][16]

The book describes the egalitarian, one-person-one-vote, consensus-driven process that the parents and their two children used–over a period of time–to reach the decision to give away half the value of their home, and how they chose the charity from a number of non-profit organizations that they considered.[14][3][9] It also describes the challenges that the family had to overcome in turning their family project into a reality, from economic ones to keeping the project a secret for a period of time so that they would not appear to be "freaks" to their friends.[3][17]

Before they embarked on the project, though the family members dined together they were otherwise each busy with their own activities, and drifting apart.[3] Hannah, for her part, opined that The Power of Half "is a relationships book, not really a giving book." She felt that while she made a small difference in the world, one great impact the project had was that during the process she and her family grew much more connected to each other.[18]

The New York Times Book Review described the book by saying it details how the family "became happier with less—and urges others to do likewise."[2] Kevin Salwen admitted: "We know that selling a house is goofy, and we recognize that most people can't do it."[9] Asked if he was suggesting that other people follow suit, he answered: "We never encourage anybody to sell their house. That was just the thing that we had more than enough of. For others it may be time, or lattes, or iTunes downloads, or clothes in their closet. But everyone has more than enough of something.”[8] He also clarified:

We want our kids to be idealistic, but we also say, ‘Let’s not go too nuts here'. We’re not Mother Teresa. We’re not taking a vow of poverty, or giving away half of everything we own. We gave away half of one thing, which happened to be our house. Everybody can give away half of one thing, and put it to use. You’ll do a little bit of good for the world–and amazing things for your relationships.[9]

Popular reception

Archbishop Desmond Tutu praised Hannah and the Salwens for the project, remarking: “We often say that young people must not let themselves be infected by the cynicism of their elders. Hannah inoculated her family with the vision to dream a different world, and the courage to help create it.”[7]

On the other hand, as the media broadcast the story, some skeptics in the public found reasons to criticize them for "self-promotion", or for the amount of money they donated to charity. Some such critics attacked them for their choice of charity—finding fault with the family for having donated their money to help needy people in Africa, rather than in the United States.[15][19][17][20][21]

Nor did everyone who heard about their effort understand the parents' egalitarian approach with their children, or the family's underlying philosophy. After the family was interviewed on television, while many of those who commented on the shows’ websites were complimentary, one wrote: “What kind of ass clown works his tail off, and busts his hump getting a decent education, only to listen to his kid suggest they give away the house?”[17]

As Kevin Salwen noted: "Most people are supportive. And a few are very uncomfortable."[17] Asked facetiously whether Hannah, still in high school, had "concocted the world's greatest college-admissions ploy", Kevin laughed and replied: "No. Anyway, wouldn’t it be the world’s most expensive?"[22]

Critical reception

Reviewing it for The Washington Post, Lisa Bonos wrote that the book, "soaring in idealism, and yet grounded in realism, can show Americans of any means how best to give back."[23] Nicholas D. Kristof, writing in The New York Times, said he found the project "crazy, impetuous, and utterly inspiring", and that:

It’s a book that, frankly, I’d be nervous about leaving around where my own teenage kids might find it. An impressionable child reads this, and the next thing you know your whole family is out on the street.[12]

In the Los Angeles Times, Susan Salter Reynolds wrote: "You feel lighter reading this book, as if the heavy weight of house and car and appliances, the need to collect these things to feel safe as a family, are lifted and replaced by something that makes much more sense."[24]

Lili Rosboch wrote for Bloomberg that it "is an inspiring book about the decision to trade objects for togetherness and the chance to help others."[3] Writing in Grist, Jen Harper said that while she was somewhat skeptical before she started the book, the "compelling and well-written narrative left me both impressed and inspired," and that she found the book "endearing, funny, and uplifting".[20] Courtney E. Martin wrote in The Daily Beast that the book "is highly accessible, sure to be devoured by Oprah devotees and disaffected finance guys hoping for a jolt of optimism."[25] Bill Williams of The Boston Globe called it "spirited".[26] Also writing for The Boston Globe, Joseph P. Kahn said "they’re my new role models" – after admitting: "I confess to being fixated on the opposite life formula. Call it the Power of Twice. As in, twice the leisure time, twice the income, twice the sleep. A man can dream, can’t he?"[22]

Subsequent "Half projects"

Subsequently, a number of other people, many inspired by their example, committed to donating half of their money, or half of a possession or income, to charity.[10][20] In an interview in Natural Home Magazine, Hannah noted that: “A number of my friends at Atlanta Girls School have started their own Half projects, including a couple who are donating half of their babysitting money to environmental causes. That’s pretty flattering."[7][18]

Rev. Tess Baumberger, the Minister at Unity Church of North Easton, Massachusetts, read the book and announced that in December 2010 the Church would give away half of its Sunday collections to a local charity.[14] Baumberger remarked: "What will we learn by practicing the power of half? What will this program teach our children and youth? I cannot wait to find out."[14]

Melinda Gates, wife of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, one of the world's wealthiest people, urged people to learn a lesson from the Salwens' philanthropic efforts.[27] She and her husband invited Joan Salwen to Seattle to speak about The Power of Half.[28] On December 9, 2010, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook's CEO), and investor Warren Buffett signed a promise they called the "Gates-Buffet Giving Pledge", in which they promised to donate to charity at least half of their wealth over the course of time.[29]

References

  1. ^ a b c "The power of half". WorldCat.org. http://www.worldcat.org/title/power-of-half-one-familys-decision-to-stop-taking-and-start-giving-back/oclc/317917971?title=&detail=&page=frame&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcatdir.loc.gov%2Fcatdir%2Fenhancements%2Ffy1009%2F2009029971-d.html%26checksum%3D03199095eef1429928a694cb875c82ea&linktype=digitalObject. Retrieved March 10, 2011. 
  2. ^ a b c d e Taylor, Ihsan (January 14, 2011). "Paperback Row". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/books/review/PaperRow-t.html. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rosboch, Lili (June 21, 2010). "Family Sells $2M Mansion, Gives Half to Charity: Review". Bloomberg. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-06-21/family-sells-2-million-mansion-gives-half-to-charity-review.html. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 
  4. ^ a b c Rachel Mount (April 2010). "A Surprising Path to Philanthropy". O, The Oprah Magazine. http://www.oprah.com/world/Hannah-and-Kevin-Salwens-New-Book-The-Power-of-Half. Retrieved March 10, 2011. 
  5. ^ "What Could You Live Without?". The Economic Times. January 25, 2010. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/What-could-you-live-without/articleshow/5498358.cms. Retrieved March 9, 2011. [dead link]
  6. ^ Allison Rogers (February 15, 2010). "Atlanta Family Sells House, Donates Half Proceeds to Charity". CBS MoneyWatch. http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/ask-agent/atlanta-family-sells-house-donates-half-proceeds-to-charity/1496/. Retrieved March 10, 2011. 
  7. ^ a b c d Dawn Killough (October 4, 2010). "Could You Give Up Half Your House?". Green Building Elements. http://greenbuildingelements.com/2010/10/04/could-you-give-up-half-your-house/. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 
  8. ^ a b c d Ron Lieber (July 10, 2010). "‘Daddy, Are We Rich?’ and Other Tough Questions". Herald Tribune. http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20100710/ZNYT01/7103010/-1/sports?p=all&tc=pgall. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 
  9. ^ a b c d Bland, Karina (March 21, 2010). "Family lives on half the lifestyle, twice the joy". The Arizona Republic. http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/2010/03/21/20100321bland0321.html. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 
  10. ^ a b John-Paul Flintoff (March 14, 2010). "Daddy, I want to help the poor–let’s sell the house; A daughter’s plea led one family to make a big gesture, but not everyone is applauding". The Sunday Times (London). http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article7060900.ece. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 
  11. ^ "Family Sells $1.5 Million Home For One That's Half the Price to Help Village in Ghana". ABC News. February 8, 2010. http://abcnews.go.com/WN/family-sells-15-million-home-half-price-village/story?id=9780698&page=1. Retrieved March 10, 2011. 
  12. ^ a b Kristof, Nicholas D. (January 23, 2010). "What Could You Live Without?". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/opinion/24kristof.html. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 
  13. ^ Bill Hybels, Ashley Wiersma (2010). The Power of a Whisper: Hearing God, Having the Guts to Respond: Participant's Guide. Zondervan. ISBN 0310329485. http://books.google.com/books?id=5MWl6acQ4TQC&pg=PA87&dq=%22power+of+half%22+salwen&hl=en&ei=1FV3TZ7UKM-dgQeYj_XYBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDcQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22power%20of%20half%22%20&f=false. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 
  14. ^ a b c d By Rev. Tess Baumberger (November 23, 2010). "Thanks and giving–The Power of Half". CantonRep.com. http://www.cantonrep.com/life/religion/x1617321451/Rev-Tess-Baumberger-Thanks-and-giving-the-power-of-half. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 
  15. ^ a b Joseph P. Kahn (July 31, 2010). "Are they courageous or reckless?". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/family/articles/2010/07/31/are_they_courageous_or_reckless/?page=full. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 
  16. ^ Hoff, Valerie (April 2, 2010). "Family sells house, spends half to help hungry". The Arizona Republic. http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/04/02/20100402family-sells-house-to-help-hungry02-ON.html. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 
  17. ^ a b c d Larissa MacFarquhar (January 7, 2009). "A family makes a big donation to a village in Ghana". The New Yorker. http://www.newyorker.com/talk/2010/03/15/100315ta_talk_macfarquhar. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 
  18. ^ a b Kellner, Jessica (September/October 2010). "The Power of Half: Natural Home Interviews Hannah Salwen". Natural Home Magazine. http://www.naturalhomemagazine.com/green-professionals/the-power-of-half-natural-home-interviews-hannah-salwen.aspx. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 
  19. ^ Lisa Bonos (April 30, 2010). "Review | 'The Power of Half': A family decide to downsize, give back". Miami Herald. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/02/1606381/nonfiction.html. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 
  20. ^ a b c Jen Halper (February 11, 2010). "I paid $50 for this book and all I got was this lousy feeling of hope and goodwill". Grist. http://www.grist.org/article/2010-02-10-i-paid-50-for-this-book-and-all-i-got-was-a-feeling-of-hope-and-/. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 
  21. ^ Tan, Caroline (September 24, 2010). "Author speaks about giving to charity". Yale Daily News. http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2010/sep/24/author-speaks-about-giving-to-charity/. Retrieved March 17, 2011. 
  22. ^ a b Joseph P. Kahn (February 13, 2010). "One family’s commitment to helping others". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2010/02/13/one_familys_commitment_to_helping_others/. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 
  23. ^ Lisa Bonos (April 18, 2010). "Book review: 'The Power of Half,' by Kevin Salwen and Hannah Salwen". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/16/AR2010041602032.html. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 
  24. ^ Susan Salter Reynolds (January 24, 2010). "'The Power of Half' by Kevin and Hannah Salwen". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/24/entertainment/la-ca-discoveries24-2010jan24. Retrieved March 10, 2011. 
  25. ^ Courtney E. Martin (February 20, 2010). "Selling Your House For Charity". The Daily Beast. http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-02-20/selling-the-housefor-charity/. Retrieved March 10, 2011. 
  26. ^ Bill Williams (February 15, 2010). "‘The Power of Half’ is full of inspiration". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2010/02/15/the_power_of_half_is_full_of_inspiration/. Retrieved March 10, 2011. 
  27. ^ Bina Abraham (October 1, 2010). "They half it in them". Gulf News. http://gulfnews.com/life-style/general/they-half-it-in-them-1.686505. Retrieved March 17, 2011. 
  28. ^ Robyn Griggs Lawrence (February 22, 2011). "A Rich Gift: Homemade Jelly for Bill and Melinda Gates". Mother Earth News. http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-home-living/a-rich-gift-homemade-jelly-for-bill-melinda-gates.aspx. Retrieved March 10, 2011. 
  29. ^ Moss, Rosabeth (December 14, 2010). "Four Strategic Generosity Lessons". Business Week. http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/dec2010/ca20101214_945792.htm. Retrieved March 9, 2011. 

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