Infectious Generosity

The bestselling author, media pioneer, and curator of TED explores one of humankind s defining but overlooked impulses, and how we can super-charge its potential to build a hopeful future an essential read to kick off the new year (Forbes, 16 Must Have Books and Podcasts for Leaders in 2024 )

I flew through these pages with an increasing sense of joy. I hope that millions read this book. Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love

Let's face it: Recent years have been tough on optimists. Hopes that the Internet might bring people together have been crushed by the ills of social media. Is there a way back?

As head of TED, Chris Anderson has had a ringside view of the world's boldest thinkers sharing their most uplifting ideas. Inspired by them, he believes that it s within our grasp to turn outrage back into optimism. It all comes down to reimagining one of the most fundamental human virtues: generosity. What if generosity could become infectious generosity? Consider:

• how a London barber began offering haircuts to people experiencing homelessness and catalyzed a movement;
• how two anonymous donors gave $10,000 each to two hundred strangers and discovered that most recipients wanted to pay it forward with their own generous acts;
• how TED itself transformed from a niche annual summit into a global beacon of ideas by giving away talks online, allowing millions access to free learning.

In telling these inspiring stories, Anderson has given us the first page-turner ever written about human generosity (Elizabeth Dunn). More important, he offers a playbook for how to embark on our own generous acts whether gifts of money, time, talent, connection, or kindness and to prime them, thanks to the Internet, to have self-replicating, even world-changing, impact.