The Power of Half: One Family's Decision to Stop Taking and Start Giving Back by Kevin Salwen

Mar 06, 2013 Thomas Holbrook rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

What happens to a family when one member has a “Eureka Moment” so bold and so loud that it causes the family to live up to its own definition? For the Salwen’s of Atlanta, GA, when the daughter connected the dots between “what I have” and “what is needed,” it caused them to sell their historic, 6500 square-foot, multi-million dollar home and strive to give half of the proceeds to a project that could cause a long-lasting change in a small part of the world.
Kevin and Joan Salwen were successfu...more What happens to a family when one member has a “Eureka Moment” so bold and so loud that it causes the family to live up to its own definition? For the Salwen’s of Atlanta, GA, when the daughter connected the dots between “what I have” and “what is needed,” it caused them to sell their historic, 6500 square-foot, multi-million dollar home and strive to give half of the proceeds to a project that could cause a long-lasting change in a small part of the world.
Kevin and Joan Salwen were successful professionals (he a journalist, she a consultant with Accenture at the onset of this adventure) raising their children, Hannah and Joseph, to be grateful for their affluence and to “give back” to their community by volunteering. As Kevin and Hannah sat at a congested intersection, Hannah noticed an individual asking for food on one side of their car and a Mercedes Coupe on the other. Hannah had a moment of connection, stating, “if they had a less nice car, he could eat.” Before she got home, “they” became “we” and the question was, “how can we be a family who DOES something (about the world’s problems) instead of a family who only talks about them?” The family eventually decided they would sell their landmark home, move into a smaller (by 3000 sq./ft.) house and using half of the proceeds from this sale in some endeavor that would effect a meaningful, positive change on an issue of the world.
In researching the “where and how” of such a project, the Salwen’s were to learn much about actually helping others. They learned that over 2 Trillion dollars has been spent on “helping” projects in Africa in the last fifty year with little or no change to show for it. “Giving help” and most mission trips do far more harm than help. Lasting aid requires those who are being “helped” to have buy-in to the change instead of giving them handouts (which cause dependency and disenfranchises instead of empowers). Projects that have lasting affect are those which are long-term with meaningful commitment from the community to which they are enacted. After completing their research, the family selected to work in Ghana with The Hunger Project, a non-profit whose mission is to end world hunger by empowering “locals” to find solutions to their own issues and helping them to do so. The project would be to fund, for a five-year cycle, two (after receiving a matching grant, the two became four) “epicenters” in a cluster of villages that houses the community's programs for health, education, food security and economic development. By the book’s end, the project was just beginning so the outcome is still in development.
There were several points of deep thought for me in reading this short, well-written “report.” There is mention of religion in the book, but only anecdotally, the actions taken by the Salwen’s were rooted in a deep ethic of community, i.e. they wanted to help because there was a need. Their tremendous gift, by the author’s admission, did not change their life-style, they are still affluent. They challenged, by the discoveries they made in their research, their readers to confront how they can address the needs they (the readers) have found in their world. This is a book worth reading – engaging writing, the end uncertain but a hint of how a family can make a difference.
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Nov 28, 2012 Lia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: simple-life

Just to start off, I want to be clear that I think the idea of a family moving into a less expensive home and using half the money from the sale of the larger house to do good in impoverished areas of Africa is a great idea. Really. I think it's a wonderful thing. That's why I picked up the book at the library.

However ... oh man. This book ... it just turned my stomach. Why? Because they were so eager (read: wanted instant gratification) to go out and do good, flying to Africa and showing these...more Just to start off, I want to be clear that I think the idea of a family moving into a less expensive home and using half the money from the sale of the larger house to do good in impoverished areas of Africa is a great idea. Really. I think it's a wonderful thing. That's why I picked up the book at the library.

However ... oh man. This book ... it just turned my stomach. Why? Because they were so eager (read: wanted instant gratification) to go out and do good, flying to Africa and showing these people just how much good they could do for the have-nots; yes, they were SO eager they didn't even wait until they had sold their house to start spending their money (80 thousand dollars). Let me spell this out just a little. A family decides to sell a $2 million home to buy a $1 million home so they can put about a million dollars toward charity. But then, instead, they end up owning a $1 million home AND their original $2 million home, paying for both of them, while at the same time going to Africa and spending almost another million. Then they come home, and man, if the economy isn't saggy and their big ol' house still hasn't sold. That's not the power of half. That's the power of double.

It just made me sick. What is the REAL message they are sending to their kids? It seems like this: When you have as much money as we do, you can pretty much do anything and still live in luxury; you don't have to be responsible or wait for anything. You can have anything you want anytime you want it.

To add to this amazing lack of understanding about financial responsibility, the tone of the book is smug and condescending. I don't know how many times the dad boasts about how they are just the most normal family in the world and that you couldn't pick them out from anyone else. Um ... just how insulated are they? When is the last time they had a meaningful relationship with someone who made 30 thousand dollars a year? It seems like they have completely lost sight of what "normal" might be.

So, did they do a good thing? Yeah, I think they probably did. They helped some communities and they drew together as a family working toward a common goal. Does it show The Power of Half? Nope. It shows the power of shifting instant gratification from buying for their own pleasure to buying for others. And then going on to do TV interviews and touring and books and all ... you know, because they're just so darn humble.

Here's the weirdest thing. The book that I checked out from my library, it cost, according to the back cover, $26. Yeah, twenty-six actual dollars for a poorly-written book about a project that was badly planned. Oh, but the outrageous price is "redeemed" by a logo saying that $1 of the proceeds from each book will go to a certain charity. Woot. A buck, huh? Sounds to me like they're trying to make some money off this book. Maybe they're still "suffering financially" from the power of double?(less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Should be titled great parenting skills 101.

Mr. and Mrs. Salweh, both from humble backgrounds have become affluent business people/teachers/journalists. They live in a $2 million home, and buy their son a new $200 bat each baseball season. But they also work with Habitat for Humanity and donate a small % of their income to charity each year, and they're happy with that. That is until their teen daughter, Hannah, decides that their family needs to do more to help heal some of the inequality she s...more

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Nov 09, 2011 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people concerned about oversupply & hunger

I'm amazed at some of the negative reactions to this book. I certainly am part of the 99% and am pinching my pennies to manage my retirement within a few years, but I struggle, on my income, with many of the same feelings that this rather wealthy family in Atlanta have about how to deal with their own acquisitiveness and how to make good decisions about donations to charity. They are human beings, even though they did own a mansion on Peachtree Street. Reading this book is a good way to get a bi...more I'm amazed at some of the negative reactions to this book. I certainly am part of the 99% and am pinching my pennies to manage my retirement within a few years, but I struggle, on my income, with many of the same feelings that this rather wealthy family in Atlanta have about how to deal with their own acquisitiveness and how to make good decisions about donations to charity. They are human beings, even though they did own a mansion on Peachtree Street. Reading this book is a good way to get a bit of personal insight into how a charity like the Hunger Project is run on the ground in Ghana. And it's an illustration of the larger point made by books like Dead Aid and The White Man's Burden, that simply giving money to countries or individuals, or responding to crises rather than persistent structural problems, can create more difficulties than it solves.

Where I think Kevin and Hannah Salwen succeed is in being real. I hardly noticed the details about brands - I think it is just Salwen's way of trying to make his writing more punchy. He and his wife are a bit wonky and they are compulsive researchers to a fault - but then, this had good results, so if it doesn't make the snappiest reading, and occasionally feels a bit preachy, I will cut them some slack. I liked the fact that they attempted to be honest about their own idiosyncrasies and differences.

The part of this book that has been ignored is the human benefit that they derived from their own giving, and that we could all derive if we found our own "power of half..." or even our own power of "quarter" or "eighth" or "tenth." It seems quite clear that they don't mean "give up everything" -- but they were taken deeper into sacrifice when they realized that they would have to use savings to meet their commitment to Ghana. And they did it, in the midst of recession. That was appropriate for them. Something else might be appropriate for me.

I know that I am afraid to consider this level of giving more deeply. And yet their book calls me to it. They choose not to stay in the village in Ghana, because they know the villagers would give them more than they could afford to give. "They cannot conceive of our level of stinginess. Sharing is just the way it is in these villages -- their generosity is their enormous strength." What would our country be like if we were less wasteful and less stingy?

Salwen's words about American parents' enormous concern for their children's self-esteem ring true also - that in our constant desire to praise (even for the smallest accomplishment) we may have "created either the most self-confident or the most self-absorbed people on earth." Achieving something worth doing, as a family, IS a secret sauce worth working for. In the end, the house sale was never the point - "Our home was just a tool, a mechanism for us to rely on as a unit to make a little difference in the world."
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Aug 29, 2011 Shelby rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The daughter and father of the Salwen family came to give a speech at my school. They couldn't have been more obnoxious. Just like in the book, the family gives no credit to anyone (a.k.a. God... they're Jewish aren't they???) for making the decision to sell their home but themselves. Also, when the Salwen family came they explained in more detail about the oil press that they had helped give an African village. However, they neglected to explain what happened to the other village which had orig...more The daughter and father of the Salwen family came to give a speech at my school. They couldn't have been more obnoxious. Just like in the book, the family gives no credit to anyone (a.k.a. God... they're Jewish aren't they???) for making the decision to sell their home but themselves. Also, when the Salwen family came they explained in more detail about the oil press that they had helped give an African village. However, they neglected to explain what happened to the other village which had originally been receiving the money from their own press. Isn't that selective? They chose which village would be getting the money for the oil press, aren't they playing God? They pretend that this entire experience was really beneficial for them because they grew closer as a family. I see them thinking that they are God, or at least that's how it comes across in the book. They took their money and chose which place they would decide was worthy of their help. And further more, what's with this book? If they are really as humble and uninterested in the material wealth for this book, their tv appearances,and speaking tours, then why do any of this? The Salwen family responded that, 'half of the proceeds of the book go to charity' Oh, so you are still making money off of this book? Did you really end up giving away any money after adding up the proceeds? Sure, I believe that selling your house and giving up half of the proceeds is amazing and incredible and I wish I had the courage to do so. But if I was touring and spreading the message and getting all the glory for this project, I would at least be up-front about it. i wouldn't be hiding behind the mask of... oh no! we were completely humble about this! And another thing, their skin has become so thick from all the criticism that they can't even begin to imagine or examine their reasons behind their decisions. They are obviously infallible, because not a single other person can have a good point or criticism because they were utterly pure and blameless in this entire process. Call Darwin because it looks like mankind has evolved into the perfect beings, and that is the Salwen family. A family who even if they ever read this would believe that I am just some crazy ranting blogger and laugh at how naive and bitter I am. I am obviously self-conscious that I can't do what they did, or guilty, or crazy or just plain out mean. Guess what? Just because someone doesn't agree with you doesn't mean they have no valid points. One more thing, I read tons of inspirational books for my school, and this is almost at the bottom of the list because.. it didn't inspire me. It didn't move me. All I got out of it was several eye-rolls and sighs of boredom. Final words Goodreaders-- IF you are looking for a feel good book, there are better ones out there. (less)

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Jun 27, 2011 Amy rated it 2 of 5 stars

I recently found this book on an airplane.

Years ago I read a book about a sickness called "Affluenza," which is basically a consumer's disease--they just can't stop buying and consuming. I identified with it right away as I abhor stuff, perhaps because I have moved eleven times in the past twenty years and also because I'd rather spend my money on travel, which creates memories, than stuff, which only collects dust.

I thought this book would be in a similar vein, but it really wasn't.

An affluent...more I recently found this book on an airplane.

Years ago I read a book about a sickness called "Affluenza," which is basically a consumer's disease--they just can't stop buying and consuming. I identified with it right away as I abhor stuff, perhaps because I have moved eleven times in the past twenty years and also because I'd rather spend my money on travel, which creates memories, than stuff, which only collects dust.

I thought this book would be in a similar vein, but it really wasn't.

An affluent teenage girl began volunteering at soup kitchen in Atlanta and decided to take the lessons she learned literally. Quite remarkably, she convinced her family to sell their $2 million home and move into a $1 million home and give away the other $1 million. It's hard not to scoff at that, like "Oh, big sacrifice, must be hard living in a million dollar home, how ever do you stand it?” But in terms of pure numbers, they were generous.

At first it seemed so cliché: "Let's give it to Africa!" I kept reading. They built a corn mill so that girls could attend school instead of grind corn by hand all day. I changed my mind: that is a good investment in humanity.

I found some of the material about group decision-making very interesting. They worked as a team to decide how best to donate the money and often disagreed, yet in the end came up with a viable plan. Also interesting was how the family reacted when their plan did not pan out as hoped when the recession hit and their house sat on the market for two years after they already pledged their money. Every person in the family, plus the village they helped, changed remarkably--and it all started with a young girl who would not take no for an answer. I admire her tenacity and her mother and father for listening to her and taking her seriously. I also liked the details about how hard it was to win the son over to their idea, and was impressed with some of his ideas when he finally decided to get on board.

Now, why only 2.5 stars?

Because the book was annoying. The father came off as smug every time he talked about how well he knew his children, as if castigating readers for not knowing their children as well as he did. Furthermore, despite his generosity, he retained his annoying propensity of name dropping. Second, possibly at the publisher's urging, the daughter had chapters that were object lessons, most of which involved taking a stack of index cards....and blah, blah, blah. Way too preachy for my tastes.

The part I found most fascinating and true was the way it dispelled the so-called good that missionaries do in poverty-stricken areas. The book humorously called them Vacationaries--typically affluent suburban white families who go to church and somehow get all their friends and colleagues to pay for them to go on mission projects to (Fill in any Poor Country, which also happens to have outstanding beaches) where they can do "the Lord's work." (Give them Bibles and build them churches. Fat lot of good that does them when they are illiterate, starving, dying of AIDS, and have seven children.) It ridiculed one church, which for example, sent five "missionary" groups to paint the same church in Mexico five times in one summer. Another ridiculed a church who went to Nicaragua and built a well and pump so the village could have clean water. The next year they returned to find the pump broken and the women collecting water from the polluted rivers. They fixed the pump. The next year they came back to find the pump broken again.

When this family visited Africa, they received tremendous mentoring from a woman who really knows what the difference between "Give me a fish" and "Teach me to fish."

I felt the book helped me make better decisions about charitable giving.

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Jun 21, 2011 Cori rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was expecting to be blown out of the water by this book. Instead, it ended up being more tame than I thought it would be. I thought that selling their house would lead to halfing many other things in their lives — cars, vacations, toys, etc. But it was pretty much about the house. Which, in itself, was quite a good story. I mean, it just isn’t done. We’re always looking for the next big thing, and it’s rare that someone downsizes for something other than a lost job or a move or something. The...more

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Mar 13, 2011 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was very moved by this book, and found it successful in what it set out to do--explain a family's decision to sell their house and donate half to the Hunger Project. The tone was appropriate, not self-serving but honest. It's not the whole picture, one assumes, but no memoir of this sort ever is, and I found what was included--the description of decision points and attitudes to be open and sincere. I'm not surprised that many of the ratings for this book focus on the family's wealth, but most...more

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Oct 29, 2010 Marianna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-2010, memoir

This book was a mixed bag for me. On one hand I admire the family for taking the initiative at the behest of their 14-year old daughter to attempt to make a difference in the world. On the other hand, the tone of sacrifice was annoying. The Salwens made the decision to leave behind their 6,500 sf, 2 million dollar house for a "smaller", "non-descript" house. In doing a little research I discovered that this new home was valued at nearly 1 million dollars with nearly 3,000 sf., and I don't know i...more This book was a mixed bag for me. On one hand I admire the family for taking the initiative at the behest of their 14-year old daughter to attempt to make a difference in the world. On the other hand, the tone of sacrifice was annoying. The Salwens made the decision to leave behind their 6,500 sf, 2 million dollar house for a "smaller", "non-descript" house. In doing a little research I discovered that this new home was valued at nearly 1 million dollars with nearly 3,000 sf., and I don't know if wood floors, granite tops and a seperate TV/game room actually qualifies a house as non-descript. This family continued to have their children in very expensive private schools, take family vacations that the average person can only dream of and have the children participate in expensive club sports leagues all while carrying two houses because the first one takes two years to sell. To my mind there wasn't a whole lot of actual sacrifice. Did they do something a little non-traditional (not only moving, but giving away $800,000)? Yes. Did they do something that most people of their ilk wouldn't do? Maybe and probably. My only wish is that this story had been told in a less self-serving way because really it is a great, inspirational story.

The whole saga begins to unfold when Hannah, the 14-year old daughter, notices the juxtaposition of a street corner panhandler on the streets of Atlanta and an obviously wealthy man driving a Mercedes. She queries her father about how the persumably homeless man might be better off if the Mercedes driver drove a less expensive car. A valid question. Joan, the matriarch of the family, poses the question of sacrificing something from Hannah's own life, perhaps their large, stately home, at dinner one night, with the idea being they would use part of the proceeds to fund a charitable project. Hannah is eager and eventually the entire family is on board. The story unfolds as they move, make decisions about how and where to use their $800,000 and travel to Ghana to offer "support" to the people there.

Hannah sounds like a fine young woman, however I can't help but wonder if she really answered her initial question. Her life is still pretty fantastic compared to the majority of Atlantians and I can't help but wonder if she and her family couldn't make an even bigger difference by making some real sacrifices. Perhaps it isn't fair of me to ask this of the Salwen's since I'm not doing it myself, but then again they did write the book claiming major sacrifice on their part.
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Oh, and I can't help but ask what was up with the constant references to product names: Land's End polo, Hamilton Beach coffee maker, Under Armour shirt, Eggo waffle, Scion, REI wicking pants?? Was it a way of saying "look, no BMW or Ralph Lauren or Miele here? Or did they get paid for putting these names in? It was a little odd.

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Jul 05, 2010 Paul rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the true story of one family’s decision to actually do their bit to make the world a little better.

The Salwen’s live in suburban Atlanta, in a $1.5 million house, but they are veteran volunteers through the local Habitat for Humanity. One day, fourteen-year-old Hannah has a Eureka! moment. In the car with her father, she sees a shiny Mercedes car next to a homeless man. She realizes that if the Mercedes driver was driving a lesser car, the homeless man could have a meal. This leads to a...more This is the true story of one family’s decision to actually do their bit to make the world a little better.

The Salwen’s live in suburban Atlanta, in a $1.5 million house, but they are veteran volunteers through the local Habitat for Humanity. One day, fourteen-year-old Hannah has a Eureka! moment. In the car with her father, she sees a shiny Mercedes car next to a homeless man. She realizes that if the Mercedes driver was driving a lesser car, the homeless man could have a meal. This leads to a decision by the family, not an easy decision, to downsize into a smaller house, and give half the proceeds to the poor.

The first decision to be made was who they should help. There are many worthy charities and causes out there; the decision was made to focus on poverty in Africa. The next decision to be made was how they should help. Simply throwing money at the African continent will not help; in fact, it may just make things worse. The family was very methodical, researching a number of smaller charities, and meeting with representatives of their top 4 choices to hear their "sales pitch." The Salwen’s eventually decided to assist a couple of villages in the country of Ghana, traveling there to see the results of their generosity, up close and personal. The only problem in their whole plan was that their house went up for sale right in the middle of the housing crisis, so it was on the market for a very long time.

Along the way, the Salwen’s learned, the hard way, that not everyone will "get it." Even friends and relatives interpreted their generosity as a comment on their lack of generosity (we’re better than you are). Perhaps a bit of discretion is not a bad idea.

Obviously, not everyone can downsize into a smaller house, and donate half the proceeds to the poor. Find something you can do. It can be as simple as halving your TV or computer game time each week, and spending that extra time volunteering at a food bank or soup kitchen. This is an inspiring story of how one family gave back to others, and it will inspire others to do likewise.

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May 29, 2010 Stephanie rated it 1 of 5 stars

I think you get all you need to get out of this book by reading the summary on the inside if the book jacket.
WIth a 15-year-old daughter as the instigator, a wealthy Atlanta family decides to sell their mansion and downgrade to a house half the size (at 3500 sq. ft. still twice the size of any place I ever lived) and donate half the selling price to charity. This ends up being an $800k pledge to The Hunger Project.

Big surprise: they realize they don't miss the bigger house at all. 800k is a to...more I think you get all you need to get out of this book by reading the summary on the inside if the book jacket.
WIth a 15-year-old daughter as the instigator, a wealthy Atlanta family decides to sell their mansion and downgrade to a house half the size (at 3500 sq. ft. still twice the size of any place I ever lived) and donate half the selling price to charity. This ends up being an $800k pledge to The Hunger Project.

Big surprise: they realize they don't miss the bigger house at all. 800k is a totally inconceivable amount of money to the vast majority of us, but to this family it doesn't end up being a sacrifice at all. This, I think, is the big disappointment in this book. Even though their house doesn't actually sell for two years (bad timing with the economy), the family is still left completely unscathed (other than having to temporarily dip into the kids' college fund -- which is paid back when the house sells). Their "sacrifice" isn't much of a sacrifice at all because it has no consequence for them. They have the luxury of making such a huge charitable donation and not even feeling it -- which I think makes them totally disconnected from the average person reading their book. I was not connected to the unrealistic/flawless family in the least.

Overall, I found the book incredibly slow and cheesy. The whole book is them talking about what they want to do. And then when they end up doing it, it's very anticlimactic: they take a trip to Ghana to see what's going to be done with their money -- it's like someone visiting a wing at a University or Museum that was named after them because of a large donation they made.
The only slightly redeeming part of the book was when at the end, the author addressed some of the criticisms that they received via internet posts. He stressed that the real reward of the whole process was how their family was strengthened as a unit and as individuals. I think that's wonderful. We should all be striving to strengthen our families, and doing that through service is great. The book itself: not so great.(less)

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Apr 17, 2010 Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: families, classes, schools and companies- a read aloud that runs a little long.

Shelves: a-7th-and-8th-grade-middle-school-t, great-read-aloud-titles-for-all-age, grownup-books, high-school-and-beyond, summer-reading, book-fairs-spring-2013

When Kevin's daughter Hannah challenged her (already philanthropic) family to do something really meaningful for the disadvantaged and needy- Kevin and Joan came back with a challenge of their own, "Do you care enough to sell your house, trade down and give away the difference?"
Hannah's response kicks off the adventure that is relayed in this book. It is crisp non fiction writing displaying skills that Kevin honed at the Wall Street Journal interspersed with Hannah's thoughts about giving.
This...more

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Apr 05, 2010 Mackenzie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: finished-in-2010, book-club

This was a well written book that I flew through this weekend. I admire the family for what they tried to accomplish, and some of their research into charity approach and waste of money in Africa was shocking. I'm glad that they did not just "throw money" at the problem. I also think it's great that their project reinforced their relationships as a family.

However, I wonder if their "New Normal" is still unrealistic for the average American. How many of us can sell a $2 million house and move in...more

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Mar 13, 2010 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ok - so I saw this family on CBS Sunday morning, and immediately downloaded the book. Why? Because they are a seemingly "normal" (we'll come back to that) family who is doing something awesome.

And the book lived up to its promise. The family went to Africa, did good, came home, and learned some wonderful life lessons.

Similar to "Nickel and Dimed" - I wonder - is it really possible for ALL of us to do something like this? And, again, the answer is Yes and No. Most of us aren't blessed with the f...more

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Jan 18, 2010 Barb rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoirs, read-in-2010, vine

While on the whole I thought that this was a worthwhile book with an important message, there were things in it that didn't sit well with me. Maybe I am being overly critical, which is more than likely, but the order of events in the story of the Salwen's adventure to make a difference in the world seem backward to me.

I admire this family for what they set out to do but for some reason it's difficult for me to understand why they did it the way they did. They decided to sell their two million d...more While on the whole I thought that this was a worthwhile book with an important message, there were things in it that didn't sit well with me. Maybe I am being overly critical, which is more than likely, but the order of events in the story of the Salwen's adventure to make a difference in the world seem backward to me.

I admire this family for what they set out to do but for some reason it's difficult for me to understand why they did it the way they did. They decided to sell their two million dollar home and give half of the proceeds to an effort of charitable relief. Wow, that is amazing, Kudos to them.

They did extensive research and deliberating on what organization they would support and where they wanted to their funds to be spent. Yet they pledged $800,000 based on the asking price of their home, not the selling price. They also visited the place where they would be helping long before their house ever sold or they ever gave any money.

As it turned out the economy went into a recession and their house sat on the market for two years before selling at a substantially lower price than their asking price. At the time their first payment was supposed to be paid to the relief organization they had not yet sold their home and decided to take funds from their daughter's college fund. I guess maybe it doesn't matter the particulars of their generosity but for some reason I just couldn't get past what seemed to me like the horse before the cart.

The other issue that didn't sit well with me was Kevin Salwen's repeatedly mentioning the brand name of many different items in the narrative of their story; Land's End polo shirt, Hamilton Beach coffee maker, Eggo waffles. I wondered if those companies were going to be paying him for endorsements? I also wondered if this book was written primarily as a vehicle for making up the difference between their estimated half and the real half of the proceeds from the sale of their home.

While I do think that this was a huge and wonderful thing the Salwen family has done and they learned and gained so much along the way, it still seemed to me that they hadn't really quite stepped off that consumerism tread mill they talked so much about. They come from a position of wealth and privilege and yet by the end of the book they still seem somewhat unaware of their relative wealth compared to others.

I also thought the Salwen's seemed to be distancing themselves from the people they wanted to help. There isn't one anecdotal story about a single individual who was or will be helped by the Salwen's money.

This book touched on some really important points about philanthropic efforts. You can't just throw money at complex problems and expect simple results. Poverty, hunger and homelessness are complex issues. I liked that this book addressed that.

That notwithstanding I found this story to have it's heart in the right place. I think that Hannah Salwen is an amazing and special girl and I won't be surprised to learn that she grows up to be the kind of person who focuses her life on making a difference in the world, just like the amazing people peppered throughout this book who are doing wonderful things to make a difference in the lives of others; Joan Holmes, Carol and John Coonrod, Dr. Naana Agyemang-Mensah, and Dr. Speciosa Wandira just to name a few. They inspire me to do better and more. (less)

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Aug 23, 2010 Jack Granath rated it 2 of 5 stars

The inspiring story of a family who sells their house, moves into one that's half as expensive, and gives the entire difference to a charitable project in Africa. The book documents the family's decision-making process and the many unlooked-for, positive transformations that resulted.

Why do so many people recoil when they hear this story? The authors assume that others feel criticized in the face of such a generous act, and I'm sure that's part of it. Readers gasp at the lavishly appointed hous...more

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Aug 04, 2010 Jess rated it 2 of 5 stars

I'm a firm believer of "if you're not enjoying the book that you're reading, stop reading it." I read about half of this book and decided it wasn't worth my time or energy to continue reading it.

I think it's great that this family was willing to change their lifestyle in order to help others, but they really annoyed me. Kevin, the author and father of the family, was always referring to poor people as "these people," which for some reason I find really offensive and it seems like they're unable...more

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Oct 13, 2011 Melissa Lee-tammeus rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed

I read the first 30 pages of this book before going to bed and went to bed pissed off. This morning I figured out why. This book is ridiculous. I can't even take it seriously nor can I finish it. This author and his family are so out of touch with what is happening under their very noses. I literally had to read twice how they were going to sacrifice their 6000 square foot home for something half that and that they pledged to spend 800,000 dollars on work for someone else. Are you fricking kiddi...more

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Oct 17, 2011 Marissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

I liked the premise of this book (family making a huge effort to do something good in the world) but for some reason big chunks of this book just bugged me. (Don't take it personally, Kathleen, I still like many of your suggestions!!) :) I think it is because their project is so unattainable for most people that it is hard to relate to this project or the process they go through. The "small" house they move into, after all, is still bigger (at 3,000+ sq. feet) than most peoples' homes... and ref...more

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Feb 26, 2011 Yvonne rated it 2 of 5 stars

An easy read, not especially well-written, that oozes the self-satisfaction of the author. Initially, I thought the premise was an inspiring idea: a family sells their home to donate half its value to a charitable cause. I still think the idea is inspiring but the tone and particulars of this book disgust me. This family typifies the scourge of American culture, i.e. blithe over-consumption, until they try to assuage their guilt by doing something less typical However, even this step, what would...more

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May 24, 2010 Angel rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really like the message behind the story, however the writing could have been more interesting and a bit tighter. I really enjoyed the motivational quotes, facts, and resources provided by Hannah to encourage readers to start making a difference. However I felt that the family set out to sacrifice in the name of charity by selling their home and downsizing, but I don't think they really "got" sacrificing. Moving from a million dollar mansion to a half million dollar house isn't exactly sacrifi...more

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Mar 13, 2012 Any Length rated it 5 of 5 stars

***** Spoiler allert! *****
I really liked this book. Not just because these people put their money where their mouth is, but because of the awesome way they brought up their children. The way the parents and children of this family stuck together, hung out together and planned things and discussed matters was truly inspirational. I think every family could learn a lot from the way this family relates.
The process they underwent as a family and the growth of the children as their biggest ever pro...more

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Apr 26, 2011 Pamela rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: my daughter

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 27, 2010 Alexia561 rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, review-copy

This was an interesting book with an interesting premise. I had heard of this family project through morning talk shows and various news outlets, but had misunderstood what they were actually doing. I thought that they were giving away half of everything they owned, but they were actually selling their house and giving half of the proceeds to charity. This story explains how the decision came about, how they chose the charity, and the various missteps along the way.

While wanting to become active...more This was an interesting book with an interesting premise. I had heard of this family project through morning talk shows and various news outlets, but had misunderstood what they were actually doing. I thought that they were giving away half of everything they owned, but they were actually selling their house and giving half of the proceeds to charity. This story explains how the decision came about, how they chose the charity, and the various missteps along the way.

While wanting to become actively involved in charity and helping others beyond just writing a check is noble, I had mixed feeling about the Salwen family. They seemed like nice people, but I couldn't really relate to them. Probably because they lived so differently than my family. While I don't think that they were Bill Gates rich, their planned donation was $800,000, which was half of the proceeds from selling their home. Not exactly the people next door....

Thankfully, the Salwens seem to be aware that they are privileged and aren't snooty about their good fortune. I liked one of the quotes in the book when they started discussing their project with others: "We didn't want to sound cocky or arrogant or preachy. We were eager not to be perceived as strange. And we had become acutely aware that sloppy communication of our project could make others feel less charitable in their own efforts." So they are aware that this is an unusual situation and they do try to be considerate of others, but I still had mixed feelings.

Towards the beginning of their journey when they are cleaning out year's worth of accumulated items, they held a yard sale. Dad Kevin is discouraged because he felt that the sale didn't go very well and now they had to get rid of the leftovers. Son Joseph was more upbeat about the results, pointing out that they made almost five hundred dollars. Five hundred dollars. From a yard sale. When we cleaned out my in-laws home and had a yard sale, we only made enough money to pay for the permit and then dinner afterwards. Guess the rich are different than you and me. Just another example of how I couldn't really relate to this family.

Aside from reminders of how different their lives are from mine, I did find this book inspiring. While we're not going to sell our house, and I doubt that the heads of various charities would meet with us to discuss sponsorships, it is a reminder that individuals can make a difference in the world. I really liked the kids, Hannah and Joseph. Hannah sounds like an amazing young woman, and I loved that Joseph was sort of the voice of reason in the family despite his young age. Didn't care for the parents as much, but I think it was just that I couldn't relate to their lifestyle and assumptions. Think that the family was brave in sharing their story, as they knew that there would be some negative reactions.

While I don't usually read non-fiction, this book was worth reading and actually made me want to become more charitable. Gave it a 3/5 as Dad Kevin is a good writer and it was fun to "meet" Hannah and Joseph, but I still had a hard time relating to the family and their project. (less)

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Apr 10, 2010 Robin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography-memoir, for-grown-ups

I thought that this book was really going to annoy me, but actually, the authors seem like pretty good people.

Considering the father co-author was a journalist, I was a little surprised at his over-reliance on brand names. Throughout reading, I worried for the son -- The daughter, Hannah, is the star of this story, and her brother is continually shown lagging behind in enthusiasm, in maturity, in selflessness, in everything. I think if these were my kids and it was not intended as a tell-all (a...more

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Nov 24, 2010 Erika rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-has, read-in-2010

An interesting, detailed book about how one family decided to sell their multimillion dollar home to buy one half its size, then give the price difference to the poor.

Inspired by their daughter's desire to make a difference in the world, and more or less in spite of their son's initial indifference, the Salwens decided to sell their big Victorian home in a wealthy Atlanta neighborhood. In exchange, they'd buy a smaller house nearby, and give the money they saved to charity.

What follows is a some...more

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Mar 22, 2010 Beth rated it 2 of 5 stars

This motivational tale of a family who, spurred on by their teen daughter Hannah's altruistic desires, sold their McMansion in Atlanta GA and donated half of the proceeds to the Hunger Project is meant to demonstrate a relatable way to make a difference: choose a number, like 50%, and commit to donating or cutting that amount from your life. There are going to be some who just can't relate to what the Salwens were are to sacrifice, or having generous neighbors who agree to slash the price on a p...more This motivational tale of a family who, spurred on by their teen daughter Hannah's altruistic desires, sold their McMansion in Atlanta GA and donated half of the proceeds to the Hunger Project is meant to demonstrate a relatable way to make a difference: choose a number, like 50%, and commit to donating or cutting that amount from your life. There are going to be some who just can't relate to what the Salwens were are to sacrifice, or having generous neighbors who agree to slash the price on a property they are selling and donate an additional $100,000 to a charitable endeavor.

Dad Kevin shares getting caught up in the rat race to improve/upgrade with each promotion, and how being more "successful" served to fragment the family in ways they weren't even really aware until they made changes. I read through the first half of the book, which covers the background of the family, incorporates facts about everything from world hunger to how much people donate to charity, and includes the details of what may be, to some parents, a unique and visionary decision-making process for making immense lifestyle changes: letting the votes of the children count as much of that of the parents.

High schooler Hannah lends her voice in suggesting activities for readers at regular intervals, to help them begin to make a difference in the world around them. Sharing that the son Joseph used the project to enter a documentary competition (that he won) and then squandered the majority of the prize money on a new guitar (with the agreement of the rest of the family) doesn't sit well with me - their reasoning was it was his money, and their project was about the money from the house.

I think this could have used stronger editing. I found it repetitive in details and slow moving, and the parts by Hannah didn't seem strategically placed, often breaking up the narrative. I don't think her enthusiasm comes through, and she is the driving force behind the project. Tighter editing and more Hannah would make this more appealing, and convinced me to see it through all the way to the end, but I'm setting it aside.(less)

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Aug 27, 2010 Devin rated it 2 of 5 stars

I'm sad that I'm only giving this book 3 stars. I was really excited to read it but in the end found it was somewhat lacking, so I only "liked it". In fact, were it not for the underlying premise of the story - giving up one's stuff to help the less fortunate - I would have to say its only "ok". The foundation of the families actions is beyond reproach and I think we could all use more of their giving mentality.
The pros to the book were its realistic description of the process of giving, the...more

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Feb 24, 2012 Nancy Kennedy rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's a beautiful thing when a reporter who writes as well as Kevin Salwen tells his own family's story. This book chronicles the transformation of the Salwens as they begin to contemplate -- at their teen daughter's urging -- selling their Atlanta mansion and donating half the proceeds ($800,000) to charity.

Mr. Salwen writes insightfully about the motivations and reactions of each family member. (I did feel a little sorry for Joseph, the younger child, who seemed cajoled into agreement.) But you...more It's a beautiful thing when a reporter who writes as well as Kevin Salwen tells his own family's story. This book chronicles the transformation of the Salwens as they begin to contemplate -- at their teen daughter's urging -- selling their Atlanta mansion and donating half the proceeds ($800,000) to charity.

Mr. Salwen writes insightfully about the motivations and reactions of each family member. (I did feel a little sorry for Joseph, the younger child, who seemed cajoled into agreement.) But you just can't fault a family that downsizes their living space (and possessions) by half and earmarks a huge chunk of cash to an organization that works to end hunger in Africa. In fact, they pledge their gift even as their house sits unsold in a worsening economy, and then vow that they'll use money socked away for the kids' college to make up any shortfall. This is an admirable family any way you look at it.

I just finished Jim Moret's The Last Day of My Life, in which he undergoes a financial setback, but then apparently rebounds into the very same high net worth lifestyle he always had. The Salwens turn their back on much of their former lifestyle, although it can't be said that they suffer. They live in more than 3,000 square feet of space. They have house cleaners. The kids go to private schools. They jet around to evaluate charities and tour Africa. Mr. Salwen himself admits to, and appreciates, these luxuries.

It did bother me that the book was written so soon. When the house sells for a drastically lower price, did they liquidate assets or did they give less? How and where is the Salwens' money used? They realize that the approach they've chosen basically calls on them to hand out money with no personal involvement, as if to a beggar on the street. Does that bother them eventually? They ponder how they'll feel if their contribution does no good. In that case, they apparently have a fallback position. In the last chapter, Mr. Salwen says of the project that "first and foremost it was about our family. It was enlightened self-interest." Funny, I thought it was about alleviating suffering.

Despite that disconcerting statement, there's no denying the family does undergo an enviable transformation, becoming closer to each other and strengthening their individual talents and commitment to community. If they also helped to end hunger somewhere in the world, I guess that's the icing on the cake. (less)

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Dec 29, 2010 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was kind of interesting to read about the process that they went through to donate their money. It's kind of hard to pat them on the back though for "downsizing" their house to the size that most American middle class families live in. When you live in a 6,500 SF $1.8 million house, it really shouldn't be that hard to downsize. The process of vetting the charities and what kinds of aid work vs. what kinds of aid are a waste of money was the most thought-provoking part, in addition to how th...more

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title link	preview: The Power of Half: One Family's Decision to Stop Taking and Start Giving Back
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The Power of Half: One Family's Decision to Stop Taking and Start Giving Back

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