How to Change the World

February 18, 2013
It’s easy to feel ineffectual amid the much-publicized exploits of the movers and shakers of the world, but broadcaster and journalist Flintoff (Comp: A Survivor’s Tale) argues in this installment of the School Of Life series that anyone can make a difference. Using a range of real-life examples—from the fall of the Berlin Wall (“when enough people came, the soldiers had to let them through”) to the solitary stand of resistance by “Tank Man” in Tiananmen Square—the author shows that the secret to making an impact isn’t restricted to monumental acts of aid. Rather, Flintoff insists that people must align their passions and values with the greater good, brainstorm about ways to help, and plan ahead. The book also includes practical advice about how to get the most out of your charity dollars, and an appendix of “198 Ways to Act” (excerpted from Gene Sharp’s The Politics of Nonviolent Action) will provide plenty of fodder for conversation between burgeoning activists. The optimistic approach is refreshing, but in an attempt to reach a wide audience, Flintoff tends to water down his prescriptions and advice. Still, as a first push toward directing one’s energies outward, this is an encouraging primer. Photos. Agent: Macmillan (U.K.).