More Resources about Generosity
- For the psychological benefits of generosity, any books by Martin Seligman or Robert Emmons are recommended.
- A book entitled The Paradox of Generosity, by Christian Smith and Hilary Davidson offers a review of attitudes and benefits of generosity both for individuals and groups, based largely on survey data.
- The Wisdom of Generosity by William Jackson is a compendium of writings about generosity from many different religious and cultural traditions.
- The Foundation by Joel Fleishman, et al documents the many benefits of society that have been produced through the work of private foundations.
- Morality, by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sachs, illustrates the fundamental role of virtues such as generosity in a functioning society. Other books by Sachs are recommended as well.
- For personal reflections on the experience of generosity, consider Enough by Jack Bogle, the founder of the Vanguard Group and Rambam’s Ladder, a meditation on the eight stages of Tredakah, as outlined in the middle ages by the scholar Maimonides, by Julie Salamon
- Finally, The New York Times frequently visits topics related to generosity in the “Well” section. See for instance the recent piece by Christina Caron on June 8, 2023 reviewing the work of Emmons and others.