Acts of Compassion: Caring for Others and Helping Ourselves by Robert Wuthnow (E

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States that those who are most involved in acts of compassion are no less individualistic than anyone else - and that those who are the most intensely individualistic are no less involved in caring for others.

FORMATPaperback LANGUAGEEnglish CONDITIONBrand New Publisher Description

Robert Wuthnow finds that those who are most involved in acts of compassion are no less individualistic than anyone else--and that those who are the most intensely individualistic are no less involved in caring for others.

Notes

Vigorously argued, beautifully written, drawing intelligently on evidence from surveys and from some extraordinary interviews, Acts of Compassion sheds a great deal of light on a central area of American life, namely volunteerism and charity... A book for the serious scholar and the concerned layperson alike. -- Robert N. Bellah, coauthor of "Habits of the Heart" and "The Good Society"

Back Cover

"Vigorously argued, beautifully written, drawing intelligently on evidence from surveys and from some extraordinary interviews,Acts of Compassionsheds a great deal of light on a central area of American life, namely volunteerism and charity. . . . A book for the serious scholar and the concerned layperson alike."--Robert N. Bellah, coauthor of "Habits of the Heart" and "The Good Society"

Author Biography

Robert Wuthnow is Professor of Sociology at Princeton University.

Table of Contents

*FrontMatter, pg. i*Contents, pg. v*Acknowledgments, pg. vii*CHAPTER ONE: An American Paradox, pg. 3*CHAPTER TWO: Caring and/for Our Selves, pg. 18*CHAPTER THREE: Talking about Motives, pg. 49*CHAPTER FOUR: Finding Fulfillment, pg. 86*CHAPTER FIVE: Conviction and Community, pg. 121*CHAPTER SIX: Along the Road, pg. 157*CHAPTER SEVEN: Bounded Love, pg. 191*CHAPTER EIGHT: The Tarnished Image, pg. 221*CHAPTER NINE: Envisioning a Better Society, pg. 249*CHAPTER TEN: The Case for Compassion, pg. 282*Notes, pg. 311*Index, pg. 331

Review

"Wuthnow's writing is renowned within sociological discourse for being lucid, jargon-free, and insightful--all characteristics of this newest work... [Wuthnow] has made a provocative and stimulating case."--James A. Mathisen, Christianity Today

Promotional

Vigorously argued, beautifully written, drawing intelligently on evidence from surveys and from some extraordinary interviews, Acts of Compassion sheds a great deal of light on a central area of American life, namely volunteerism and charity... A book for the serious scholar and the concerned layperson alike. -- Robert N. Bellah, coauthor of "Habits of the Heart" and "The Good Society"

Kirkus US Review

Why do Americans collectively devote 20 billion hours of their time each year to helping others? To find out, Wuthnow (Sociology/Princeton; The Restructuring of American Religion, 1988) surveyed 2110 adults across the land, many of whom provided in-depth interviews; he presents his conclusions in this penetrative, well-written work. Americans, explains Wuthnow, are instinctively uneasy about describing exactly why they perform good deeds. He helps to clarify their motivations with a deft narrative that weaves together the stories of very different types of good Samaritans - from the rescue-squad worker with his "iceman" approach to helping others, to the pediatric cardiologist who combines professionalism and empathy as she deals with the bereaved parents of babies she's lost, to the Presbyterian missionary who's inspired by evangelical fervor. Each subject is willing to work through a plurality of motivations to get to the bottom of his or her desire to do good because, according to Wuthnow, "Motive-talk provides connections with our cultural heritage. It associates us with the various values we have been taught to accord prominence." In each case, Wuthnow uncovers a need to reconcile individuality - which he sees as a defining American cultural value - with altruism. The author finds that most Americans, even liberal clerics, prefer to describe their impulse to help others in terms of self-fulfillment rather than theology, and that most "situationalize' their stories, focusing on individuals rather than on principles. In spite of what Wuthnow sees as a tendency of Americans to set limits on their caring, a striking 31 percent, he reveals, are involved in "charity or social-service activities, such as helping the poor, the sick, or the elderly." Elegant, illuminating, and of significant interest in this decade of need and limits. (Kirkus Reviews)

Long Description

Robert Wuthnow finds that those who are most involved in acts of compassion are no less individualistic than anyone else--and that those who are the most intensely individualistic are no less involved in caring for others.

Review Quote

Wuthnow's writing is renowned within sociological discourse for being lucid, jargon-free, and insightful--all characteristics of this newest work. . . . [Wuthnow] has made a provocative and stimulating case. -- James A. Mathisen, Christianity Today

Details ISBN0691024936 Author Robert Wuthnow Publisher Princeton University Press Language English ISBN-10 0691024936 ISBN-13 9780691024936 Media Book Format Paperback Year 1993 Imprint Princeton University Press Subtitle Caring for Others and Helping Ourselves Place of Publication New Jersey Country of Publication United States Birth 1946 Illustrations black & white illustrations Residence NJ, US Pages 364 Short Title ACTS OF COMPASSION REV/E Edition Description Revised Translated from English DOI 10.1604/9780691024936 UK Release Date 1993-06-06 NZ Release Date 1993-06-06 US Release Date 1993-06-06 Publication Date 1993-06-06 Alternative 9780691073903 DEWEY 361.2 Audience Professional & Vocational AU Release Date 1993-08-16 We've got this

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