Every once in a while a book is published that reminds us what is best about being human. This is such a book. It tells the true and inspiring stories of ordinary people who became extraordinary, who changed their lives in order to make the world a better place. These amazing people live with the joy of knowing they make a difference. Their joy will inspire you. In this inspiration book, writer and film-maker Miles Roston tells the stories of people from around the world who, despite unlikely backgrounds, have used their skills and energy to change the lives of those less fortunate than themselves. They demonstrate that one person can make a difference, and by doing so live a life of sheer joy. Who would have thought that a Catholic priest from New York would end up caring for the dying in a Buddhist hospice in Thailand? Or that a marketing executive with a glamorous job at L'Oreal in Paris would open a beauty salon and restaurant in Cambodia staffed by former street kids? And there are more extraordinary journeys: the couple in Amsterdam who built an animal farm for children in a slum; the rebel leader from Darfur who fights for his people from afar; the blonde Australian who champions the rights of sex workers world-wide; the investment banker from Hong Kong who has helped thousands of children orphaned when the blood supply was contaminated by Aids; and the Methodist minister in America who discovered her preacher husband was gay, then devoted her life to helping young people threatened by violence, drug addiction and unsafe sex. What unites the people in this book is their passion and compassion. And what the book reveals is their secret: that in doing good for others, you transform your own life and gain what one person calls 'the contentment of giving'. Often eye-opening, always challenging, this is a book that can change lives – even your life.

The principles and practices of Personal Leadership help people access the inherently creative possibilities that exist when they come together from different backgrounds or with different perspectives. Instead of turning away from difference in fear or mistrust, Personal Leadership helps people engage with difference from a place of inspiration, curiosity, and full intelligence, and in alignment with their highest and best. The three authors have extensive personal experience working and living across cultures and in situations of difference, in both domestic and global contexts. The fifty stories used throughout the book to illustrate the core themes are drawn from their own lives and from those of the many Personal Leadership practitioners in global business, international education, diversity initiatives, team building, community building, international cooperation, and leadership development. Together they show how we can use Personal Leadership when we find ourselves in unfamiliar environments, in contexts that are rapidly changing, or in the midst of personal or professional transition. The book is well-written, easy to read, and intends to help us all "make a world of difference."

Fifty years ago, the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) was founded by the stroke of a pen when the National Academy of Sciences Council approved the NAE's articles of organization. Making a World of Difference commemorates the NAE anniversary with a collection of essays that highlight the prodigious changes in people's lives that have been created by engineering over the past half century and consider how the future will be similarly shaped. Over the past 50 years, engineering has transformed our lives literally every day, and it will continue to do so going forward, utilizing new capabilities, creating new applications, and providing ever-expanding services to people. The essays of Making a World of Difference discuss the seamless integration of engineering into both our society and our daily lives, and present a vision of what engineering may deliver in the next half century.

"[T]he true and inspiring stories of ordinary people who became extraordinary, who changed their lives in order to make the world a better place"--Page 4 of cover.

Quilts exemplify precious things: comfort through the warmth they provide; community, since they are often created by groups; and love, given the time and effort they require. With this in mind, legions of kindhearted quilters all over the world choose to donate their labors of love to people in need. Ruth McHaney Danner has gathered fifty-four heartwarming stories of quilters who make their compassion tangible one stitch, square, and quilt at a time. Each story introduces a quilter or group of quilters, ranging from a blind woman in Texas to preschoolers in Australia. Their gifts have the power to make recipients feel cherished and supported, even though they may never meet face-to-face. These wonderfully inspiring stories show that every quilter who has ever wondered, “But what can I do?” can do something to reach out and help others.