Passionaries: Turning Compassion into Action

By Barbara R. Metzler

Book Overview

Passionaries' thirty-five profiles describe leaders of volunteer organizations that are significantly impacting millions of lives. Each story chronicles the personal inspiration behind the organization, the obstacles its creator had to overcome, and lives that have been touched or changed. The success of these heroes is shared with more than twenty million mini-passionary volunteers who donate millions of hours annually--and also create ripples of vision and change. Readers will be touched, moved, and inspired. They will have access to important facts, figures, and contact information, which can encourage their active participation. Often inspired by no more than an impulse or idea, many of these passionaries have been content to work in anonymity.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1599471051
• ISBN13: 9781599471051
• Release Date: October 2006
• Publisher: Templeton Press
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

General-interest public library collections with readers interested in social issues will find PASSI

Plenty of books advocate compassionate action, but few are as specific on how to go about translating ideals into action as PASSIONARIES, which offers up profiles of visionaries that made changes. These profiles document the transition from ideal to action, including special circumstances that spurred action and how they got started and overcame obstacles. General-interest public library collections with readers interested in social issues will find PASSIONARIES inspirational. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

Refreshing Perspective on Society

What an inspiring book! Often all we hear about are the negative aspects of society. It is refreshing to read about the positive things happening and the people out there that are making the world a better place.

A brilliant book on combining sympathy with initiative!

Responding to a perpetually asked question, "What is my role in making a difference?" Passionaries combines sympathy with initiative through inspirational stories that call us to live with purpose while responding to the countless opportunities that exist around us. Barbara Metzler's book ignites hope in the hearts of its' readers while allowing them to grasp they themselves can become social entrepreneurs and induce ripples of change around the world.

An Inspirational Gift

Barbara Metzler has given the world a rare, inspirational gift in Passionaries. All of us have had impulsive moments wanting to improve a circumstance, right a wrong, or bless an overlooked people in need. Barbara has shown us how everyday people, of all ages & walks of life, have followed their impulse and changed our world - all for the better. Don't pick this book up if you don't have the time to read it al at once - you won't want to put it down. Passionaries makes a great gift, perfect for anyone!

Such an INSPIRING, heart-warming book.

PASSIONARIES will make you cry and laugh and will inspire you! The stories of people who took action and made a difference is SO HEART-WARMING and INSPIRATIONAL! The people who made a difference are ordinary, but by having a vision and a heart and taking action, they were Extraordinary. These stories recount how people can take action and have a positive impact on the lives of so many others. I loved the Starfish story - throwing them back in the ocean one starfish at a time seems tiny when you look at all the starfish on the beach, but it makes a difference to the one you toss back in! I gobbled up this book and can't wait for the author to come out with Passionaries II and III...this series reminds me of the Chicken Soup stories and creates joy and hope and good-feeling in the same way.