Be the Change! Change the World. Change Yourself.
by Michelle Nunn

Softcover: 336 pages
Hundreds of Heads Books
November 2006
ISBN: 9781933512006; 1933512008

"An inspiring look at the profound power of the individual to make a positive difference in the lives of others." Roxanne Spillett, President, Boys & Girls Clubs of America

"This is a book that could change your life. Read the stories of people who reached out...It's almost magic." Jim Lehrer, PBS' anchor, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer

"For more than 15 years I have worked with individuals--friends and neighbors--who are trying to make a difference in their communities. I have seen firsthand that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary accomplishments," writes editor Michelle Nunn. "This book is intended to showcase the wisdom, stories, and advice of citizens who are discovering their power to make a difference--and to help us all discover that we too have the power to change the world, and to change ourselves in the process." - from the author

Through the stories and advice of hundreds of business and government leaders, celebrities, and average citizens, Be The Change! explores each person's capacity to change the world. Intertwining practical tips on service and volunteerism with real-life stories of personal transformation, Be The Change! reveals how involvement in service can not only change the world, but also change an individual's life.

Hands On Network is a growing movement of engaged citizens who are making a tangible difference in communities across the country and the world. Hands On Network engages hundreds of thousands of volunteers through more than sixty national and international affiliates. The Network creates and manages nearly 50,000 projects a year, from building wheelchair ramps in San Francisco and teaching reading in Atlanta to rebuilding homes and lives in the Gulf Coast communities.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will go to support Hands On Network's activities.

Editor Michelle Nunn, CEO and cofounder of Hands On Network, offers reflections to create a narrative of hope. Michelle Nunn is the Cofounder and CEO of Hands On Network. She was the founding director of Hands On Atlanta, which has grown from a grassroots start-up in 1989 to become one of the nation's largest community-based volunteer organizations. Michelle graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Virginia, was a Kellogg National Fellow and has a master's degree in public administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She has also received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Oglethorpe University. She currently serves on the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation. The daughter of former Senator Sam Nunn, Michelle lives in Atlanta with her husband and two children.

The book provides practical advice, inspiration, and humor. Through these stories, readers can begin to take their own journey of service and discovery.

It would have been easy for the Greatest Generation to lay down their arms and say, "I've done my share. I'm going home to worry only about me." But they did not. They returned to serve their community, their church, their temple, their state and their nation, expanding the rights of those who had been left behind too long and dedicating their lives to what Thomas Jefferson called "the common welfare".

"Now a new generation is taking their place, a generation of young people empowered with the tools of a transformational technology: the personal computer, the Internet, the cell phone and satellites. But the best of them know there is no delete button for poverty, no insert button for morality, no cut and paste for tolerance. They know from the lessons left behind by their parents and grandparents that life is most rewarding when the boots are on the ground, hands are off the keyboard and into caring for others." - Tom Brokaw, from the Foreword

You may also enjoy the main books page, where book titles are alphabetized, or browse by subject or topic. To search by author name, you can use the search box on the right sidebar of this page. We also have book reviews listed chronologically here.