Thrift and Generosity: The Joy of Giving

What is thrift? In this inspirational gift book, Templeton (a pediatric surgeon who serves as president of the Templeton Foundation Press and father Sir John Templeton's foundation) contends that a thrifty person is not a mere cheapskate. Whereas a cheapskate saves money to hoard it selfishly, a thrifty person lives frugally in order to be a good steward of resources and to contribute something to the world. Thrifty people, says Templeton, enjoy good value and are not wasteful or unethical about money. Moreover, thrifty people are generous, compassionately and habitually giving of their own wealth to help others. For a gift book, this is text heavy and a tad preachy in the style of ""Poor Richard's Almanac"" (which Templeton quotes), but the selfless, timeless values illuminated here bear repeating.