Banker to the Poor: The Autobiography of Muhammad Yunus, Founder of Grameen Bank [Hardcover]

Muhammad Yunus (Author), Alan Jolis (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 24, 2001

This book is an autobiographical account of the founder of the Grameen Bank, Muhammad Yunus. This work is a fundamental rethinking of the economic relationship between the rich and the poor, as well as their rights and obligations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Not only does he possess a teacher's ability of explaining the most complex of situations in a simple manner, his enthusiasm and strong convictions are also compelling."--The Herald (UK)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 342 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (May 24, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195795377
• ISBN-13: 978-0195795370
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,490,580 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #91 in Books > History > Asia > Bangladesh

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and interesting book, May 14, 2002

By 

N. de Heij (Utrecht, Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Banker to the Poor: The Autobiography of Muhammad Yunus, Founder of Grameen Bank (Hardcover)

Muhammad Yunus describes in this book how the idea developed about starting a bank for the poor. The writing style of Yunus makes the book very easy to read; almost like a good novel. Because this book doesn't focusses on just micro-credit (because it's an autobiography) I think it's an excellent introduction to the topic of micro-credit and finding sollutions for the poor. But for more in-dept info, buy another.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life Changing!, December 13, 2003

By 

Jay Goyal (Arlington, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Banker to the Poor: The Autobiography of Muhammad Yunus, Founder of Grameen Bank (Hardcover)

Banker to the Poor is an excellent read. The style is very easy to understand, and the jumps Yunus makes between different stories, ideas, and theories keep the reader's interest throughout. However, much more so that the style, the story itself is remarkable: to see how a single idea of one man could become a global force against poverty. His example has been extremely influential for millions of people, and his pursuit of a poverty-free world no longer seems outrageous, but in fact attainable! The story was enough for me to want to change my career direction to help the microcredit revolution.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring, July 14, 2008

By 

Catherine Stripe Lester "catlest" (Grayling, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Banker to the Poor: The Autobiography of Muhammad Yunus, Founder of Grameen Bank (Hardcover)

I was inspired and amazed at the simplicity of Yunus's concept, and appalled at the resistance he met putting it into action.
It started when he found that 42 villagers were being kept in thrall -- literally bonded slavery -- to moneylenders in one village. The total sum they owed was $27. Yunus put his hand into his own pocket, and the system of microcredit was born. THEN came the long, long, attempt to get other sponsors, government help, and a lot more.
By the end of the book they have branched out into cooperatives, health care, cell-phone providers, and the internet. As he says, no US businessman would even consider operating without a telephone.... but there is criticism that "The rural poor do not need the luxury of a telephone." But telephones help the micro-borrowers improve their businesses and find the best markets for their products. So Yunus's bank, Grameen, created GremeenPhone to provide service to villages. Some villages didn't have electricity, so they then created a nonprofit company dedicated to developing wind turbines, solar energy, etc! Just one example of Yunus's progressive thinking and nothing-is-too-tough attitude!
Not in the book, but it's inspiring to see how Yunus's idea has caught on in other parts of the world. There's even a US organization, Kiva, which allows people to extend loans over the internet to individual small businesses in far-flung countries. This is an idea that has to grow.