Cool to Be Kind: Random Acts and How to Commit Them [Paperback]

Val Litwin (Author), Chris Bratseth (Author), Brad Stokes (Author), Erik Hanson (Author), Catherine Ryan Hyde (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2004

In August of 2002, four twenty-something friends in Canada packed a motor home and embarked upon a three-month nonprofit marathon known coast to coast as The Extreme Kindness Tour. Their mission: to commit as many random acts of kindness in as many communities as possible. This record documents their heartwarming stories of friendship and kindness and provides readers with ways to start their own kindness movements and get involved in their own communities. From mile zero to St. John's, The Extreme Kindness Tour staffed soup kitchens, broke horses, roofed houses, delivered flowers, sang songs, visited hospitals, raised funds, and staged rallies determined to make someone's day and encourage them to "pay it forward," connecting the world through kindness. The crew originally documented their transCanadian adventures on www.extremekindness.com, which offers testimonials, resources, and inspiration for those ready to hit the road with kind acts of their own.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Even the jaded should find these four remarkable young people an inspiration if the story doesn’t shame them." -- Globe and Mail

About the Author

Val Litwin, Chris Bratseth, Brad Stokes, and Erik Hanson speak at conferences, schools, and clubs about the Kindness revolution. They all live in Victoria, British Columbia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 250 pages
• Publisher: ECW Press (June 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550226525
• ISBN-13: 978-1550226522
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,768,039 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars being kind is a heart-felt action, July 8, 2006

By 

Jonni O'Connor "Jonni O'Connor" (Vancouver Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cool to Be Kind: Random Acts and How to Commit Them (Paperback)

It was the Dalai Lama who said, "Kindness is my religion." No matter how spiritual we may think we are, if we are not genuinely aware of our potential for kindness and exercise it often, we are falling short of the mark. Being kind is a heart-felt action and one that transcends culture, class, language, sex and religion. It is the great equalizer.

Four young University of Victoria men knew how essential this equalizer is on the planet today and knew that they could awaken others to its necessity. Calling themselves the Kindness Crew, they planned and executed a three-month, cross-Canada, motorhome-driven Extreme Kindness Tour in 2002 that put the importance of kindness back on the map! From roofing to dishwashing, from garbage collecting to hugging, these four enthusiastic youths modeled random acts of kindness everywhere they went. And what did they ask in exchange? To pay it forward. The ripple effect of paying it forward meant that their contribution in town after town could be the mere beginnings of a greater kindness generated by the community itself.

Their Canadian tour was recorded by all four men - Val Litwin, Erik Hanson, Chris Bratseth and Brad Stokes - as their diarized story Cool to be Kind: Random Acts and How to Commit Them. Sponsored by anyone and everyone, the Extreme Kindness Tour was successful in accomplishing what it had set out to do. And that was just the beginning....

5.0 out of 5 stars Paying it forward in action, March 25, 2006

By 

A. Gayle Hallgren (Vancouver Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cool to Be Kind: Random Acts and How to Commit Them (Paperback)

Best selling author Catherine Ryan Hyde, the inspiration behind the Pay it Forward Movement, introduces us to the Kindness Crew, a group of four guys, Val, Brad, Erik and Chris who take a 3 month road trip across Canada. Not your usual 'coming of age' or Thelma and Louise road trip. This is a random acts of kindness tour. What's inspiring about their story is that anyone can do these small kindnesses and make a big difference. If you want a little more happiness in your own life, try some of these small acts. These guys are on a roll and I am eagerly awaiting their next book.