Rambam's Ladder: A Meditation on Generosity and Why It Is Necessary to Give [Hardcover]

Julie Salamon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 16, 2003

The Eight Steps of Giving

Nearly a thousand years ago the great philosopher and physician Maimonides, known to Hebrew scholars as Rambam, pondered the question of righteousness Out of it came the Ladder of Charity.

Rambam's Ladder, written by Julie Salamon, the bestselling author and New York Times culture writer, is a book that will inspire every reader to get a toehold on the ladder and start climbing. In eight chapters, one for each rung, the book helps us navigate the world of giving. How much to give? How do we know if our gifts are being used wisely? Is it bettter to give anonymously? Along the way, Rambam's Ladder will help all of us make our lives, and the lives of those around us, better.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

How do we become better people? Through helping others. Nearly a thousand years ago the Jewish philosopher and physician Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, known to the Greeks as Maimonides and to Hebrew scholars as Rambam, gave much thought to righteousness. Out of his philosophical exploration came what is known as the Ladder of Charity, an elegantly simple half-page of wisdom spelling out the eight steps of giving. Written with compassion and common sense, the rules are as vital today as they were in the 12th century.Julie Salamon, the bestselling author and New York Times culture writer, makes the 1,000-year-old wisdom come alive in Rambam's Ladder, a short, inspirational book that motivates every reader to get a toehold on the ladder and start climbing, from the bottom rung--To give begrudgingly, as we often will to a panhandler--to the top, where the gift is such that the receiver becomes self-reliant. In eight chapters, one for each rung, the book helps us navigate the world of giving. How much to give? How do we know if our gifts are being used wisely?Is it better to give anonymously? If giving overly benefits the giver, is it somehow corrupt? And it reminds us of the deep vein of charity and goodness that runs through America. With interviews of foundation presidents and small-business owners, multi-millionaires and the homeless who poured out of a Bowery shelter on 9/11 to help straggling survivors, Rambam's Ladder is an uplifting book with a timeless message: give better, and live better.

About the Author

Julie Salamon, a culture writer and critic for The New York Times since May 2000, has also been a reporter and film critic for The Wall Street Journal. Her journalism has appeared in The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Bazaar, and The New Republic. Salamon is the author of six books, White Lies, a novel; The Devil's Candy, a study of Hollywood film making gone awry; The Net of Dreams, a family memoir; The Christmas Tree, a novella that was a New York Times best-seller; and Facing the Wind. Salamon received a B.A. degree from Tufts University and a J.D. degree from New York University Law School. She lives in New York with her husband and two children.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Workman Publishing Company; First Edition/First Printing edition (September 16, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761128093
• ISBN-13: 978-0761128090
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #174,525 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars thoughtful and beautifully written, October 28, 2003

By 

Meg Cox "journalist/author/quilter" (Princeton, New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: Rambam's Ladder: A Meditation on Generosity and Why It Is Necessary to Give (Hardcover)

The first thing to know about this fine book is that it does NOT preach. The object is not to make the reader feel guilty, but to think and search within herself or himself. The word "meditation" on the cover is key: this is a glimpse into Julie Salamon's own soul-searching, amplified by her talents as a researcher and writer. Reading this slender book is like taking a seminar from a very wise teacher, and taking the lesson in deeply. Julie talks to everyone from rich philanthropists to a homeless man she encountered often, and helps us think through some of the deepest goals of philanthropy. This is a quiet book that will make you really think about something that deserves thought: how does giving change the world, and us, in the best possible way? I know it will change the ways in which I give, and the reasons I give as well.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars eloquent and important -- that rare combination, October 28, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Rambam's Ladder: A Meditation on Generosity and Why It Is Necessary to Give (Hardcover)

One of the many virtues of "Rambam's Ladder" is that it can be read in one sitting! I never expected it to be a page-turner, but Salamon managad to find so many ways to keep me reading, from the running character of David the homeless man to the steps of the ladder to her examination your own experiences and feelings. At several points i found myself stopping to reflect (guiltily) on my own circumstances/attitudes/experiences. I can't imagine anyone reading it and not having a some form of personal response. Her honesty and clarity (and wisdom) made it so compelling, and her interviews with people like the executive at Citibank and her friend Patti --and her little stories, like the one about the young guys on the subway -- balanced the historical material perfectly. It will have a profound impact on everyone who reads it.

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Giving while living, October 28, 2003

By 

Estelle Jacobs "Wannabe writer" (Chevy Chase, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rambam's Ladder: A Meditation on Generosity and Why It Is Necessary to Give (Hardcover)

Rambam's Ladder is a primer for charitable giving. As to Mr. Draiman's criticism that Ms Salamon never actually told us HOW to give, he missed her point. Clearly, the steps on Rambam's ladder gave us the blueprint. It is up to each of us to choose HOW and how much. Just as no one can tell us HOW to live, the right role model can inspire our choices. Maimonides was an exceptional role model. Evidently, Mr. Draiman and I were reading two different books. On pg.5, "He was Rabbi Moses ben Maimon....Among his most significant works was a treatise on God and metaphysics..'The Guide to the Perplexed'."
This book should be given as a gift to teenagers. It will open their minds to the beauty of tikkun olam (healing the world) and tzedukah (justice). It's a great gift for a friend, as well.