50 Facts That Should Change the World

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Summary: A shocking look at what is going on in the world today
Review: 50 Facts That Should Change The World is a shocking, eye-opening look at what is really going on in the world today. The cold statistics are so severe they speak for themselves, yet each one is elaborated upon with several pages explaining why the stark reality of the statistic has come to be, and what can be done about it. Figures such as "black men born in the US today stand a one in three chance of going to jail" and "children living in poverty are three times more likely to suffer a mental illness than children from wealthy families" don't lie - and the needed efforts to change these figures would transform life as we know it, if only more people would become aware and take action.



Rating:
Summary: CHAPTER TITLES SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES
Review: Here are just a few: ONE IN FIVE OF THE WORLD'S PEOPLE LIVES ON LESS THAN $1 A DAY--THERE ARE 27 MILLION SLAVES IN THE WORLD TODAY--CARS KILL TWO PEOPLE EVERY MINUTE--EVERY WEEK, AN AVERAGE OF 88 CHILDREN ARE EXPELLED FROM AMERICAN SCHOOLS FOR BRINGING A GUN TO CLASS. This is one of those books you pick up in the bookstore and 35 minutes later you're still standing there. I'm not sure what's worse, the fact that these things are true or the fact that we in the civilized world are so far removed. When you read something like MORE THAN 70% OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION HAVE NEVER HEARD A DIAL TONE it can only make you humble, make you realize how great we have it in our culture. Information like this makes you realize just how large this world is--both in size and diversity--and how small our own little circles are. A fact like IN KENYA, BRIBERY PAYMENTS MAKE UP A THIRD OF THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD BUDGET makes you think, if only about how different lifestyles really can be. It may not be our job to solve things for everyone, but we'll never have empathy for anyone or anything if we don't at least SEE the way others live. Again, it's sad enough that people have to live in certain situations or with certain conditions--but it's even worse that so many of us live in such a bubble that except for sports scores and reality show outcomes and the 3 or 4 calls we missed on our cell phone we don't really care what happens elsewhere. I can only hope social studies teachers buy this book and read these out loud to their students.

Rating:
Summary: Great book!!
Review: I believe with this book Ms. Williams is trying to give us enough statistics and information so that if we previously don't care or not aware of what is going on in the world, we can spur to action after reading this book. I certainly hope people do this!

This book is about the inequalities that go on everyday in the world. From - slavery to the flesh trade to war, etc. This book has lots of information and has websites and links on the end of the book which help the reader understand how they can help make a difference. The purpose of this book is to find the root cause of our problem so that we can make the world a better place so we don't have to put a club in our car, live in the suburbs and own 10 handguns. At the end of this book, there are great resources on the web that we can go to to make a difference.

As Paul states in his great review, most Americans don't know or understand these things because of the protective shell we live in. One solution that I can think of to help with that is to please go visit other countries - developing countries. Contrary to what you hear and watch in the media, 99% of people in developing countries (even Middle Eastern countries) welcome Americans with open arms. Also, read "Confessions of an Economic Hitman". That is a great book to go with this one.

Rating:
Summary: Read with a grain of salt.
Review: I paged through this book at the store , but did not buy it. It looked promising until I came to the chapter about 88(?) kids caught going to school with guns each day. A shocking statistic yes, but the author uses this cold "fact" to put a political spin on gun control. Partway into this chapter, it is stated that if the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, well known as the Assault Weapons Ban, is allowed to sunset, then guns such as the AK-47 and Uzi will once again be allowed to be sold in this country.

Anyone who has ever read the AWB of 1994 knows that ownership of so-called assault weapons was never banned, no weapons were confiscated as a direct result of the passage of this law. The law merely prohibted importation and new manufacture of nineteen weapons by name, and some others by description. Assault weapons made prior to 1994 were allowed to be owned, bought and sold in the USA. Gun makers made mostly cosmetic changes to their firearms to allow them to be legally sold after the ban went into effect. The number of semi-automatic weapons in the USA actually went up, especially right before the law was passed in 1994. The AWB of 1994 certainly had no effect on the number of kids who bring handguns to school.

I wonder what spin the author has placed on the other facts presented in this book.