Free E-Newsletter | Soundview Executive Book Summaries

As I drove in to the offices of Soundview Executive Book Summaries this morning, I stopped for coffee. My mind was a bit preoccupied with trying to think of some promotional copy for an e-mail relating to one of our new trio of book summaries. I was so caught up in my thoughts that I nearly missed the voice of an older gentleman in the store’s entrance. He was collecting donations for a local organization that helps returning American soldiers. I’m glad I heard him, because I try not to miss an opportunity to donate to this particular cause. The holidays are known as a season for giving. Whether it’s canned food drives, donations for current soldiers or war veterans, or the famous red buckets of the Salvation Army, there are plenty of opportunities to contribute to the worthy charity of your choice.

It reminded me of a piece I read the other day in The Wall Street Journal that I wanted to share with everyone. Corporations and their employees often use the holiday season as a time for charitable giving. However, it’s a sad reality that there are individuals who attempt to capitalize on the philanthropy of others. Here is some excellent advice on the major mistakes to avoid when making charitable donations.

As for those on the receiving end of donations, Soundview recently reviewed a book that offers advice to nonprofit organizations on ways to increase their success. The book, More Than Just Money: Practical and Provocative Steps to Nonprofit Success by Allen J. Proctor, is reviewed in the latest edition of Soundview’s FREE e-newsletter Soundview Executive Book Alert. Proctor’s advice forces leaders in the nonprofit sector to address the common problem of handling operating cash.

To learn more about More Than Just Money, sign-up for the FREE e-newsletter Soundview Executive Book Alert.

Don’t forget to visit Summary.com for book summaries, FREE book reviews and exclusive Webinars.

Houston … we’ve reached Zeitgeist.

On Wednesday of this week, I read a few stories online about social networking site Facebook reaching 500 million users. Later that day, I watched ABC World News devote the bulk of an entire episode to the company. That evening, I went to a movie where one of the preview trailers was for the film The Social Network, a “based on a true story” account of the company’s founding. I devoted so much time that day to reading and hearing about Facebook that I was only able to check out Soundview’s Facebook page six or seven times.

All kidding aside, the social media site’s growth is awe-inspiring. Several like-minded media outlets wrote that if the site were a country, its population would make it the third largest on Earth. While everyone else is chipping in with their two cents about Facebook, we thought it was an opportune time to profile David Kirkpatrick’s new book The Facebook Effect: The Inside Story of the Company That Is Connecting the World. You might be surprised at what we found out when we spent some time with this book.

Of course, the only place you’ll be able to see our exclusive coverage of The Facebook Effect is in the next edition of our e-newsletter Soundview Executive Book Alert. Never read it? It’s the best place to read reviews of books that are making waves, upcoming must-read titles, and books that may have escaped your radar. Here’s a link to a previous edition of Soundview Executive Book Alert.

Soundview Executive Book Alert is one of three e-newsletters currently offered at Summary.com. Best of all, they’re all FREE and you do NOT need to be a subscriber to read them. The Soundview Executive Book Alert featuring The Facebook Effect drops in less than 10 days. Sign up now and make sure you’re on the list!