--- title: Philanthropy, from Aristotle to Zuckerberg by Paul Vellely description: "Book of the Month: “Philanthropy, from Aristotle to Zuckerberg”, by Paul Vellely" image: https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/1603712246561.jpeg --- [![Main-Logo-01-1](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Main-Logo-01-1.png?width=250&height=43&name=Main-Logo-01-1.png "Main-Logo-01-1")](https://www.thebusinessofgood.org) # Tim McCarthy and the Business of Good ## [Philanthropy, from Aristotle to Zuckerberg by Paul Vellely](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/philanthropy-from-aristotle-to-zuckerberg-by-paul-vellely) ** Jul 31, 2021 10:16:04 AM / by [Tim McCarthy](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/author/tim-mccarthy) ![1603712246561](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/1603712246561.jpeg?width=800&name=1603712246561.jpeg) Editor’s note: *I ordered the book after reading a review and was stunned by its size on arrival.**  Still I bravely dove in and found it surprisingly easy to read.  It is now the most important book I’ve read on the topic because it broadly describes giving done both very well and very poorly.  Vellely describes the causes and effects of each approach to philanthropy over time - from philosophers to religious and government; from monks to robber-barrons to current tech giants.  His well-known religious and political (and British) bias comes through and still the journalist and historian in Vellely made this book well worth my time.*   Tags: [Creativity & Favorites](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/topic/creativity-favorites) ![Tim McCarthy](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Tim-square%20edit-1.png?width=100&height=100&name=Tim-square%20edit-1.png) #### Written by [Tim McCarthy](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/author/tim-mccarthy) ### Subscribe to Email Updates - Recent - Popular - Categories ### Lists by Topic - [Creativity & Favorites (686)](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/tag/creativity-favorites) - [Monthly Newsletter (232)](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/tag/monthly-newsletter) - [Learning and Knowledge (209)](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/tag/learning-and-knowledge) - [Organizational & Operational Excellence (34)](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/tag/organizational-operational-excellence) - [Personal Well-Being (30)](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/tag/personal-well-being) - [Communication & Relationships (29)](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/tag/communication-relationships) - [Professional Growth and Development (29)](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/tag/professional-growth-and-development) - [Business & Entrepreneurship (27)](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/tag/business-entrepreneurship) - [Social Impact & Responsibility (9)](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/tag/social-impact-responsibility) ### Posts by Topic - [Creativity & Favorites (686)](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/tag/creativity-favorites) - [Monthly Newsletter (232)](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/tag/monthly-newsletter) - [Learning and Knowledge (209)](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/tag/learning-and-knowledge) - [Organizational & Operational Excellence (34)](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/tag/organizational-operational-excellence) - [Personal Well-Being (30)](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/tag/personal-well-being) - [Communication & Relationships (29)](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/tag/communication-relationships) - [Professional Growth and Development (29)](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/tag/professional-growth-and-development) - [Business & Entrepreneurship (27)](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/tag/business-entrepreneurship) - [Social Impact & Responsibility (9)](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/tag/social-impact-responsibility) [See all](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/philanthropy-from-aristotle-to-zuckerberg-by-paul-vellely#) ### Recent Posts --- Listen to Tim's Monthly Favorites on Spotify --- See Tim's Library at GoodReads ## [Tim's Book of the Month Library](https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/16122954-tim-mccarthy?shelf=books-of-the-month&utm_medium=api&utm_source=custom_widget) [![The Hunter](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1692131625l/174156145._SX50_.jpg)](https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6602634062?utm_medium=api&utm_source=custom_widget) [The Hunter](https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6602634062?utm_medium=api&utm_source=custom_widget) by [Tana French](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/138825.Tana_French) [![Man’s Search for Meaning](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1535419394l/4069._SY75_.jpg)](https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6602636003?utm_medium=api&utm_source=custom_widget) [Man’s Search for Meaning](https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6602636003?utm_medium=api&utm_source=custom_widget) by [Viktor E. Frankl](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2782.Viktor_E_Frankl) [![New Seeds of Contemplation](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348656473l/1145854._SY75_.jpg)](https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6602636488?utm_medium=api&utm_source=custom_widget) [New Seeds of Contemplation](https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6602636488?utm_medium=api&utm_source=custom_widget) by [Thomas Merton](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1711.Thomas_Merton) [![Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1284082691l/27533._SY75_.jpg)](https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6602638191?utm_medium=api&utm_source=custom_widget) [Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty](https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6602638191?utm_medium=api&utm_source=custom_widget) by [Muhammad Yunus](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1254841.Muhammad_Yunus) [![goodreads.com](https://s.gr-assets.com/images/widget/widget_logo.gif)](https://www.goodreads.com/) Share [book reviews](https://www.goodreads.com/) and ratings with Tim, and even join a [book club](https://www.goodreads.com/group) on Goodreads. ### Sign Up for Monthly Thoughts # Contact Tim Email me or connect on LinkedIn ** [tim@thebusinessofgood.org](mailto:tim@thebusinessofgood.org) [ Click the Icon to Connect ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-mccarthy-97869790/) [![Share on facebook](https://7528309.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528309/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/facebook-color.png?width=24&name=facebook-color.png) ](https://www.facebook.com/TimMcCarthyBoG/) [![Share on linkedin](https://7528302.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528302/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/linkedin-color.png?width=24&name=linkedin-color.png) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-mccarthy-97869790/) Copyright 2026 | Designed with ** by [the Business of Good](http://thebusinessofgood.org) [**](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/philanthropy-from-aristotle-to-zuckerberg-by-paul-vellely#)