The first time I read this book I thought that what it had to offer was useful tools for thinking clearly and becoming more effective, but when I went back to check my understanding on a few points, I ended up re-reading most of it, which I quite enjoyed, because it is so well written. Then I thought that Lasting Contribution was primarily a matrix of fascinating ideas about acting and producing results. Since I wanted to talk about it with someone, I gave it to a friend of mine just out of college who's been asking himself a lot of hard questions about what he's going to do now (and trying to overcome his latent cynicism that whatever he does, he may not be able to make much of an impact on the world). He confessed that he would read a few pages, and then put it down to think about it for hours before moving on. During talks with my friend about this book, I began to feel something strange--hope. We concluded that this book is a carefully constructed philosophical roadmap to lead us out of the dead end of post-modernism. We're still talking about it. This is a thinking people's guide to making a difference. It's only self-help in the sense that you will find much that is helpful here. Lasting Contribution is a toolkit for effective action, and I would recommend it for anyone who has ever despaired of finding a way to be more empowered and make an impact on the world. I would especially recommend it for undergrads just out of college who want to make a difference with their lives but don't know how, business people who've begun to wonder what they're doing it all for, and non-profiters who are looking for a method to maximize their effectiveness. This is the most important book I've read this year.