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jeff's review
3.0
A good effort by well meaning folks, but meets all the cliches about celebrity advocacy that they even go out of their way to point out. Better books on the topic exist.
miss_cheese's review
5.0
Easy and important book to read. Thanks for raising awareness about water problems in the world!
shealyntwelker's review against another edition
5.0
If you know me, then you know issues like the water crisis and climate change weigh very heavy on my heart and I could (and do, if you get me started) talk about it nonstop. I watched the Brave Blue World documentary a couple years ago and up to that point had the smallest understanding about the water crisis across the globe. From then I couldn’t stop thinking about it and have tried to learn more. I thought this book might just be a carbon copy of the documentary but it was so much more! One of the more important books I’ve read.
karenleagermain's review
5.0
Thank you to LibroFM and Penguin Random House Publishing Audio Group for a copy of Gary White and Matt Damon’s The Worth of Water.
The Worth of Water follows engineer Gary White and actor Matt Damon on their mission to make clean water accessible in the poorest parts of our world through their non-profit, Water.org.
The book alternates between White and Damon, each giving their own backgrounds and perspectives on the issue. I listened to the audio version, where White and Damon provided the narration for their respective chapters. White and Damon were both raised by activist parents, who instilled in them the need to try to understand cultures different than their own and to give back. White became involved in the water crisis while working towards his engineering degree and felt a strong pull towards developing solutions to help those in need. Damon became involved after his friend, Bono from U2, who is also involved in relief work, urged Damon to travel to see first-hand the desperate situation in other countries. Although the trip showed Damon a variety of issues, he focused on water after meeting a young girl who had to travel a long distance to gather daily water.
Damon and White both saw how access to water affects other aspects of life. If you have to spend so much time and energy to gather water, you don’t have that time and energy for other activities, such as school or employment. Lack of water leads to disease and affects development. When people make efforts to pay to have plumbing or clean water access, it can be outrageously or prohibitively expensive.
The Worth of Water gives many examples of how the concept of not having water is difficult for those of us who have it, to understand. One example that surprised me, was a true story of two American men who got lost on a hike. They were lost for a few days and ran out of water. One of the men became extremely distraught, certain that he would die of thirst and was so upset, that he convinced his friend to kill him, rather die of thirst. When the autopsy was performed, it revealed that he was dehydrated, but not in immediate danger of severe dehydration. His friend was found alive. Damon tells this story to illustrate how people who normally have access to water, don’t realize the boundaries of dehydration, certainly not to the point of danger. We rarely experience true thirst or dehydration. Even if we live somewhere that is in a draught and where we must conserve water, most of us living in places like the United States, do not truly appreciate how precious water can be.
The Worth of Water is a call to action. A call for people living in privileged countries to help those who live in developing areas. I found the section on micro-loans to be the most interesting, as it illustrated the way in which ordinary citizens can help. White and Damon clearly show the enormity of the water crisis, yet them keep optimistic that the situation can be fixed, but to fix it will necessitate the care and involvement of everyone, not just big organizations, governments, or those impacted, but everyone.
The Worth of Water follows engineer Gary White and actor Matt Damon on their mission to make clean water accessible in the poorest parts of our world through their non-profit, Water.org.
The book alternates between White and Damon, each giving their own backgrounds and perspectives on the issue. I listened to the audio version, where White and Damon provided the narration for their respective chapters. White and Damon were both raised by activist parents, who instilled in them the need to try to understand cultures different than their own and to give back. White became involved in the water crisis while working towards his engineering degree and felt a strong pull towards developing solutions to help those in need. Damon became involved after his friend, Bono from U2, who is also involved in relief work, urged Damon to travel to see first-hand the desperate situation in other countries. Although the trip showed Damon a variety of issues, he focused on water after meeting a young girl who had to travel a long distance to gather daily water.
Damon and White both saw how access to water affects other aspects of life. If you have to spend so much time and energy to gather water, you don’t have that time and energy for other activities, such as school or employment. Lack of water leads to disease and affects development. When people make efforts to pay to have plumbing or clean water access, it can be outrageously or prohibitively expensive.
The Worth of Water gives many examples of how the concept of not having water is difficult for those of us who have it, to understand. One example that surprised me, was a true story of two American men who got lost on a hike. They were lost for a few days and ran out of water. One of the men became extremely distraught, certain that he would die of thirst and was so upset, that he convinced his friend to kill him, rather die of thirst. When the autopsy was performed, it revealed that he was dehydrated, but not in immediate danger of severe dehydration. His friend was found alive. Damon tells this story to illustrate how people who normally have access to water, don’t realize the boundaries of dehydration, certainly not to the point of danger. We rarely experience true thirst or dehydration. Even if we live somewhere that is in a draught and where we must conserve water, most of us living in places like the United States, do not truly appreciate how precious water can be.
The Worth of Water is a call to action. A call for people living in privileged countries to help those who live in developing areas. I found the section on micro-loans to be the most interesting, as it illustrated the way in which ordinary citizens can help. White and Damon clearly show the enormity of the water crisis, yet them keep optimistic that the situation can be fixed, but to fix it will necessitate the care and involvement of everyone, not just big organizations, governments, or those impacted, but everyone.
librarytech4's review against another edition
4.0
This book discusses what Gary White and Matt Damon have done to help solve the water crisis parts of the work face. I found their efforts with micro loans to provide clean water and sanitation to third world countries very interesting and unique. They way the look at these micro loans as being a way to free up time and resources to allow people to do other tasks that do earn money is what was key to the banks to provide these micro loans. Micro loans were also a better solution to the water problem because it allows more money to be coming in and redistributed by not having the money ever really leave the organization. It just give people the resources temporarily so they can free up their time to earn a source of income.
This book is a great way for the authors to get their message out to the masses and get others on board with their projects.
This book is a great way for the authors to get their message out to the masses and get others on board with their projects.
ancaudle's review
5.0
This is such an intelligent move for water.org. It absolutely did it job by spreading awareness. It has informed and moved me as well as convinced me to help the cause. It was a fast read and very interesting. Some parts kind of got boring, not gonna lie. But I loved the honesty and humility of the writing. Learning their story and history was intriguing.
biscuithead's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
mssegallsays's review against another edition
5.0
If you have the luxury of turning on a faucet in your home for clean drinking water, you should read this book. It's the amazing story of Matt Damon and Gary White and their foundation WATER.ORG. So many of us take access to water for granted, imagine water making you sick, imagine not being able to clean your body properly. Imagine going through the pandemic without adequate water to wash your hands. Damon and White alternate telling the incredible history of their foundation, the how's, why's, and what else's we all can be doing. I highly recommend this on audio. If you can, go to WATER.ORG and donate, they have both one time and monthly options.