Here are over forty first-person stories (contributors range from Surya Dass to Thich Nat Hanh to John F. Kennedy, Jr.) that concretely demonstrate the dynamic power of compassion. There is the story of a monk who welcomed a dying, underprivileged child into his home, giving the boy nine months of peace and attention before his death. In another story, a civil rights protester tells how she learned compassion and love for the “opposition” from a cellmate. Underlying each of these stories is the belief that intentional acts of kindness can have unintended, extraordinary and far-reaching consequences. Bloom's compilation is truly a gift to the world. These stories demonstrate in concrete terms how our simple acts of compassion can change our own lives, as well as those around us.