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You are here: Home / Books / On my Desk this Week: The Power of Half by Kevin and Hannah Salwen

On my Desk this Week: The Power of Half by Kevin and Hannah Salwen

March 27, 2010 by Paul Banas Leave a Comment

What to say about this modern reality-show style book that hasn’t been said before. The bookshelves are filled with this type of thing: the guy who lives and dresses like Jesus for a year, the couple who give up the phone, television, and computer, and of course, Julie writing about her adventures with a year full of Julia Child recipes. This is the year (or years?) of the concept book, and we’re all curious to imagine what insights can be pulled from a year of slavish devotion to a book gimmick.

41T-St0SZlL._SL160_.jpg The Power of Half is different, of course, because it appeals to our better natures and takes on a cause. It is not a marketing exercise, nor I think, did it start as a self-help ritual to bring order to this family’s life. Instead, The Power of Half grew out of a realization any of us above the average income in the United States (notice, I did not say median) at least sometimes feel: that with the vast majority of world citizens consuming far less than we do, living on far smaller parcels of land, and driving tinier cars, we might be able to cut back quite a bit and not feel any real psychic pain.

From what I’ve read, the Salwen’s have struggled to communicate their experience without sounding sanctimonious. “Half” sounds so big, but they say that it was a benchmark, rather than just saying “some” and never managing to give very much. They don’t seem to want everyone to be wowed by what they did, but want to inspire others to take on big challenges both to help others and to improve life as a family unit. From the very first pages, written by the dad, Kevin Salwen, you can feel the pride he has that his daughter Hannah wanted to take on this project, and how the family learned to communicate better as they took on something together.

Be aware that if you buy this book and leave it lying around, your fifteen year old might just call a realtor and put your house up for sale. I doubt it, but, from what Kevin Salwen says, he wasn’t expecting that to happen to him.

$1 of each copy sold will be donated to Rebuilding Together, a charity serving America’s low-income home-owners at no charge to those with greatest need.

Filed Under: Books, News

About Paul Banas

Paul Banas is happy married dad of two great kids living in San Francisco. He writes now about kids, new technology and how the two interact for GreatDad.com and for Pregnancy Magazine (pregnancymagazine.com) where he is also the publisher.

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Great Dad Talks is a series of conversations with experts on all aspects of the family adventure. With the perspective that “dads don’t always think like moms,” our mission is to support dad voices and our slightly different approaches to parenting. We’ll try to find solutions to every day challenges like getting kids off the couch and making STEM classes available for both boys and girls. But we’ll also tackle bigger issues when they come. The one main theme will be to support dads in the most important role of their lives that of being a great dad. Connect with us at greatdad.com and watch the video version of these podcasts at YouTube.com/greatdadnews

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In this episode of Great Dad Talks, guest Zach Watson dives deep into the often-misunderstood topic of “mental load” in modern partnerships and parenting. Zach, known for his educational and relatable takes on invisible labor in relationships, shares how the mental and emotional workload disproportionately impacts women—often in ways that go unrecognized by men.

Whether you’re struggling with household challenges, feeling disconnected from your partner, or just want to strengthen your role as a dad and partner, this episode is for you. 

Check out Jim’s website at zachthinkshare.com

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