I just read Behind the Beautiful Forevers, the exquisite narrative by Katherine Boo about life in and around India’s Annawadi slum. The narrative is simultaneously dispassionate and compassionate—and provides brilliant insights into how the world’s poorest individuals live and die, and are used for gain by politicians, corporations, wealthier individuals and even charities. The book is a must read, especially for those making international grants.

P.S. If you haven’t heard, in the current “fiscal cliff deal” the charitable deduction will continue to be coupled with an individual’s or household’s corresponding tax rate. (Therefore, if you are paying at the highest tax rate of 39.6 percent, you can continue to deduct 39.6 percent for charitable giving.) It’s critical that we all continue to let Congress know how important their decisions about charitable deductions are to the future of the nonprofit sector.