STEPPING UP How Taking Responsibility Changes Everything

Passivity and avoidance of life are no match for the energizing ideas in John Izzo’s latest gem. Instead of complaining, blaming, and waiting for others to fix the world’s problems, we can find opportunities for action right under our noses, he says, with our families, at work, and in our neighborhoods and the world. And he shows us how. The book is powerful because of its inspiring stories of how people have made a difference for others and because Izzo is so adept at explaining how to move beyond our excuses and feelings of helplessness. His speaking voice is not as smooth or appealing as we would like, but its streetwise tone is fitting for his incisive message: We have what it takes to feel more effective and alive in our own immediate worlds. T.W. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2012]