Numerically, 1961 was the “first upside-up year,” as MAD Magazine put it. An upside-up year is a year where the numbers in the first two places are the same if they turned upside down. The digits in the year date weren’t the only things that could be turned upside down in 1961. During John F. Kennedy’s encouraging inaugural address, he challenged the United States to: “ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”

In the spirit of Kennedy’s inaugural challenge, Bill Clinton ups the ante for America in his new book where he extends the call to service beyond our “country,” and examines what we can do for the world. Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World, is an omnibus donation of actual examples of powerful efforts to change the world by some of the most expected and unexpected people. Money magnates, rockers, pupils, doctors, and the ill themselves all grace the altruistic anecdotes of the former President.

With little to no resources or millions of dollars to their discretion, people are doing extraordinary things and positively affecting the world. Just like Clinton’s bestseller memoir My Life, Giving is a book populated with people of real influence. The names of Dr. Paul Farmer, Oseola McCarty, Gloria de Souza, Mukhtaran Bibi, or Richard Caring’s might not be splashed on the covers of national periodicals, but their deeds course through the hearts of the forgotten–these “givers” are regular people doing amazing things.

But there are also people of note changing the world. Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, and Bono have also started foundations that are making a difference in lives that otherwise would be abandoned to cruel and inhuman destinies. Famous athletes like Andre Agassi have made points from love in their foundations to help the disadvantaged score a chance for college. Tiger Woods burns bright too, because when it comes to assistance, the proof is in the putting for children who can take advantage of the generous foundation created by the Michael Jordan of golf himself. By the way, Michael Jordan himself has been helping in myriad of charities for quite some time now.