Peter Singer's The Life You Can Save receives praise for its compelling arguments on ethical giving and its practical advice on effective altruism. Critics appreciate its clear, persuasive writing but find some assumptions overly idealistic. While impactful, some suggest it simplifies complex global poverty issues. Overall, it is thought-provoking and encourages positive change.

The ideal reader for Peter Singer's The Life You Can Save is a socially conscious individual interested in ethics, charity, and global poverty. Comparable to readers of William MacAskill's Doing Good Better and Nicholas Kristof's Tightrope, they seek actionable insights into making a positive impact and alleviating human suffering.

In The Life You Can Save, philosopher Peter Singer argues that affluent individuals have ethical obligations to alleviate global poverty, prioritizing the health and well-being of impoverished people over personal luxuries. He offers practical guidance on effective charitable giving, explores psychological barriers to generous behavior, and suggests new ethical standards for philanthropy based on utilitarian principles. Topics include extreme poverty and malnutrition.

Informative / Inspirational / Contemplative / Hopeful

- Peter Singer, known for his work in ethical philosophy, originally published The Life You Can Save in 2009, and later released an updated edition in 2019 to address new global circumstances and incorporate more current data.
- The Life You Can Save inspired the creation of a nonprofit organization of the same name, aimed at encouraging and supporting effective charitable giving.
- The book has a unique interactive website offering a free downloadable version and additional resources to help spread Singer's ideas about philanthropy.

**Peter Singer**  
An influential Australian philosopher known for promoting effective altruism and an advocate for utilitarian ethics, who uses his insights to explore ways to tackle global issues such as poverty and animal welfare.

Peter Singer

Adult

Book

Nonfiction

Guide

Study Guide

Before You Read

Explore The Life You Can Save reviews, reading age recommendations, and essential genre and thematic details before you start reading.

Before You Read The Life You Can Save | SuperSummary

title

content

Overview

Get ready to explore The Life You Can Save and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.

The Life You Can Save Summary and Study Guide

chapter

chapterType

section

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Preface-Part 1

The Life You Can Save Preface-Part 1 Summary & Analysis

Part 2 The Life You Can Save Part 2 Summary & Analysis

Part 3 The Life You Can Save Part 3 Summary & Analysis

Part 4 The Life You Can Save Part 4 Summary & Analysis

keyFigure

Key Figures

The Life You Can Save Key Figures

theme

Themes

The Life You Can Save Themes

Index of Terms

The Life You Can Save Index of Terms

quote

citation

character

Important Quotes

The Life You Can Save Important Quotes

primaryCharacter

Essay Topics

The Life You Can Save Essay Topics

The Life You Can Save: How To Do Your Part To End World Poverty

Before You Read

Super Short Summary

Reviews & Readership

Review Roundup

Who Should Read The Life You Can Save?

Reading Age

Book Details