29 Gifts - by Cami Walker (Paperback)

About the Book

A "New York Times" bestseller, "29 Gifts" is the insightful story of the author's life-changing experience as she embraces and reflects on the naturally reciprocal process of giving and receiving. Walker explains how giving to others renewed her energy for life.

Book Synopsis

After a devastating MS diagnosis, one woman shares her inspirational journey in gratitude and generosity--in this New York Times bestseller.

At age thirty-five, Cami Walker was burdened by an intensified struggle with multiple sclerosis, a chronic neurological disease that left her debilitated and depressed. Then she received an uncommon "prescription" from South African healer Mbali Creazzo: Give away 29 gifts in 29 days.
29 Gifts is the insightful story of the author's life change as she embraces and reflects on the naturally reciprocal process of giving. Many of Walker's gifts were simple--a phone call, spare change, a Kleenex. Yet the acts were transformative. By Day 29, not only had Walker's health and happiness improved, but she had also created a worldwide giving movement. 29 Gifts shows how a simple, daily practice of altruism can dramatically alter your outlook on the world.

Review Quotes

"29 Gifts is luminous, vivid and transformative. Reading and living its words will contribute to the world in mighty ways!"--SARK, national bestselling-author of Succulent Wild Woman and creator, PlanetSark.com

"29 Gifts stands out among other 'inspirational' books because Walker doesn't hold back. She describes her disease and symptoms in vivid detail. And it's that bravery which makes the process ring true. Following Walker's journey, one realizes that most of us give many little gifts each day. But without the right mindset, they seem like little tasks instead...Read all at once or at leisure, 29 Gifts is worth your time. Not only does it put a face on MS, it puts a face on perceptions and the power of the mind to overcome adversity."
--Deseret News UT

"[An] inspiring story of giving."
--Books for a Better Life, winner of the MS Awareness Award

"[A]heartfelt memoir... [the] book became a movement of giving."
--WellBella

"[Walker's] story is moving and inspirational; this book is likely to appeal to those striving to live a life of gratitude."
--Metapsychology Online Reviews

"[Walker] has written her book in such a way that readers from just about any faith path should be able to take away something of value...Walker is brutally honest about the physical, psychological and emotional impacts of MS in her life. She does not candy-coat her symptoms or the challenges they present. Yet her book offers hope-especially for people trapped in a mindset of scarcity."
--Curled Up With A Good Book

"A delight...Well written...At times hilariously funny, at times very sad, and at all times it had me spellbound...It is a book full of wisdom."
--Cape Times

"A poignant and insightful account of the transformative power of acts of kindness."
--Saginaw News

"A remarkable and inspiring book...I highly recommend it as a gift for someone struggling with depression, a major illness or wanting to heal on any level...Let this review be one of my 29 gifts to you and let this book be a present to someone in need."
--L.A. Intuitive Healing and Spiritual Growth Examiner

"An insightful and moving story."
--Orange County Register

"Cami's message echoes the truth that generosity of the heart is designed into the very fabric of our being. Reading 29 Gifts makes it obvious that each one of us, right where we are, surrounded with exactly what we have, is a perfect vehicle of givingness. Her intimate story, and those of others, illuminate how the power of giving is where genuine healing, meaning, and happiness are found."
--Michael Bernard Beckwith, author of Spiritual Liberation: Fulfilling Your Soul's Potential

"Glimpses into Walker's day-to-day difficulties...crop up among the stories of her daily gifts, grounding the work in personal details...An admirable reworking of The Secret (in that it should actually help someone, at least gift recipients)."
--Publishers Weekly

"I really love the idea of the 29 gifts, and the book did a good job of getting me to stop and think about how one's attitude toward the world colors one's experience of it."
--Roanoke Times

"If you like reading a book for content, then you will really like this book...Cami's book was certainly an inspiration to me. I plan to start my 29 days soon."
--Albany Herald

"In the African village, the relentless challenge of physical survival causes people to dig deep into the well of their psyches to offer gifts of the heart-to family, community, spirit. These are the simple gestures which flow over the barrenness of daily living and the lack of creature comforts. Cami and Mbali have joined forces to help us realize that the spirit of the village lives in the simplest of kind-hearted and well-intentioned gestures, wherever they are offered. The message of this book has never been more relevant, more needed, more valuable."--Malidoma Patrice Somé, author of Of Water and the Spirit

"In this season of giving, 29 Gifts cuts to the very heart of the thing: giving to enrich and share rather than receive. If it doesn't change your life, it will at least make you think."
--January

"It reminded me a lot of Michael J Fox's book, since it was more about the journey rather than the author...29 Gifts is a great read. The author's tone throughout the book is extremely friendly and upbeat, even while recounting her darkest moments...This is the practical component of The Secret... One of the many things I found great about this book is that while it exudes positivism, the author, Cami Walker, is a realist...The relative simplicity of the 29 gifts movement is refreshing...A fantastic book."
--Blogcritics.org

"It's all very uplifting, potentially of genuine value in teaching people to look outside themselves and the daily grind of their lives."
--InfoDad.com

"Maybe you've caught the buzz on 29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life. Since Walker's appearance on the "Today" show two weeks ago, her inspirational story is making the rounds at light speed. Why are people so intrigued with this? Because her message is perfect for these uncertain times. For those of us immersed in pity parties because things aren't going our way, Cami's book offers a way to transform our lives and help the people around us. The best part: It doesn't have to cost a dime."
--Tampa Tribune

"Much more than a story about M.S.-it is a story about the power of giving...The experiences from [Walker's] 29 days of giving will give you much food for thought."
--MSWorld.org

"Not only is this book a bestseller in the U.S., it's become a whole spiritual movement."
--Daily Mail (UK)

"Takes the reader smoothly into the day-to-day world of a young bride (Walker) who gets a devastating medical diagnosis just weeks after her wedding...Walker's work transcends the 'inspirational and spiritual' genre, as this book is well-written to the point of approaching true eloquence...Don't wait to buy this book."
--Sacramento Book Review

"The perfect gift for anyone who needs a feel good story...I enjoyed the read. It made me give a few gifts myself."
--Book a Week with Jen blog

"The story of how even small gifts-a perfect conch shell here, three dollars there-helped give Walker a grateful heart and taught her not to be overwhelmed by illness."
--Energy Times

"This holiday season, why not embrace the spirit of giving with your own 29 days of kindness?"
--Oprah.com

"Walker describes the transformative experience of giving, and though it can be perkily Oprah-esque, its sincerity is evident and the benefits the author reaped are real."
--Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Walker presents a story that gets to the core of the emotional pain and loneliness that people feel when suffering from a serious disease like multiple sclerosis...Readers will instantly connect with this narrative of her journey...Her story unfolds nicely, and the reader is left with a good picture of what it's like to live with MS. Walker turns what could have been a book about self-pity into a great read about pain and a creative way to get on with life."
--Library Journal

"Walker's a plucky writer, and it's hard not to be inspired by her story...Can '29 Gifts' work? Well, at the very least, it makes you more aware of the good in your life, and it shifts the focus from yourself to others."
--Boston Globe

"Walker's book gives new meaning to the phrase 'giving is better than receiving'...The lessons of 29 Gifts are applicable to everyone, healthy or not. It is an easy, enjoyable read-but more importantly, it opens a reader's eyes to the ultimate gift: giving to others."
--Momentum

About the Author

Cami Walker was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2006 and created the online 29-Day Giving Challenge in April 2008. She has continued her own giving cycle every month since. She lives in Denver, CO.