This engaging book about public-spirited entrepreneurs quietly putting something back into society is a much-needed corrective to the image of business as a series of corporate excesses. It also shows how any would-be philanthropist wanting to "make a difference" can do so without the bottomless pockets of a Bill Gates or Warren Buffett, both of whom have recently turned over the bulk of their fortunes to easing global poverty and sickness.

Philanthropy has become fashionable: the wealthy are increasingly serious about using their assets to change the world. "It makes the whole business of making money worthwhile," said one of the 23 individuals interviewed for the book.

But while some subjects, such as Jeff Skoll of eBay and the sports shop founder Sir Tom Hunter, have invested many millions, others manage to "make a difference" with much less. Peter Ryan, a manager with a French food company, spent £25,000 on setting up a foundation, with the patronage of Bob Geldof, to provide micro-loans to women in Malawi wanting to start a business.

The most significant factor driving the new philanthropists is willingness to invest their time and expertise, as in the old Chinese saying about buying a man a fish and feeding him for a day, or teaching him how to fish and feeding him for life.

This new generation of givers also knows how to inspire others. Niall Mellon, a Dublin property developer who builds three-bedroomed houses to replace shacks in South African townships, has a team of volunteer craftspeople to help him, paying for their own flights.

The Handys' book may encourage others to think how they can contribute. If business really wants to polish its public image, it needs a few corporate or City exemplars to join the entrepreneurs and redirect their bonuses to social ends.