The candid tale of one of Britain's most outstanding contemporary philanthropists.

Partly an uplifting memoir, partly an impassioned call for action, Sir Peter Lampl's autobiography explains how a self-made entrepreneur amassed a fortune - and then describes why he chose to use it to help others.

From his humble beginnings as the son of a Viennese refugee to realising, at age 49, that he had made more money than he would ever be able to spend, this book chronicles Sir Peter's varied career and storied past. This is, after all, the man who once asked his New York neighbour (Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones) if he would mind turning it down a bit. Sir Peter will recount his time in Boston, Paris and Munich working for the Boston Consulting Group, the challenges he encountered starting a private equity firm and the experiences that led him to set up the Sutton Trust.

However, at the book's heart is a serious mission to present a concise and galvanising case for strategic philanthropy. When Sir Peter realised that the channels that had made his own journey from state school to Oxbridge to success possible had drastically narrowed and that the social mix among students was far less diverse, he knew he needed to do something.

This book will lay out the Sutton Trust's story as an example of what 'managed philanthropy' can achieve and Sir Peter will offer his insights into effecting social change. We all have philanthropic potential if we learn to recognise and direct it; this book shows you how to.