Blogger (GiftHub) and wealth management advisor Phil Cubeta suggests we "think of King Lear as the story of a botched estate plan." And while the United States hasn't had a connection to a king for some time, it does have its share of kingly fortunes. In 2007, the number of U.S. households with a net worth of $5 million or more surpassed the million mark for the first time, according to a survey by the Spectrem Group, which tracks and advises high-net-worth and retirement markets. That's four times the number of a decade ago. But if the recession has slowed wealth accumulation in this country, we're still looking at record numbers of wealthy families.

These present-day, mostly self-made Carnegies and Astors, along with those of lesser but still substantial wealth, are the target audience for the Town & Country Guide to Intelligent Giving by Joanna Krotz, a chronicler of philanthropy for readers of publications such as Town & Country, where she is a contributing editor, Food & Wine, Money, and New York magazine. High-net-worth individuals are responsible for two-thirds of all household charity in the United States, and the book is strongest when it addresses their philanthropic concerns.

Mostly, that's what it does, from looking at the pros and cons of creating a family foundation and how to set one up, to engaging children in philanthropy and building a philanthropic legacy with them, to new ways of giving. The book is less successful, and risks disconnecting with some readers, when it proffers such suggestions as volunteering to baby-sit for neighbors who may find it hard to afford a night out or coaching the local Little League team.

On the other hand, the book's topical format is a strength, allowing the reader simply to turn to a particular area of interest, such as the difference between charitable remainder trusts and charitable lead trusts (the latter was the vehicle of choice of the late Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis), reasons for and costs associated with a donor consultant, forming a nonprofit corporation, and honing your nonprofit management skills. Other topics include joining a board, becoming a high-profile fundraiser, the advantages of long-term giving, the disadvantages of restricted gifts, and the pros and cons of establishing a foundation in perpetuity.

Krotz scatters clarifying and thought-provoking questions throughout the book and includes sample forms for managing grant requests and site visits as well as a chart comparing the various costs and tax implications of donor-advised funds, supporting organizations, and private foundations.

Personal experiences, gleaned no doubt from interviews conducted by Krotz for magazine pieces, are equally insightful. For instance, Abigail Disney, grandniece of Walt Disney and a longtime advocate for women's rights, explains that she engages her kids in philanthropy by asking them to "think about what really pisses them off, to think about giving to the things you get a little mad about." In a Q&A, tech entrepreneur Jeffrey Skoll talks candidly about his criteria for giving. And actor-turned-activist Michael J. Fox, who founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, shares this advice: "Find people you can trust. I have no management skills, but I realized I only had to be smart enough to find people who are smarter than me and keep them close."

Beyond its many strengths, the Town & Country Guide to Intelligent Giving would be a valuable resource if only for the information in its last chapter, "Ways and Means." There, Krotz has compiled a list of more than one hundred philanthropy advisors, donor education centers, foundation and family-giving advisors, watchdog groups, funder affinity groups, and relevant blogs. The listings, each of which includes a brief description of services and a Web site address, range from 21/64, a nonprofit division of the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies that specializes in a multi-generational approach to giving, to the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy at Boston College, to Tactical Philanthropy, a popular blog that tracks trends in high-engagement philanthropy.

In short, The Guide to Intelligent Giving would make a good addition to the library of any person of means who is beginning to consider how to distribute his or her wealth. File it next to King Lear.