A Short Guide to a Happy Life by Anna Quindlen Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $0.24 You Save: $12.71 (98%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of A Short Guide to a Happy Life
Book Review: Short yet profound
Summary: 5 Stars
"OK, now it's been said, and noone ever needs to say anything more." That was my first thought after finishing this remarkable book. Ms. Quindlen helps us to learn the easy way - reading a short, warm, and very inspiring book - what she learned the hard way - by losing a loved parent: being present in every present moment. I have heard and read this advice many times, but never so clearly, concisely, and convincingly. Read this book!
Jan Hunt, author of The Natural Child: Parenting from the Heart
Book Review: Wonderful Book!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book, as all Anna Quindlen's books are, is wonderfully written. There are so many self help books out there, but this one gives the greatest message of all. You read this in one sitting and when you are finished you have a refreshed view on life. You finish the book and want to go out and do good. I highly recommend this book.Book Review: Quick read but great message
Summary: 4 Stars
Ok I've got to admit I originally bought this book as a stocking stuffer from a friend. When it arrived I couldn't help but read it first. Yes I was finished in about 10-15 minutes but when I super stressed I often pick it up and read it again. Yes, I did selfishly keep it for myself instead of giving it to my friend. This little book which is definitely short on pages is jammed with message. It's quite the book for introspection.Book Review: rehashed information, very short book
Summary: 1 Stars
The advice in this book is old stuff. Quindlen writes about living in the moment, feeling happiness, finding the positive in your life, and appreciating what you have because it may be our last day on earth type of stuff. There was not one original "lesson" here. I have read this and heard it on TV shows over and over. There is nothing new here. There are little stories intended to illustrate the point and to expand on how Quindlen arrived at her advice. The lessons are not "deep" either. There were no stories that were remarkable and the worst was the story of the homeless man loving his life because he gets to sit on a pier and appreciate the view of the sea.
The title states this is a short guide: take that literally. Not only is the size of the page very small but there are many photos that take up a whole page and there are wide margins and lots of white space on each page. The entire book took me less than 10 minutes to read and I am not a speed-reader. The photographs don't bear any relation to the text at all and I couldn't figure out the logic of why these were chosen for the book. The subjects of the photos vary greatly in subject matter: lighthouses and seashores, people, etc. I think the photos could have been better chosen to somehow relate to what was being written about.
Perhaps this advice would be new to someone such as a high school graduate or for someone who has not yet realized that life is short and to enjoy the moment. I bet this was written as a little gift book to be given to teenagers or young adults, perhaps by an adult who feels the younger person wouldn't listen to their advice so better to convey it through an easy and fast read!
If you are a mother of young children in search of reminders to live life to the fullest and appreciate your children and your life now then I recommend "Mitten Strings for God". Another great book was written by a father to his 16 year old son with life advice is "Letters of a Businessman to His Son" which has great advice for both genders but makes a great gift book for high school graduates. Anything by Robert Fulghum also is fast and easy reading full of lessons about life.
Book Review: Nice sentiments, but very trite
Summary: 3 Stars
This is a very short book that you can read in 15 minutes. It has a lot of nice thoughts, but almost no originality. It repeats oft-heard sayings (e.g., Noone on their deathbed ever says I wish I ever spent more time at the office). Worth reading if you like this sort of thing.