A Short Guide to a Happy Life
by Anna Quindlen
|
List Price: Our Price: $3.35 You Save: $9.60 (74%) 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: Quindlen Is Just Another Pulp Fiction Would-be Philosopher
Summary: 1 Stars
Anna Quindlen is certainly to be applauded for having pulled off this new century's greatest hustle with her book, "How to Live Every Day Without Even Knowing What My Self Is About ... Except, As A Giant Zit On God's Face!" Please indulge this reviewer's corruption of the actual Quindlen book title, "A Short Guide To A Happy Life." How many more nice little wanderings through no where must this planet's anthology of (clinking, clanking, collateral collection of coliginous) "touch-me-feely-freely-please-pay-cash-for-my-book-today" pseudo-author-philosophers smash down our hungry-for-a-read throats? I say, "No more, please!" From Socrates and his ilk to Kierkegaard (sic) and his ilk (sick)...have these brave souls not already put to rest the time tested questions (without any real answers): "Who am I?" (what does it matter: you're just future worm food anyway!), "What am I?" (ditto), "Where did I come from?" (worm food), "Is there a God?" (yes, the worms...get it?), "Does the soul join back with God or ever become harmonious with the Body?" (yes, during sex ... with anyone or anything, it would seem by today's standards...). If the reader is depressed about his or her paradigm of life ("My job sucks, my spouse sucks, my kids suck, I suck, my boss sucks..." ad infinitum -- sanctum?), then he/she should merely, "Wake up to a reality check, Baby!" It just doesn't matter! If you don't already understand the principles of life followed by death, then you are already DEAD! But, Quindlen's is a warm and soft navel read, to be sure. I can say that with some wine and soft music on a dark and stormy night ... I might enjoy it. It muses along the traverses of all humans' quests for something called "happiness, joy, a piece of the action..."; but it is really just another literature archetype describing, beautifully, those little vicissitudes of life -- the ups and downs we must all face daily. Nothing more. Had I.Q. points suddenly dropped throughout the Earth much before Anna's book was published? No. Have I.Q. points improved? Possibly. All reading is better than no reading for enhancing a human's intelligence (versus watching only television or checking out your navel once again). The price of the book for its few dozen pages of pseudo-mystical verbiage is actually reasonable. Did I pay for it? Yes. Did I read it? Yes. Do I suggest it on your bookshelf? Yes ... if you have an empty slot on a shelf for a book that exactly allows for the width and depth of Ms. Quindlen's, and provided that there is just dust collecting otherwise. Save some dusting time and elbow grease and replace the dust with her book ... that's what I did with my copy.Book Review: The full story behind this book, from someone who missed it.
Summary: 5 Stars
As a graduate of Villanova's class of 1999, it is a blessing to me that Anna Quindlen published "A Short Guide to a Happy Life," which was intended to be mine and my classmates' commencement address. As I entered my final semester at Villanova, I was excited by the announcement of Anna Quindlen as our commencement speaker. I had long respected her writing in the Times, and knew that my mother and sister would be very excited by her presence at my graduation as well. Little did I know that one of her many beliefs would lead some of my fellow graduates to react in a manner which led to Ms. Quindlen's withdrawal as our commencement speaker.
Her position as a pro-choice advocate was widely known when her invitation to speak was extended; yet the reaction to this position was unpredictable. Villanova's pro-life group, the Villanovan's for Life, threatened protests and even a graduation walkout if Ms. Quindlen spoke. It so deeply saddened me when I learned that she would not be speaking that this is the first time I have quantified my emotions regarding this travesty, and I do so in support of the wonderful message that I was deprived of on my graduation day....
...I have read a few reviews likening this book to "an inspirational quote a day calendar" and "an hour with Oprah," as well as knocks because of a lack of photo credits (the pictures are there to help one visualize the story, not find a photographer to help one decorate their office walls). Was anything else expected besides something short, sweet and inspirational? Did people honestly expect a great tome on the joys of life? What you got was exactly what was promised, a short guide to a happy life.
I guess my main point is that there is always a story behind the story, and once this is known, I hope that people can view this piece in a different light knowing that there is a motivation and message in this story that goes beyond the published pages. I received the email containing this speech a few months after my graduation, and it has stuck with me ever since. Anna Quindlen has now offered that opportunity to all, and it is an opportunity that one, especially now knowing the stories background, would be unwise to pass up.
Book Review: Inspiration and More
Summary: 5 Stars
Tuesday I was at the bookstore when it opened to buy this book. I bought a copy for myself and one for my daughter, then went to sit on a bench overlooking the ocean to read it.This tiny gem of a book contains many thoughts that are just common sense until you see them written down. Then they become points to ponder, to think about and mull over in your mind and heart. Which is exactly what I did after finishing...I sat and looked out at the sea, thinking about what I had just read.
Much of the text of this book was part of a commencement address that Quindlen was to give at Villanova. She released the speech after she cancelled and I have been told that it was so well-received that she was asked to put it into book form.
This is a book to savor and to read over and over again and to give as a gift to a loved one. I plan to return to the bookstore to buy several more copies.
Some of the thoughts in the book:
On life: "there will be thousands of people doing what you want to do for a living. But you will be the only person alive who has sole custody of your life. Your particular life. Your entire life. Not just your life at a desk, or your life on a bus, or in a car, or at the computer. Not just the life of your mind, but the life of your heart. Not just your bank account, but your soul."
On being a mother, a wife, and a friend: "I show up. I listen. I try to laugh."
On being charitable and good to others: "if you do not do good... then doing well will never be enough."
And on living for today: "I learned to love the journey, not the destination. I learned that it is not a dress rehearsal, and that today is the only guarantee you get."
Quindlen talks about leading a balanced life and not making work one's entire focus--she says "you cannot be really first-rate at your work if your work is all you are." and "Don't ever confuse the two, your life and your work."
Her thoughts on mortality, which Donald talked about in his review, are powerful-- and applicable to all of our lives.
I certainly think Quindlen herself is a first-rate writer and thinker, and thank her for the valuable lessons in this book.
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: not worth the money
Summary: 2 Stars
The first thing I'd like to say about this little book, is that I made the mistake of buying it from a local bookstore & didn't bother to give it a second look, before heading to the cashiers. When I got home & finished the book in 10 minutes (I'm not kidding), I realised how much money I had spent & thought it was such a waste.As many other readers, I was led to buy this book because of Anna Quindlen's name. I enjoy her columns, read them through the internet regurarly, & I have quite liked her novels, too. That is why I cannot understand what led her to write the content for a greeting card (because that's what this is) & sell it as a book.
Nothing you'll read in this booklet is original. Nothing is "life changing" as many reviewers have incredibly said. Nothing is stuff you haven't heard before, many many times that is. On talk shows, during conversations with friends, or simply through common sense. Not that what Quindlen writes is untrue. On the contrary. It's just that I suspect there's so much more she could have said, to justify the title "a short guide to a happy life". In the end, Anna Quindlen is a good & intelligent writer, & it's a shame she sold herself short by publishing this. Many readers, like me, bought this book expecting much much more from her. And it's kind of sad when writers you admire disappoint you.
A small note: I quickly looked through the comments other readers made, here on amazon. I was amazed by somebody who wrote that this book is "a fix of optimism & positivity". As if we're talking about alcohol or coffee. Books & ideas are not "fixes" of anything. But then, how stupid of me to be amazed. I guess there are millions of people out there who turn to self help books to help them change, to help them think & understand what is going wrong with their lives. If you want my advice (which surprisingly coincides with Quindlen's!), forget this type of book, & get a life!