A Short Guide to a Happy Life
by Anna Quindlen
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Book Reviews of A Short Guide to a Happy Life
Book Review: Required Reading for Life's Lessons.
Summary: 5 Stars
Several years ago, Anna Quindlen, was asked by Villanova University to give that years commencement speech. But as the date of graduation approached, Quindlen found herself in a conflict which resulted in her cancelling from attending. A graduating senior, though, wrote to Quindlen asking her for a copy of her speech which then made its way onto the Internet and private e mails. Many readers weren't satisfied with the unbound pages and urged Quindlen to publish this as a book and so A Short Guide to a Happy Life became a book with an interesting story about its birth. But least any reader think this is the end of the story or destination, doesn't know Quindlen that well for within the pages of this small book, she sets her audience on a thought provoking journey which doesn't end when one closes the book.Fueled by the loss of her 40 year old mother when Quindlen was 19, she reflects on how she learned at this early age what is important in life. And not just a life to be lived chained to one's desk or a life which forces one to covet material things but a life of exploration and unbridled happiness. When Quindlen urges her readers to "get a life," she forces them to reevaluate what they find precious and dear. And as Quindlen continues to describe what she finds important, I also found msyelf, as I'm sure most of her readers did, shaking my head in agreement and shedding a tear. If Tuesdays With Morrie explained to many readers how to die with dignity, then this book shows us how to life lives which are meaningful and presonally productive.
Quindlen, a long time favorite of mine, beginning with her columns for The New York Times, has written a perfect book not only for a new gradate but a gift of words to be cherished for any age at any time.
And now, I will always remember to look at the view!
Book Review: Short and powerful through its simplicity and conciseness
Summary: 5 Stars
It took me approximately twenty minutes to read A Short Guide to a Happy Life. It's obviously one of the shortest books in print.But it's conciseness and simplicity is where its power lies. It's definitely a collector's book, too. It's the perfect book to leave right on the corner of your desk whenever you need to drink some sips of inspiration, or bring yourself back to the present. It's underlying message can be read on every page. And if you don't have the time to read, take a look at the photographs. The black and white pictures interspersed among the pages sum up Anna's simple message: get a life.
She humbly admits her lack of specific expertise in regard to academia or any other technical subject. Instead, she humanely writes of her experience of real life, and the beautiful details she has picked up along the way. That's probably why she writes such fantastic novels.
The death of her mother as a young college student changed Anna forever. It allowed her to see the beauty in every moment of her life, to embrace all of life. She writes of the absurdity about many things that mark American culture: "the rat race," complaining, career growth. Periodic quotations of deep minds also back up her message.
A quote sums up her life, and the essence of this book: "I never think of my life, or my world, in any big cosmic way. I think of it in all its small component parts: the snowdrops, the daffodils; the feeling of one of my kids sitting close beside me on the couch; the way my husband looks when he reads with the lamp behind him; fettuccine Alfredo, fudge; Gone with the Wind, Pride and Prejudice." It's a casual definition of mindfulness.
Reading this book is like meditating. It's a quick and powerful way to bring you back to the only thing you ever truly have: the present.
Book Review: What was she thinking?
Summary: 2 Stars
Anna Quindlen offers us hints that the painful events in her life have provided her with some valuable wisdom, but she doesn't seem to want to share it with us.Quindlen is a good writer, with good ideas. So I'm puzzled as to why this little book was published. It's short, about the length of a short essay or long newspaper column. It may have been originally written, as another reveiwer has noted, as a set of notes for a graduation speech, which would explain the length.
But the lack of substance is hard to explain from a Pulitzer Prize winner like Quindlen. The advice isn't bad in itself, but it doesn't lead anywhere. With the addition of the black and white stock photos, reading the book felt a bit like browsing in a greeting card store. The reader moves from one platitude to another with only a tasteful black and white photo of two girls on a beach to mark the transition to the next idea.
It's particularly frustrating, because I would imagine that anyone with Quindlen's experiences and skill with words could have reached a little deeper and given us something unique. I want to hear more about the homeless people she interviewed, for instance, or how she felt to be living in a suburban developing house and delivering morphine to her dying mother at 19. Yes, it's true that you can get a glimpse of this through some of the characters in her semi-autobiographical novels, but it sure would be nice to hear Quindlen speak from the first person about some of these issues.
If this is all Quindlen is willing to share with us, we might have been better off with just a collection of her columns. The content would be more interesting, and we wouldn't be left with that unsatisfied feeling of knowing that there might (or might not!) be more to be said.
Book Review: Short but Good
Summary: 4 Stars
The book is sweet, short and goes straight to the fine points. It's all been said before and isn't quite long enough with a few missing areas, but all in all it's a keeper. It'd be nice to read more on children and their impact on our lives and how to deal with real issues that directly affect all individuals and society. For as we all know, and need not forget, kids can make or break our entire spirit and life environment. Anna usually has a strong personality with a little too much perfection for the general public, but like many readers conclude, "variety is the spice of life." So with that said, other books to help guide and enlighten our inner beings, children and spouses would be "A Cup Of Christmas Tea", by Tom Hegg, a book so powerful, all love it for the basic pleasures and hidden treasures of treating each other and elders with respect, "More Prayers On My Pillow," by Celia Straus, to get us through all the little and big thoughts in our lives regarding our daughters, and "Mommy-CEO," by nationally syndicated parenting columnist, of Parent to Parent, Jodie Lynn, a parenting book that saves our sanity with our children and spouses and makes us laugh. All three books resemble Anna's with none being too terribly long which would make sense to buy all four to feel fairly comfortable with life's lessons. Personally, I feel the combination of all four books would enhance life skills to succeed with family, friends and children while making our being on earth whole and happy.Book Review: A message that bears repeating
Summary: 5 Stars
The self-help genre is full of books and tapes claiming to contain the one formula for spiritual, emotional, or physical well-being. From the likes of Anthony Robbins and Stephen Covey to Joan Lunden and Oprah Winfrey, it seems that everyone knows exactly what you need to do to be happy once and for all. Given the large volumes written on this subject, the size of Anna Quindlen's book is quite surprising, especially relative to its ambitious title. You're even more surprised when you notice all the pictures and large print. Can it be that Quindlen has crystallized in less than 50 pages what so many others have devoted dozens of chapters to?Yes and no. The true beauty of this book is not that it is complex and profound, for it's not. Instead, the writing is simple and clear and repeats what all of us already know: our lives are very short and every moment is a gift that should be cherished. Quindlen zeroes in on this theme in order to get the reader to focus on what is truly important in life. She does this through simple stories from her own experience that could easily apply to anyone's life.
While this book is a very quick read, you'll find yourself picking it up over and over. It is a perfect inexpensive gift for anyone who is a little too caught up in everyday pressures to realize how quickly life is passing by. It, along with "The Precious Present" by Spencer Johnson, is one that I will continue to give as a gift while enjoying my own copy over and over again.