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ninabina's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting ideas with some (but not enough) practical utility.
sharonus's review against another edition
Very outdated. The last sentence I read: “We still have no clear idea what tragic price that latest scourge, the AIDS epidemic, will claim before it’s over.”
slichto3's review against another edition
3.0
This book was... mostly helpful. I find myself a little disappointed after reading some rave reviews for it. The book is about the experience of flow - those moments when time flies and you are completely absorbed in whatever you're doing - and finding enjoyment in life. So the book describes what flow is and the types of activities that achieve it. Basically, you need activities that have clear rules, feedback, and goals, and you're interested in and can improve at. This can include lots of stuff involving music, sports, literature, etc. The author argues that taking an active role in these activities is more valuable than taking a passive one: so, instead of watching sports (which can be a flow activity), you should play sports.
The author argues that you want activities which are going to make you a better person, essentially, by increasing complexity/integration. This I found a bit of a confusing concept after a while, especially since it didn't feel all that defined/backed by research. And that's really what started to lose me later. Because the author says, basically, that if you keep in flow, you're going to be really happy. Try to find flow in work, relationships, and leisure, and you're doing great. He seemed to argue that it didn't really matter what you were doing, just that you're in flow.
Then, later, he started saying that, well, it's important to do flow activities that increase complexity. And it's important to find flow activities that have meaning, and that you should have a central meaning/purpose to your life from which all things follow. This frustrated me, because he gave a number of examples of people early in the book who led really fulfilling lives and never mentioned anything about purpose. Then he kind of sprang it on the audience at the very end, in a way that felt a bit out of place. A question from me: what purpose in life do people have that play sports? How could that ever advance the central theme of your life? Or making crossword puzzles, or something like that? I don't know - that confused me, and makes me a bit puzzled about how to best apply what the author talks about.
So I'd give a tepid recommendation to read this book - if you do read it, let me know what you think about it, please!
The author argues that you want activities which are going to make you a better person, essentially, by increasing complexity/integration. This I found a bit of a confusing concept after a while, especially since it didn't feel all that defined/backed by research. And that's really what started to lose me later. Because the author says, basically, that if you keep in flow, you're going to be really happy. Try to find flow in work, relationships, and leisure, and you're doing great. He seemed to argue that it didn't really matter what you were doing, just that you're in flow.
Then, later, he started saying that, well, it's important to do flow activities that increase complexity. And it's important to find flow activities that have meaning, and that you should have a central meaning/purpose to your life from which all things follow. This frustrated me, because he gave a number of examples of people early in the book who led really fulfilling lives and never mentioned anything about purpose. Then he kind of sprang it on the audience at the very end, in a way that felt a bit out of place. A question from me: what purpose in life do people have that play sports? How could that ever advance the central theme of your life? Or making crossword puzzles, or something like that? I don't know - that confused me, and makes me a bit puzzled about how to best apply what the author talks about.
So I'd give a tepid recommendation to read this book - if you do read it, let me know what you think about it, please!
dham5's review against another edition
5.0
Easily tied for first (with Mans Search for Meaning) in my list of favourite/most personally influential books I'v ever read.
rohitremeshhello's review against another edition
5.0
Easily one of the most important books I have ever read.