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chaosetc's review against another edition
5.0
This isn't a how-to book. It's a summary of the author's investigation into happiness, from the perspective of someone who's skeptical about "positive thinking". Being a journey, the text does meander a bit. This is more than okay with me because I found the book worthwhile just for the though provoking experience. Rather than giving you a cult to join, it provides a number of different approaches that you can try for yourself, and mix together as needed. The author dives into stoicism (not the word as we currently understand it), buddhism (the practice, not the religion), Eckhart Tolle (who I didn't know before but probably won't bother to read), Ernest Becker (who I personally see as a crank), the pitfalls of goal setting (been there), the counter-intuitive effects of mantras, and (gasp) discussions about death. So if you want a simple program, this is not the book for you. But if you like to think about mind-bending things, I'd say go for it.
mlesmile's review
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
cristian_m's review
5.0
A concise, practical overview of several strands of philosophy and practices for dealing with negativity and self-improvement: stoicism, meditation, memento mori, worst case visualization. Each chapter is short and focuses on the main practical points of those philosophies. The author mostly challenges the practitioners with his own set of questions (standing in for the sceptical reader), but sometimes forgets to follow-up on the next most logical question.
My favorite quote:
"The problem is that feeling like acting and actually acting are two different things. A person mired deep in procrastination might claim he is unable to work, but what he really means is that he is unable to make himself feel like working. The author Julie Fast [...] points out that even when a person is so depressed that she is unable to get out of bed in the morning [...] it’s more accurate to say that she’s unable to feel like getting out of bed. This isn’t meant to imply that procrastinators, or the severely depressed, should simply pull their socks up and get over it. Rather, it highlights the way that we tend to confuse acting with feeling like acting, and how most motivational techniques are really designed to change how you feel. They’re built, in other words, on a form of attachment – on strengthening your investment in a specific kind of emotion"
My favorite quote:
"The problem is that feeling like acting and actually acting are two different things. A person mired deep in procrastination might claim he is unable to work, but what he really means is that he is unable to make himself feel like working. The author Julie Fast [...] points out that even when a person is so depressed that she is unable to get out of bed in the morning [...] it’s more accurate to say that she’s unable to feel like getting out of bed. This isn’t meant to imply that procrastinators, or the severely depressed, should simply pull their socks up and get over it. Rather, it highlights the way that we tend to confuse acting with feeling like acting, and how most motivational techniques are really designed to change how you feel. They’re built, in other words, on a form of attachment – on strengthening your investment in a specific kind of emotion"
acousticdefacto's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
ethan2917's review against another edition
5.0
I do not believe I have yet read a "self-help" book more deserving of five stars than this one.
This book deconstructs many self-help books and groups them into this "cult-of-positivity" which is a term that will stick with me from now on. Happiness is not a realistic end goal and chasing this idea will more than likely lead you down the opposite route. Instead we should embrace the negative aspects of life and work on our own 'negative capability'.
Burkeman wraps several philosophical ideologies into tightly wrapped chapters of anecdotal experiences and quotes from various readings. Making the read very digestible and enjoyable at the same time. Definitely recommend this book if you are looking at getting away from the typical self-help and positivity sphere that much of the general population has fallen into today.
This book deconstructs many self-help books and groups them into this "cult-of-positivity" which is a term that will stick with me from now on. Happiness is not a realistic end goal and chasing this idea will more than likely lead you down the opposite route. Instead we should embrace the negative aspects of life and work on our own 'negative capability'.
Burkeman wraps several philosophical ideologies into tightly wrapped chapters of anecdotal experiences and quotes from various readings. Making the read very digestible and enjoyable at the same time. Definitely recommend this book if you are looking at getting away from the typical self-help and positivity sphere that much of the general population has fallen into today.
jeremy_bearimy's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Author does a great job reading for the audiobook.