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gohawks's review against another edition
4.0
Not quite four stars here. More like three and a half. Burkeman doesn't really offer one tried and true method for happiness for pessimists. Rather, this is a sampler of theories for happiness that fit the not-so-positive thinkers. Burkeman visits with Stoics, Buddhists and others that don't necessarily follow the "just believe it and it will come to you" screed. For you Oprah fans, he is pro- Eckhart Tolle and anti-The Secret. If nothing else it is informative, and if it is a topic that interests you, then his sampler should urge you to delve deeper. He brings up various anecdotes and research that points out that those obsessed with whether or not they are happy all the time are usually anything but. Burkeman posits that it is essentially thinking all the time about staying positive which can lead those negative thoughts to compound themselves. Certainly worth a look if self-help and happiness are an interest.
squid_sunfish's review
informative
fast-paced
5.0
This was an AWESOME and enlightening read and I loved every minute and learned so much from Stoicism, to Buddhism, to learning to embrace death. Such cool life lessons encapsulated in such a slim novel. 10/10, helped me put my anxiety into perspective. My favorite quote has to be "vulnerat omnes, ultima necat" i.e., every hour wounds and the last one kills.
nonstopnonstarter's review
4.0
If you're looking for a step-by-step guide or a manual, you might not be happy with this book. It's more like a collection of essays on different beliefs and concepts like stoicism, memento mori, goal setting, Buddhism, etc.
colorfulyd's review
4.0
Really glad I read this book! I was already familiar with a lot of the concepts/theories/schools of thought in the book but was glad to read the author’s accessible summary of each in the chapters. I walked away with some valuable tidbits to hold on to and have already made an impact on my day to day life. I can see myself returning to this book in the future to reread specific chapters as reminders. And it definitely made me a fan of his work and want to read more of his other books. Thanks, Oliver Burkeman, for making complex dense ideas into accessible readable ones without losing the nuance and complexity :) Highly recommend this for anyone who is interested in self-help and personal growth in general. I am not a fan of toxic positivity so reading this book felt good because I resonated with it so much and also agreed a lot with the author’s thoughts and reactions.
somanytictoc's review
5.0
I expected something completely different from this book, but I was pleasantly surprised. Considering the title, I thought it would be a snarky, faux-cynical takedown of the self-help industry. While there's a smidge of this in the very beginning, Burkeman uses it as a springboard to dive deeply into various philosophies and psychological theories that purport to lead to a more fulfilling life (if not necessarily a "happier" one).
Part of the reason the book surprised me is that the author is a British journalist. I hadn't done any research on Burkeman which would have prevented my snarky mistake. He approaches his subjects with a sort of subdued bemusement but largely retains his journalistic objectivity.
I found myself deeply pondering the proposals in the book- although to be honest this is a much more nuanced take on happiness and lacks the bullet point easy solutions of the typical books on how to be happy. I enjoyed this book immensely and found it very helpful and applicable to my life.
Part of the reason the book surprised me is that the author is a British journalist. I hadn't done any research on Burkeman which would have prevented my snarky mistake. He approaches his subjects with a sort of subdued bemusement but largely retains his journalistic objectivity.
I found myself deeply pondering the proposals in the book- although to be honest this is a much more nuanced take on happiness and lacks the bullet point easy solutions of the typical books on how to be happy. I enjoyed this book immensely and found it very helpful and applicable to my life.