Reviews

Cinque inviti by Frank Ostaseski

rebb003's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Child abuse, Addiction, and Sexual assault

teecha's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

campo's review against another edition

inspiring reflective

4.5

I had only 30 pages left and then my grandpa unexpectedly died and I was like damn… gonna face this with so much equanimity rn.

Beautifully written with so many poignant lessons. I had to savor this and I know I’m going to revisit it a lot.

greaydean's review against another edition

4.0

While I think this is an excellent book, I found the descriptions somewhat repetitive. It actually reads a bit like an autobiography, which is good, especially as he has lots of relevant examples. Now, with that out of the way, I do recommend it. And I recommend it sooner than later. One might call it a "book of the dead" for post-modern western culture.

By looking at death now, we will be better able to live our lives and our death.

gneindorf's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

sassafras_kate's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

5.0

whm's review against another edition

5.0

Love this book SO much 

matchamelon's review against another edition

5.0

Heartfelt and full of wisdom. As I read this book I often found myself tearing up at personal stories and feeling calm from Ostaseski's words. I'll hold this book and the Five Invitations in my heart for my daily life and my work.

susannnochka's review against another edition

4.0

I of course loved this book conceptually and give it 5 stars for spirit, intention, concept, the beautiful anecdotes, and much gratitude for Frank’s incredible work and contributions to the lives of so many people and to the world in general. My actual rating wavers somewhere around 3-4 stars. Other reviewers point out that it could have been shorter and more focused and I agree. I think the book, for non-Buddhists, sets up a vague premise of “if you can embrace these concepts, then X,” but life and dying don’t work like that, of course, and so maybe most readers will benefit most from the anecdotes, as a way of learning what dying IS for some. Most people aren’t around death and dying at all, and it remains highly theoretical until suddenly it isn’t.

I also think because I work in hospice I had a harder time bringing myself to pick it up, so it took me a much longer time to read it than it should have. (That and my library e-copy had to be renewed a few times with holds in between.) Definitely worth reading, though.

tupacsgurl's review against another edition

5.0

Life changing. Maybe not as profound if you’ve never dealt with death.