How to Hold a Grudge: From Resentment to Contentment—The Power of Grudges to Transform Your Life by Sophie Hannah

3.36 AVERAGE

peytonschafer's review against another edition

3.5
Read Physical Copy for Introduction-Chapter 3
Listened to Chapters 3-12
Listen Time: 5 hrs, 23 min

I think listening to an audiobook was a great option for this book style (conversational writing tone, with the author narrating the audiobook -- presumably as she intended it to be read). I enjoyed listening to this one more than reading. I don't, however, consider listening to an audiobook to be reading. They are both enjoyable in their own ways, but they are different things.

eharrison's review

3.0
An interesting delve into managing grudges. Practical plans are laid out couples with interesting stories of wrongdoing. The author provides good space for introspection, and consulted professional psychologists in all of her advice.
And I can’t leave this without saying her friends was right, you’re dead to me, really would have been a better title.

lindasdarby's review

3.0
There were a few things I really liked about this book that made the entire book worth reading but her whole carat rating system and stuff was too much for me. I really liked how she talked about processing a grudge and felt that was very useful information. Today at the gym I realized I have a grudge against this super annoying, loud fellow gym goer and I felt bad and good about it at the same time. Not sure what that says about me. The main thing I got from this book is that she calls things grudges that I would probably say were different things - like learning that when people are crap to you to be wary, etc but it's semantics.

kathryne's review

4.0
funny inspiring lighthearted reflective
Funny, with genuinely good advice.
nukie19's profile picture

nukie19's review

2.0
As a professional grudge holder, I was excited to read this. However, I ended up feeling like I was duped into reading a book about the author’s personal grudges and why she felt justified in having them. There are good parts, but overall the book felt disorganized (lots of references to other chapters which got confusing) and the end was literally just a list of grudges. Probably enough for a good long essay but stretched into book form.

I received an ARC from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
iris_lover's profile picture

iris_lover's review against another edition

3.75
inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced
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gracelikesorcas's review

3.0
The author gives a little TOO much personal experience for my taste. Over half the book is anecdotes, which might work for some. I’d rather have more on how exactly to organize and keep grudges, especially now that I’m going to write down every single grudge I can remember. (And yes, at least 3 of them involve people calling me fat).

evoniere's review

3.0
Validating and enlightening

toofondofbooks's review

4.0
funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

wellington299's review

3.0

The book made me re-think grudges I've had. And that's it's greatest services. Because grudges have a horrible reputation. Grudges are not all bad.

For example, Michael Jordan had a grudge against a high school basketball coach for cutting him from the varsity basketball team. Grudges can be a great motivator. It takes people with a tremendous grudges to push through years of court to win a trial or rebel against King George III ( and found the USA),

This how to book is written by a crime novelist. She is not a professional; she's a person with a lot of experience with grudges. Her advice comes across as amateurish ... and honest. On the grudge topic, she can be on the neurotic side (and I'm afraid she'll hold a grudge against me in this review). However, I do appreciate that she took a stab at a new topic (grudge) opening the door for more discussion.

The book does ride on Sophie's sense of humor and neurosis, which I can understand people being turned off on her style.