Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
This was a really well-written and interesting exploration of positive thinking and self-help and a bunch of the ideas the author put forward were new to me. However, I think a lot of the techniques described have the same lack of nuance that is the problem with the traditional cult-like self-help thinking and are hard to apply to a mentally ill brain.
I enjoyed this book and found it to have some provocative and unique ideas. Probably if I had to sum up the thesis it would be that we spend so much energy and effort fighting any negative thought or unhappy feeling (in part due to the pressure of all the positive thinking self-help gurus) that we end up making ourselves miserable because a condition of complete harmony and security is inherently not possible. We overvalue positive thinking and are unwilling to remain open to uncertainty, negative thoughts and unpleasant situations and that the losing nature of this inner fight is the cause of much anxiety. I found the argument very compelling and would have given the book a higher rating except that it was a little too long; it would have been better as a long article. I thought he was milking the topic a bit.
challenging
informative
Qualche mese fa, insieme a mio figlio e altri bambini, ho visto il film Coco. Un racconto ambientato nella "notte dei morti", il cui protagonista cerca di non morire per la terza, definitiva volta: quella quando nessuno dei viventi si ricorda ancora di lui. Il culto della Santa Muerte l'ho ritrovato anche in
questo bel libro di Burkeman.
Un mix di reportage e riflessione, che ho letto con piacere e grande interesse. Scritto in modo a mio parere molto piacevole, è un libro che non offre risposte, ma indica direzioni da seguire.
questo bel libro di Burkeman.
Un mix di reportage e riflessione, che ho letto con piacere e grande interesse. Scritto in modo a mio parere molto piacevole, è un libro che non offre risposte, ma indica direzioni da seguire.
Stoische und buddhistische Philosophie. Bin eh schon großer Fan, daher fand ich's gut. Die zweite Hälfte fand ich bisschen langweilig, bzw gab's nicht viel Neues.
informative
inspiring
A wonderful exploration of why focusing on happiness is likely to leave you unhappy. The book explores how we often self-sabotage through self-monitoring, how Stoics view the world, the idea of non-attachment, and the importance of enjoying the present. Throughout the book one idea I found repeating was that thinking everything in the future was going to better and rosy is the most likely causes of our unhappiness. Why think that the next moment is more important when you can be present in the now. I suspect this is a book I'll need to reread to grasp all of the topics explored and while there isn't a single call to action or message from the book, one of the final thought experiments is illuminating. Imagine you've live to be 80 and answer these two questions: "I wish I'd spent more time on ..." and "I wish I'd spent less time ...".
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
I thought it would be about philosophy and stoicism.
But he ended up talking a lot and adoringly about spiritual leaders like Eckhart Tolle, so I quit there.
Also his arguments are strung together loosely, he contradicts himself a lot. Does not explain how his examples tie into his argument.
He summarizes and interviews multiple big researchers, authors, philosophers. But only brushes the surface and moves on. Which could be interesting if you have never heard of meditation before, or never heard of Descartes before, but otherwise not so much. Because he takes no clear insight out of it. Just mentions it, gives an constantly alternating opinion and some random thoughts and own insecurities, and moves on.
He takes one research that turns out to be debunked to make a point of how 'everyone seems to think the same way those particular researchers do, but the research was fraudulent en therefore their point can never be true, obviously, I have just blown your mind and changed your opinion haven't I?'
Ugh
But he ended up talking a lot and adoringly about spiritual leaders like Eckhart Tolle, so I quit there.
Also his arguments are strung together loosely, he contradicts himself a lot. Does not explain how his examples tie into his argument.
He summarizes and interviews multiple big researchers, authors, philosophers. But only brushes the surface and moves on. Which could be interesting if you have never heard of meditation before, or never heard of Descartes before, but otherwise not so much. Because he takes no clear insight out of it. Just mentions it, gives an constantly alternating opinion and some random thoughts and own insecurities, and moves on.
He takes one research that turns out to be debunked to make a point of how 'everyone seems to think the same way those particular researchers do, but the research was fraudulent en therefore their point can never be true, obviously, I have just blown your mind and changed your opinion haven't I?'
Ugh