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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
This was probably more like a 4 or 5 star book but for some reason the language felt really cumbersome to me and I had a hard time internalizing the concepts. I picked it up and put it down a few times. I think I will need to revisit it in the future when I am less busy and have more brainpower available to ponder the concepts more. It is basically a really detailed and complicated explanation on how to forgive those who have wronged you and how to love others. There were several good examples of people moving past and forgiving former abusers, however I would have liked to have seen the author address people who are currently being abused as it seems like just forgiving the person and loving them probably wouldn't solve the problem. I would have also liked more information on the parenting relationship. Of course we need to show love to our children but there is a dynamic of authority that would have been helpful to have been addressed. The advice is meant mostly for adults. Finally, in pretty much every example in the book, the person in the case studies forgives someone or changes their behavior towards another and then this is magically reciprocated. I believe this happens, but I would have liked to see the author address in detail how to continue a one sided attempt to better a relationship over time. Overall a thought provoking read that I will read again and refer back to.
Great book about how to make our relationships flourish, and how building relationships can increase our life satisfaction.
I love this book. It made me take a hard look at my relationships and the ways in which I betray my deepest knowledge of others' needs and how I should treat the people in my life. I think I will be referring to this for some time to come.
"The possibility of overcoming very deep personal and interpersonal problems lies within the power of each of us....Why do we get and keep ourselves stuck in anxiety, suspicion, resentment, or anger if we all have the power to do otherwise? The answer to this extraordinarily challenging and fascinating question is that we devise and hang on to our emotional problems for a purpose, a purpose more important to us than our happiness. And we deceive ourselves about the fact that this is what we're doing. We participate in the creation of our emotional troubles and deny we've had any part in it. In regard to our troubling emotions and attitudes, we are our own worst enemies." (pg. ix, x)
Whew. It took me several months to read this book. Mostly because I kept putting it down to think about it and found it hard to pick back up with my crazy life distracting me from its important truths. I needed space in order to soak it in. The bookmark was stuck on page 129 for a little over a month when I picked it up today and decided I had some space. I re-read the first 129 pages and went on to finish the book.
Warner has spent years studying the intricacies of relationships and along with colleagues found that in order to speak knowledgeably to freedoms our relationships need they first needed to experience those changes for themselves. I appreciate that kind of example.
Including several real life stories to provide evidence for his theory, Warner goes about laying the groundwork for the quote I included above, providing explanation of its consequences and manifestations, and then finishing up by showing the reader the way to wholeness and healing. His writing style was not terribly dry and I found it easy to read and understand, he didn't get too clinical or heady. As I was reading I found myself saying, "Yes! That is exactly what happens or what I do" so the information wasn't new to me deep down but it had never risen to the surface for me to explore and think through. Reading Warner's writings helped bring it up so I could acknowledge it. What's so interesting is what always happens when one reads a book like this and is suddenly alerted to a part of humanity not previously recognized, I began to see it in myself, TV characters, movie characters, my children, etc. Fortunately I saw it in myself first. *wink* His real life examples resonate because they are real life, we've probably all done or witnessed very similar things ourselves. Back in September I read another relationship book, How We Love, and combined with this book I think the two titles are must reads for anyone who wants to have healthy relationships - not just healthy marriages but healthy relationships overall. This was an excellent read and is serving as an excellent resource for myself and my relationships. I highly recommend it.
Whew. It took me several months to read this book. Mostly because I kept putting it down to think about it and found it hard to pick back up with my crazy life distracting me from its important truths. I needed space in order to soak it in. The bookmark was stuck on page 129 for a little over a month when I picked it up today and decided I had some space. I re-read the first 129 pages and went on to finish the book.
Warner has spent years studying the intricacies of relationships and along with colleagues found that in order to speak knowledgeably to freedoms our relationships need they first needed to experience those changes for themselves. I appreciate that kind of example.
Including several real life stories to provide evidence for his theory, Warner goes about laying the groundwork for the quote I included above, providing explanation of its consequences and manifestations, and then finishing up by showing the reader the way to wholeness and healing. His writing style was not terribly dry and I found it easy to read and understand, he didn't get too clinical or heady. As I was reading I found myself saying, "Yes! That is exactly what happens or what I do" so the information wasn't new to me deep down but it had never risen to the surface for me to explore and think through. Reading Warner's writings helped bring it up so I could acknowledge it. What's so interesting is what always happens when one reads a book like this and is suddenly alerted to a part of humanity not previously recognized, I began to see it in myself, TV characters, movie characters, my children, etc. Fortunately I saw it in myself first. *wink* His real life examples resonate because they are real life, we've probably all done or witnessed very similar things ourselves. Back in September I read another relationship book, How We Love, and combined with this book I think the two titles are must reads for anyone who wants to have healthy relationships - not just healthy marriages but healthy relationships overall. This was an excellent read and is serving as an excellent resource for myself and my relationships. I highly recommend it.
I have to give this book 5 stars for information. The philosophy and ideas presented in the book have the power to help us take a completely different look at our relationships and how we interact with others and find peace within and peace with others. It is a recipe for happiness and can help us even in our most difficult and painful relationships. I think this is a book anyone and everyone should read, parents, siblings, managers, friends. But if I was being really picky I would knock it down a bit, maybe to 4 stars because I felt like the delivery of the information got really repetitive at times. I found myself thinking, "Haven't I read this part already?"
5 stars for the ideas find within. They are really humbling and life changing.
3 stars for presentation. The book is rather long winded and not very concise. I also didn't love some of what was said in the book, though I do think the overall message makes the book well worth reading.
3 stars for presentation. The book is rather long winded and not very concise. I also didn't love some of what was said in the book, though I do think the overall message makes the book well worth reading.
I really love this book. The content has been life-changing for me and I have built my life on these pure and Christlike motives. Before I came across this book, I read the author’s BYU Speech ‘Honest, Simple, Solid, True.’ I feel that speech contains everything in this book, just more condensed.
It took me a while to get through, but it's a very helpful read.
Favorite Quote:
"There is no better means of promoting another person's change of heart than allowing our own heart to be changed." pg. 176
Favorite Quote:
"There is no better means of promoting another person's change of heart than allowing our own heart to be changed." pg. 176
I've read this several times. It helps me examine my motives in making decisions and understand what I'm doing when I'm being offended. I had him for a class or two and really liked him.