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newmml01's review
3.0
Some good insights in the first half, but the second half was a flop in my opinion. Too heavy on the religion piece and too many seemingly random quotes and meandering stories of historical figures that don't really drive home specific points for me.
the_schaef's review
2.0
I did not find this book to be informative to me. I acquired a few nuggets and understand the concept of shifting from the Fluid Intelligence Curve to the Crystallized Intelligence Curve. However there was not a lot of new material. Perhaps I am fortunate in that I have already made a lot of the shifts and acceptances that Arthur Brooks discussed in this book. I call it shifting to the Third Phase. I have already been in pursuit of activities that interest me and am pulling these together into a business. I call this following my curiosity. I recognize that I don’t need to earn the salary that I was earning in order to be happy. I have lived below my means for many years. This is a form of financial wellness. I recognize that I have learned a lot from difficult life experiences and have used these as an opportunity to grow. My focus is to take what I have learned and share it, to help others find a pathway to fulfillment and joy. This step is scary, but it is one J know I must take as not taking the step is even scarier.
In summary - a lot of the steps I have taken parallel the recommendations from this book. For me, the book provided a source of external validation for my changes, backed by analysis.
In summary - a lot of the steps I have taken parallel the recommendations from this book. For me, the book provided a source of external validation for my changes, backed by analysis.
pafosmoe's review
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This isn’t my typical type of reading - but I’m currently going through a job transition after voluntarily choosing to step back from a high profile role that was sucking the life out of me. This book helped reinforce that I had made the right decision and gave me a lot to reflect on for the future. Change is indeed scary but can lead to an even better outcome, if you’re willing to take a leap. I found this book to be inspiring at this stage of my life (early 50s) and career.
cassandra_t's review
medium-paced
4.0
I picked up this book simply due to the fact that it shares advice for happiness in the second half of your life, because sometimes the age that you are makes a difference for what advice resonates. I particularly enjoyed the chapters on “Kick your success addiction” and “Cultivate your aspen grove.” The 7 big predictors of being happy was a great list, as was the idea of a reverse bucket list. I also loved the idea of real friends versus deal friends (as I believe we all have some). The concept of adding more spiritualism into your later life, whether through meditation, prayer, reading, or practice was something I’ve read before in the self-help book by Oprah and Arthur Brooks. I did like the references to some Buddhist teachings though.
bookthia's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
3.25
I’m still working out how I feel about this book. I did like it and found ideas and thoughts within it that were relatable. I liked the information about how our intelligences and skills shift as we age. But there was a built-in elitism to some of his assumptions and advice that was off putting.
jaybatson's review
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
Good content, probably a better HBR article than book
The message is roughly to understand how your brain will physically and functionally change as you age thru the decades of your career, and how knowing how the changes to come can be leveraged intentionally to change how you act & live, and set priorities and actions accordingly, all leading to less frustration & more happiness as you mature.
The important parts are all the specifics underneath the premise. And it’s all good, compelling stuff.
However, by the time I was half way through I think (as I often do) that a hard edit to cut the length would have made for better reader comprehension - so much so that this could have been a (long) Harvard Business Review article and had just as much impact.
Nevertheless, good book, recommended. (Don’t let 3-stars dissuade you; I’m just of the ilk that jealously guards stars for books I think are highly exceptional.)
The message is roughly to understand how your brain will physically and functionally change as you age thru the decades of your career, and how knowing how the changes to come can be leveraged intentionally to change how you act & live, and set priorities and actions accordingly, all leading to less frustration & more happiness as you mature.
The important parts are all the specifics underneath the premise. And it’s all good, compelling stuff.
However, by the time I was half way through I think (as I often do) that a hard edit to cut the length would have made for better reader comprehension - so much so that this could have been a (long) Harvard Business Review article and had just as much impact.
Nevertheless, good book, recommended. (Don’t let 3-stars dissuade you; I’m just of the ilk that jealously guards stars for books I think are highly exceptional.)