Reviewed
by: BigAl
Genre:
Self-Help
Approximate
word count: 20-25,000
words
Availability
Click
on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes &
Noble, or Smashwords store
Author:
John
Vorhaus is an accomplished screenwriter, novelist, and non-fiction
author. As a writing instructor he has “taught at such institutions
as Northwestern University, the American Film Institute and the
Writers Program of the UCLA Extension.”
Description:
“Life
is a problem -- a problem you can solve! All you need are some
simple, insightful ways of looking at yourself and your world, plus
frank, straightforward tools for developing your philosophy,
addressing your feelings and clarifying your goals. And they’re all
here for you – in abundance – in John Vorhaus’s down-to-earth
guide to lofty concerns, How
to Live Life. Using the
plain-spoken, exercise-driven approach of his many successful writing
books, How to Live Life
offers no magic solutions, just practical strategies for advancing
your self-awareness, acquiring self-acceptance and closing the gap
between the person you are and the person you want to be. If
spiritual matters matter to you, if you want to make your life rise,
and if you wish to gain a better grasp of the questions that confront
us all, this little book will have a great big impact on you.”
Appraisal:
As a
rule, I'm not a fan of self-help books. But I am a fan of John
Vorhaus, having read and benefited from several of his books on poker
nine or ten years ago and after getting an ereader, reading and
liking a novel and one of his non-fiction offerings. His irreverent
writing style and his humor keeps things light, while still being
serious when the subject requires it. I was torn, so I decided to
read a sample before making the decision to read this book, which I
rarely do.
The
title of the first chapter, “where i get off,” (yeah, that lack
of capitalization is a style choice) promised to address my biggest
concern, as did the first few lines:
So,
first question…
Where
the hell do I get off writing a book called how to live life?
After
all, I have no credentials in psychology, theology or any other
–ology. Nor have I scholarship in philosophy, theosophy or any
other –osophy. Indeed, I bear no academic qualifications of any
kind, bar the lowly BA that got me my first job out of college and
hasn’t done much for me since...
He
then proceeds to make his case. If you're interested in the details,
check out the sample. After having read the book, I have my own
explanation.
Do you
have a friend or family member who is your go-to person for advice?
They're non-judgmental. They may or may not have any expertise in the
area you're struggling with, but by listening and asking questions
they lead you (or sometimes actually help you lead yourself) to the
right answers?
To me,
How to Live Life
is the book equivalent to that person. A lot of life's bigger
questions and the right answer for you (which is different than the
right answer for me, or anyone else) comes from self-awareness. They
come from figuring out what makes you tick. From your purpose in life
and the things you're passionate about. Vorhaus asks the questions to
help you focus on what the right answers are for you, rather than
telling you what he thinks your answers should be. (Much different
from many self-help books.) He'll give some of his answers, not
claiming they're the right answer for you (many obviously aren't),
but as examples to help you understand the questions better. You'll
still want to go to that friend sometimes for advice (after all,
their purpose and passion might be to help others), but we can all
use more help, right? How
to Live Life is a way to
help ourselves.
Format/Typo
Issues:
No
significant issues.
Rating:
**** Four Stars
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