From Harold S. Kushner, author of the inspirational #1 bestseller When Bad Things Happen to Good People, comes a book that shows us how to b...
read full description
reviews
Feb 22, 2011
David
rated it: 
This book did not disappoint, except maybe for its title. The austere observer might contend that the solution to “overcoming life’s disappointments” is no complicated matter. It can be adequately expressed in just as many words as the title: “Get over it.” But although the title is not very imaginative, the author’s approach is. He is a rabbi and invokes scripture on many occasions, using Moses as his primary exemplar. But the book has value even to the secular, even to someone like me who
More...
0 comments
like
(2 people liked it)
Jan 13, 2011
Nicole
rated it: 
I have two enduring images of this book, both from midrash.
The first is from when Moses came down the mountain with the original tablets containing the Ten Commandments, the ones he smashed. Legend has it that he kept the shards in the Ark of the Covenant alongside the second, intact, set because they symbolized his broken dream. A dream that his people would unite under G-d's covenants and enjoy their freedom after the Exodus. Instead, they betrayed G-d by fashioning the golden calf i More...
The first is from when Moses came down the mountain with the original tablets containing the Ten Commandments, the ones he smashed. Legend has it that he kept the shards in the Ark of the Covenant alongside the second, intact, set because they symbolized his broken dream. A dream that his people would unite under G-d's covenants and enjoy their freedom after the Exodus. Instead, they betrayed G-d by fashioning the golden calf i More...
Jul 31, 2010
Jane
rated it:
Another in my series of reads by Rabbi Harold Kushner. His pearls of wisdom never fail to inspire and/or put things in perspective. He makes the point here that it's how we react to the events/things that happen to us in life that's important, not the events themselves. In other words, rotten things can happen to us or our families, but we do not have to be prisoner to that. We can define our own outcome. As in his other books, Kushner emphasizes again the need to look at life with an "
More...
Jul 23, 2007
Jonathan
rated it: 
The author of "When Bad Things Happen To Good People," Harold S. Kushner now tackles disappointment, especially in love but also in work, framing this short book with lessons from the life of Moses. Yes, Moses led his people out of slavery, brought them the word of God, and took them to the Promised Land. But he had lots of disappointments too -- he had to take all their whining, and he didn't have much of a family life, and even though he spent 40 years in the desert, he was not allo
More...
Mar 12, 2009
Juli
rated it: 
I thought Rabbi Kushner had a lot of good things to say but was left feeling a bit like I needed to pull up my boot straps and make my life what I want on my own. While I agree that it is important to engage with life and make choices toward a healthy and good life that you want I felt like something was missing. Since Kushner is writing from a Jewish perspective I think that the something missing I was feeling was the hope found in Jesus. This one read more like a self-help book.
Jun 20, 2009
Burnettkw
rated it:
I think one of the best lines from this book was about days being divided between sunshine and darkness. People who live in places where there's either too much light (Alaska in the summer) or two much darkness (Alaska in the winter) have a hard time. Life is like that too. Mostly useful advice about how to redesign your dreams when necessary. Occasionally annoying -- a sincere discussion about a t-shirt slogan comes to mind -- but overall thought provoking and encouraging.
Dec 22, 2010
Sonyajohnston
rated it:
I heard Harold Kushner speaking on the radio and decided to read his book. I had read When Bad things happen to Good People many years ago. I enjoyed his religious spin on this book. I think this book will give anyone who is disappointed with how life is should read this book. I know it helped me.
Jan 23, 2010
Spider
rated it:
Rabbi Kushner gives interesting stories & advice based on Moses & how he dealt with life. I liked the perspective & the stories, even though I'm not a believer of Old Testament stories, there are valuable grains of truth in stories. Also, my version was an audio CD, not cassettes.
Aug 11, 2010
Nichole
rated it:
Harold S Kushner is the person to read when grieving. The book is centered around Moses. I learned more about Moses in this book then 8 years of parochial school. Kushner cites many psychologist and therapist making his point clear,take the good with the bad. His writing style is easy and interesting. I also enjoy his quotes and stories.
Dec 17, 2009
Kathleen
rated it:
Okay, so I know this is a technically a self-help book, but in my defense... this rabbi-writer-guy is really cool. Harold Kushner writes as if we've just sat down for americanos, as he explains the world with a combination of stories from the Old Testament, various other self help books and a few pop culture references (my favorite in this one is when he invokes the movie Gattaca).
This book is based on the life of Moses as a lesson in how things really can work out even when we don' More...
This book is based on the life of Moses as a lesson in how things really can work out even when we don' More...
Jun 21, 2009
Shirley
rated it:
Always like Kushner, and this one no exception. Daughter was reading it so decided to give it "a go." Based on the story of Moses. The theme will be helpful for class I will be doing in the fall.
Dec 14, 2010
Lucy
rated it:
Not as good as his classic When Bad Things Happen to Good People, but nice and insightful. Uses the story of Moses to teach about overcoming the frustrations of life.
Jan 03, 2010
Andrea
rated it:
Rabbi Kushner uses the story of Moses and his ability to overcome major life disappointments to help his readers see that they too can overcome disappointments in love, work, dreams, etc. I enjoyed his ability to incorporate the life of Moses as well as many present day examples and anecdotes, all with a friendly, conversational tone. Uplifting and encouraging.
Jan 29, 2012
Drew
rated it:
I suppose I chose to read this book because of my current interest in Genesis. I've recently listened to Bill Moyer's multi-part series on Genesis, I've listened to John Claypool tapes and I'm reading The Beginning of Wisdom.
Overcoming Life's Disappointments is a self-help book that uses Moses as the teaching model. Kushner is a good writer and dispenses lots of wisdom--too much in my opinion. Not that what he has to say is not wisdom,it's too thinly offered with not enough depth.
More...
Overcoming Life's Disappointments is a self-help book that uses Moses as the teaching model. Kushner is a good writer and dispenses lots of wisdom--too much in my opinion. Not that what he has to say is not wisdom,it's too thinly offered with not enough depth.
More...
Jan 14, 2011
Cindy
rated it:
It has been years since I have read a Rabbi Kushner book. I enjoyed this one.
Jul 09, 2008
Bill
rated it:
Kushner uses Moses' life as a framework for understanding disappointment, loss, and frustration. I appreciate his ability to wade into the difficult aspects of life and find meaning. Lots of great stories and an interesting analysis of Moses, but moroever, the book feels real in its at times tenuous assertions of good overcoming evil and of struggle making us more human, loving, and connected. Even in its assertions, at times it reads more like a yearning prayer.
Dec 10, 2008
Kaye
rated it:
I love two of Kushner's books, but everything else has been kind of a dud. Even though I finished about 70% of this one, I couldn't generate the interest to finish it up. Eh.
May 26, 2010
Ashlie
rated it:
I really enjoy Rabbi Kushner's take on the world - in all his books that I've read. This is no exception - I was in tears in some parts. My only complaint about the book is that I think sometimes he takes the Moses analogy too far, to a point that became uninteresting for me. But a few pages of uninteresting are definitely worth the rest of the book's insights.
Oct 06, 2008
Ramakrishnan
rated it:
Another gem of a book of practical wisdom from Rabbi Harold Kushner. The Rabbi hails Moses as a hero and using his life presents a very practical, yet powerful psychological tools including: "Dared to dream", "A hard road, Not a smooth one", "Keep promises", "It's Not All about you", "The mistakes good people make", and "write your own happy ending".
May 22, 2008
Julia
rated it:
ah the world of self-help books which are so marginally helpful...nothing new in this one. just a different way to frame things. aka "what would Moses do?"
Dec 17, 2009
Inder
rated it:
I'm a huge fan of Rabbi Kushner's - his books are all about finding what is truly important and focusing on that, letting go of the our superficial and hurtful urges.
Jul 19, 2008
Dannyg
rated it: 
I liked Kushner's earlier book "when bad things Happen to Good People", this one not so much. Seemed a bit disjointed.
Apr 01, 2008
Musep
rated it:
Moses as example of someone who handled disappointment.
Less distressing than WHY BAD THINGS HAPPEN (God is weak)
Less distressing than WHY BAD THINGS HAPPEN (God is weak)
Jun 29, 2008
Ihave a realvideo of this that runs an hour. I'll have to listen to it when I next go to Mom's.
Jul 04, 2008
Steve
rated it:
I did not finish the book, but I thought the early part had some good concepts.
Sep 02, 2010
Beth
rated it:
itself disappointing. when bad things happen to good people was so good.
May 02, 2008
Steve
rated it:
kind of like a jewish self-help book
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
