Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
Learning to Fall: The Blessings of an Imperfect Life
Now I find myself in late August, with the nights cool and the crickets thick in the fields. Already the first blighted leaves glow scarlet on the red maples. It’s a season of fullness and sweet longings made sweeter now by the fact that I can’t be sure I’ll see this time of the year again....
— from Learning to Fall
Philip Simmons was just thirty-five years old in 1993 when...more
— from Learning to Fall
Philip Simmons was just thirty-five years old in 1993 when...more
Paperback, 176 pages
Published
April 29th 2003
by Bantam
(first published 2000)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
224)
Had to give this a two, but it's really a one and a half. Nothing in this whole book until the very end where I found some "good stuff". I'm going to quote it, (it's long) so if you read this, you've saved yourself the time and trouble of trying to get through this book.
"Too often the repeated challenges and hardships of our lives seem mere repetition without advancement. Life, after, is a messy business, and there's a natural ebb and flow to the process of growing up and learning what it means...more
"Too often the repeated challenges and hardships of our lives seem mere repetition without advancement. Life, after, is a messy business, and there's a natural ebb and flow to the process of growing up and learning what it means...more
I've been reading this little book while I was grieving the loss of both a friend and a relative. As a result, sometimes it was almost too painful to read. However, I found the words to be helpful and moving and enlightening. I expect to come back to its words over and over. While drawing on words from various religions and poets and scientists, Simmons never makes you feel that your perspective is the wrong choice. He calls you to look at your philosophy in a fresh and nonjudgmental way. I expe...more
*Faling with--and not from--grace*
Learning to Fall is a wonderfully enlightening and amazingly well-written book describing how suffering need not be a fall from grace if it is approached as a means of mindfully falling with grace. Although Phillip is dying from Lou Gehrig's disease, he models for the rest of us how to live more fully. In the spirit of Irvin Yalom's existential approach, by accepting his existential realities, Phillip is able to more fully engage in making his remaining days as...more
Learning to Fall is a wonderfully enlightening and amazingly well-written book describing how suffering need not be a fall from grace if it is approached as a means of mindfully falling with grace. Although Phillip is dying from Lou Gehrig's disease, he models for the rest of us how to live more fully. In the spirit of Irvin Yalom's existential approach, by accepting his existential realities, Phillip is able to more fully engage in making his remaining days as...more
Apr 11, 2013
Alexandra
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
book-club,
non-fiction
I re-read this book after over 10 years because my book club was reading it. I don't often re-read books so it was an interesting experience re-reading these essay after so many years. Some of his points about living in the moment I have read elsewhere, but it was nice to be reminded of it. His essays about living in New England, particularly the one on mud season were poignant, funny, and relevant. His attitude in the face of dying is remarkable.
An exceptional read. Poetic, inspiring, , humorous, entertaining. I tried to give it a 4-star rating because I've been rating so many of the books I review as 5-star but I had to upgrade it because it is better than very good. It is a remarkable accomplishment, written while Simmons was battling ALS, to which he subsequently succumbed, he models courage and moral stamina in every paragraph.
I am enjoying this book well enough, but it's not what I expected. I thought it would be more about the author's struggle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) but it's much more about nature, the natural world, and how we fit into it. There are also rhapsodies about the benefits of small-town life (the author lived in New Hampshire).
I learned from this book that even in adversity -- and maybe especially in adversity-- we can do much, enjoy much, learn much. The author had Lou Gehrig's disease, was in his 40's. Best read in small bits so you can take it in.
I didn't have a sense that Simmons really learned how to fall, but wanted to tell everyone else how to do so. Too preachy.
I found this book filled with too many quotes and sayings from other authors that seemed to take away from the flow of the story the author was writing. Overall it was a pretty good book.
Fabulous book reflecting on many of life's lessons from a terminally ill man. Makes us all understand that we all have a terminal disease - we all die. Make the most of each moment!
A book to read slowly and think about. Very good for giving perspective to times in life that aren't so great.
Recommended by a friend with ALS I read it at first with trepidation and then with delight.
A very well written memoir after the diagnosis of Lou Gerhig's disease at a relatively young age.
Feb 08, 2010
Mary
added it
To savor each day, to not take myself so seriously, to be less critical.
Just wasn't at a point in my life personally where I could get into this book.
A book that is meant to be savored. The writing was brilliant!
What a beautiful book of essays by a man dying from ALS. It was so easy to identify with the everyday tasks and events that he brings almost to poetry. I laughed and cried about his trips to the dump, his adventures with mud, his love of old houses, interactions with his young children, his observations about what he calls wild things - turtles and frogs being two of those. I was enthralled, finished the book in an evening and wrapped it up to send to a friend.
My friend Alice introduced me to this book by a local author on our vacation. The author, who wrote the book as he entered into his ALS-related physical decline, explores the idea of learning to "fall" -- whether in learning to accept his physical infirmities or to let go of all that we cling to in life. Real, honest, insightful, inspiring -- it's a wonderful book to help us remember what is important in life.
Wonderful, moving little book. 12 essays, on learning to live richly in the face of loss. As he points out, though we have little choice as to the timing or means of our descent, we may fall with grace, to grace. But it's not a depressing book: the man has a sense of humor. Leafing through it now, I notice I have many, many places underlined. Just find it & read it. You'll be glad you did.
A family friend wrote this book as he was dying from a dehabilitating disease. But instead of sadness, this book is full of incredible joy and insights on life. There are lessons in appreciating life to it's fullest here that anyone could benefit from.
So far, this book is excellent. It's written by a man who has been diagnosed with ALS. He tells about the impact his diagnosis has on his spiritual life.(Mom, this is the book I was telling you about.) I recommend it to Joy, Mom, and MaryAnn.
Aug 10, 2008
Hollis
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Hollis by:
From Pat Weigle
Shelves:
spiritual
This is a book about a man, who, upon being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease, turns his remaining life into a quest for what is important. It was written with grace and style and I found it inspiring, without being insipid.
Nov 06, 2008
Jennifer Newman
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Anyone who has someone with ALS>
This book was very good. The imperfect life was because he has Lou Gehrigs. He was told he has less than 5 years to live. If you love life you will love this one.
Jenn
Jenn
This book is to philisophical for me. I did not oike it at all. I only red less than 1/2 the book. I could relate to Chapter 4, but that's about it.
Very insightful book about one man's outlook on his terminal illness, and how he copes as well as gains meaningful insights on life and death.
For a complete review:
http://satia.blogspot.com/2008/06/lea...
http://satia.blogspot.com/2008/06/lea...
Oct 10, 2008
Linda
is currently reading it
This book sounds good,thanks for the recommendation, I'll get it this week.
If you are extensely familiar with eastern philosophies/culture, it's a must read.
Very approachable. Inspiring. Simple. Resigned yet not retired. I liked it a lot.
Jan 29, 2011
Terry
added it
didn't finish, lost interest when the writing was consumed with God.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
