Wow. Coherent ideas explained in clear language meant for everyone. This was written in the 40s I think but it stands incredibly relevant to today's w...moreWow. Coherent ideas explained in clear language meant for everyone. This was written in the 40s I think but it stands incredibly relevant to today's world. Didn't finish it because I need fiction but I got a lot out of this book. Would recommend it to anyone.(less)
The fundamental ideas are good, but it's moderately saturated with God references and "The Creator" and stuff that inches dangerously towards schools...moreThe fundamental ideas are good, but it's moderately saturated with God references and "The Creator" and stuff that inches dangerously towards schools of thought that endorse not taking responsibility for your actions, which is severely contradictory to what I think he's trying to say. Also, the "New" ness of it just involves lengthy additional chapters / paragraphs that brag about how many people have used his book (but not always specifying how).
Good supplementary reading: The Mental Edge - Kenneth Baum(less)
Ok I never finished this...I wanna say I got more than half way through though? It was a few months ago at this point. What I remember is that basical...moreOk I never finished this...I wanna say I got more than half way through though? It was a few months ago at this point. What I remember is that basically it's a lot of esoteric postmodern bullshit. Things are vague or obscure for the sake of being vague and obscure. It's kind of like in the 90s on shows like "My So Called Life" when being moody and sighing a lot was considered deep. Not so much! I spoke to some friends who were also reading it and ended up finishing it who told me the end was disappointing. I'm taking their word for it. I just can't imagine an ending where sloughing through all of this boring history of mysticism could lead to anything except a pointless mystic conclusion. Wasn't for me. (less)
I gave it 40 pages before I couldn't stand any more. I take it's one of his earlier works- painfully trying to mold his voice into something British....moreI gave it 40 pages before I couldn't stand any more. I take it's one of his earlier works- painfully trying to mold his voice into something British. I get the magical realism but it's too little too late, too much tangent, too much self-commentary...(less)
Library fling strikes again. Had to return this before I could finish it, but I read most of it. A fun read, but I felt like I was reading an intellec...moreLibrary fling strikes again. Had to return this before I could finish it, but I read most of it. A fun read, but I felt like I was reading an intellectual tabloid. Some interesting insights on cause and effect from mostly a micro/macro social POV, realistic. But I get the feeling some things are blown into wild proportion for the sake of book sales, specifically the "kids are more likely to die from pools than guns" bit. Well, which are they more likely to be exposed to? Duh. Levitt sounds a bit like he's hoping you'll call him a genius for this book, and while I appreciate his ambition, he's a bit hasty.(less)
Yet another "how to be a musician" book. This came highly recommended and I think I would feel more "wow"ed if I hadn't already read numerous books on...moreYet another "how to be a musician" book. This came highly recommended and I think I would feel more "wow"ed if I hadn't already read numerous books on sports psychology which express a lot of the same ideas in a more scientific and clear light. It's always worth my time to keep reading these things though, you never know what little gems you might find. One of my favorites so far is "Ease of performance begins in the mind." Yes yes yes! So obvious yet so often overlooked. This gets a bit boring at times because it rehashes ideas I feel like I've heard from the very beginning of music lessons but I imagine this would be fantastic for someone just starting to get serious about practicing. Will update more when I finish.(less)
Alright, I don't want to offend people who loved this book and it feel like it changed their life 4eva, but this book is pretty ridic. I've noticed th...moreAlright, I don't want to offend people who loved this book and it feel like it changed their life 4eva, but this book is pretty ridic. I've noticed that there's a pretty strong correlation between how glossy and ornamented with background images and decorational GIFs a book is and how much bullshit is inside. This book is no exception.
It starts off pretty innocuously. "Think positively, be a happier person." If that were the entire message of the book then I think I'd give it a 3-5 star rating. Where the book goes wrong is when it doesn't just strongly suggest that bad things that happen to you are always your fault, it guarantees it. That car accident you were in? The fact that your parents divorced when you were a young age? Anything sucky that's happened in your life that you *thought* was beyond your control? All of it was your fault because you were thinking bad thoughts. Yes, it even goes as far as to say that EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THE HOLOCAUST DESERVED IT. I really wish that I was making this part up as some kind of extreme extension of the author's line of thought, but she explicitly states this.
The danger of this book is that it repeatedly advises its readers to essentially *pray* for good things to happen. Byrne and her group of "teachers" advise you to imagine the result of good things as if they've already happened while strongly discouraging you to avoid thinking about the means by which they are accomplished. She's telling you to just wish really really really hard that good stuff has happened to you, and then it will. Because "The UnIvErSe" hears your message and will hitcha back, yo.
The high-point of lulz was when the author stipulated that anyone who was overweight and unhappy about it was so because they thought too many "fat thoughts." SERIOUSLY. Fat thoughts!! Hey Rhonda, maybe it was the CAKE?
It seems like people who would be drawn to this are the type of people who would prefer to believe in magic (religion falls under this category) rather than face reality. Fortunately part of reality is that having a good attitude and outlook will make you and everyone around you happier. But avoiding thinking about the process by which you could achieve great things robs an individual of the satisfaction of having achieved something on their own- not just by wishing rlyrlyrlyrly hard.
Edit: The only weird thing is...whenever I want a parking spot now, if I use "the secret" I almost always get one...Weird. (for that I'm updating this book from 1 star to 2)(less)
I don't know if I'm going to finish this one... Great concept, but I'm not convinced of the chick and the dude (it's been a few weeks since I picked i...moreI don't know if I'm going to finish this one... Great concept, but I'm not convinced of the chick and the dude (it's been a few weeks since I picked it up) as separate characters. I think what made me put this book down was the chapter where the chick is 3 or 5 years old and sounds like the ideal 3 or 5 year old in the eyes of the dude, not, like, a believable toddler. Bo-ring.(less)
The only reason I didn't get a chance to finish was because I had to return it to the library before I left Michigan. Not merely a how-to-get-booty ha...moreThe only reason I didn't get a chance to finish was because I had to return it to the library before I left Michigan. Not merely a how-to-get-booty handbook, Greene describes several archetypes of seducers and also archetypes of "victims" and although on occasion he takes the approach that proper seduction cannot be done without being amoral, he gives countless historical examples that range from socrates to kennedy, about two or three examples of major historical figures in each chapter. People who have seduced on the personal level to those who have seduced the masses in art and politics. I only made it through the types-of-vicitms section in the middle, I think the book goes on to outline "plans of attack" that I didn't reach. If the library here has it I'll find it. The margins are filled with quotes from Ovid or Don Juan or really ancient texts on the concept of seduction that help illustrate each archetype.(less)
I picked up this book in an airport between flights, it's been pretty hyped up and was obviously the most-purchased book from the store. Even the girl...moreI picked up this book in an airport between flights, it's been pretty hyped up and was obviously the most-purchased book from the store. Even the girl on the plane next to me, obviously not an english-speaker, took great efforts to tell me that she loved this book.
The book's protagonist is an adolescent shepherd and reads as if it were written by one. Coelho abandons all subtlety, capitalizing the phrase "Personal Legend" and using it every other page in a story that has the ingredients of a successful fairy tale but stitches them together in such a barebones superficial way that reminds me of $1.50 starbucks cups wisdom or motivational stories told by commencement speakers with a religious agenda. It's initial message of 'follow your passion' is soon altered to 'the story of your life is written by the same hand who wrote the story of the world' and then to 'the heart of alchemy is the Soul of the World [sic] which all should strive to join.' 80 pages was more than fair. Very willing to sell/swap.
Needless to say I didn't read any of the "Plus" aspects of this edition.(less)
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