The Man in the Empty Boat by Mark Salzman - 4 stars

[Joy D]

The Man in the Empty Boat by Mark Salzman - 4* - My Review

“What makes a life successful? I’ve always thought it boiled down to wisdom and effort—but mainly effort. You succeed when you make the right choices and muster up sufficient effort to do what you want to do, learn what you want to learn, and become what you want to become. What is always at stake when you set out to do something important is your integrity, which I define as how you measure up in terms of accepting responsibility for your own destiny—and then not screwing it up.”

Mark Salzman’s self-analytical and touching account of a stressful year in his life. He has always been anxious and consumed with finding meaning in human existence. At an early age, he explored Chinese philosophy and martial arts. He speaks of his relationship with his wife and the ups and downs of family life. He tells personal stories in an engaging way.

The bulk of the narrative deals in a forthright manner with his experience of panic attacks, the tragic death of his sister, and how he eventually finds a sense of acceptance. I appreciate his self-deprecating humor. It provides a needed respite from some of the more emotionally wrenching content. I think the first two sections are stronger than the third, but overall, it is a well written and thought-provoking memoir.