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waynediane's review against another edition
3.0
I would have given this 3.5 stars if halves were an option. Okay book with vignettes stories of people with character flaws but able to achieve character qualities admirable for being a humanist.
rsr143's review against another edition
5.0
A remarkable book.
I started with the first chapter, and the author, David Brooks, himself mentions that impatient readers should jump to the final chapter for the punch-line. I wasn't impatient, but I jumped to the end anyway as that is my habit when reading non-fiction books. First survey the field, then dive in. It was there, in the final pages, that I got a sweeping overview of the major themes in the book and what the author means regarding this thing called "character".
I was so intrigued by the last chapter, that I turned back to the beginning and read the entire thing. It was thought provoking; and told stories that were heartwarming, sad and inspiring. A few of the stories were long winded, but most were fascinating, to the point where I would often just put the book down and think about what I was reading.
To me, this is a mark of a good book, not just a page-turner, but a book that makes me stop turning pages to think!
This is why I rated the book 5 stars. The topic is intriguing and strikes at the heart of personal development - a genre I love to study - but in a way most self-help books avoid, through the use of deep stories and intricate language. You won't find any "7-steps to success" in this book, but you will come away with a feeling that any suffering, toil, heartache or loss you have faced had a purpose and your character has benefited as a result.
I started with the first chapter, and the author, David Brooks, himself mentions that impatient readers should jump to the final chapter for the punch-line. I wasn't impatient, but I jumped to the end anyway as that is my habit when reading non-fiction books. First survey the field, then dive in. It was there, in the final pages, that I got a sweeping overview of the major themes in the book and what the author means regarding this thing called "character".
I was so intrigued by the last chapter, that I turned back to the beginning and read the entire thing. It was thought provoking; and told stories that were heartwarming, sad and inspiring. A few of the stories were long winded, but most were fascinating, to the point where I would often just put the book down and think about what I was reading.
To me, this is a mark of a good book, not just a page-turner, but a book that makes me stop turning pages to think!
This is why I rated the book 5 stars. The topic is intriguing and strikes at the heart of personal development - a genre I love to study - but in a way most self-help books avoid, through the use of deep stories and intricate language. You won't find any "7-steps to success" in this book, but you will come away with a feeling that any suffering, toil, heartache or loss you have faced had a purpose and your character has benefited as a result.
fkshg8465's review
informative
fast-paced
3.0
I didn’t really gain much from this book other than learning a little more about my alma mater. Nice stories with a light character analysis of several historical figures.
rscottm182gmailcom's review against another edition
4.0
David Brooks is a far better writer than I knew. The book is a collection of well-written short biographies of a number of people (such as Dwight Eisenhower, George Marshall, Frances Perkins, George Elliot, etc) describing the trials and tribulations they endured that allowed them to build character and achieve deserved prominence. A final chapter summarizes the biographies and describes some of the commonality of the experience of the subjects.
bluebirdegf's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
2.75
Questionable at times, but some good content and work for character building.
winedotca's review against another edition
1.0
Pretty boring, felt like it took forever to read and wish it focused more on the modern world rather than old historical figures. Not very interesting.
shirleytupperfreeman's review against another edition
Resume virtues vs. Eulogy virtues. Both are important. Brooks presents evidence that western culture has tilted too far in favor of resume virtues. Here, he offers eight mini-biographies of folk, from Augustine to Eisenhower, who developed their eulogy virtues - thus changing the world for the better.
I enjoyed the mini-biographies - they were the right length for my level of interest -though it was occasionally hard to connect them with the virtues he presented. The first and last chapters deliver the heart of Brooks' message. They're important - so could have used more editing - but I'm glad I read it.
I enjoyed the mini-biographies - they were the right length for my level of interest -though it was occasionally hard to connect them with the virtues he presented. The first and last chapters deliver the heart of Brooks' message. They're important - so could have used more editing - but I'm glad I read it.