Scan barcode
amber_lea84's review against another edition
4.0
Wow, it took me three months to read this book. I couldn't make it more than three pages without stopping to google something. I didn't think I was going to make it to the end before one of my coworkers noticed my book was criminally overdue.
But I did it!
I'm not sure how to rate it because I don't have a fully formed opinion on a lot of the things he addresses in this book. Do I agree with most of his assertions? I have no idea. But it was interesting to read a perspective I've never heard before. I also learned A LOT. This book is filled with random facts. Many of which I wanted to learn more about, hence all the googling.
I will say the tone of this book felt a little strange at times, and some times things were worded so strangely I had to reread a sentence multiple times. This is by no means a perfect book and I disagreed with him at times, but I gave it four stars because it's a fresh perspective and he makes a lot of valid points. I definitely came away feeling better about the world and would recommend it to anyone who feels exhausted by the current political climate. (And I do mean anyone, this book doesn't lean liberal or conservative.)
But I did it!
I'm not sure how to rate it because I don't have a fully formed opinion on a lot of the things he addresses in this book. Do I agree with most of his assertions? I have no idea. But it was interesting to read a perspective I've never heard before. I also learned A LOT. This book is filled with random facts. Many of which I wanted to learn more about, hence all the googling.
I will say the tone of this book felt a little strange at times, and some times things were worded so strangely I had to reread a sentence multiple times. This is by no means a perfect book and I disagreed with him at times, but I gave it four stars because it's a fresh perspective and he makes a lot of valid points. I definitely came away feeling better about the world and would recommend it to anyone who feels exhausted by the current political climate. (And I do mean anyone, this book doesn't lean liberal or conservative.)
dogtrax's review against another edition
4.0
The bigger macro picture is that things are getting better (even with many global challenges). Of course, the micro picture can be alarming ....
cook_memorial_public_library's review against another edition
4.0
Recommended by Joe. Check our catalog: https://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Sit%27s%20better%20than%20it%20looks%20easterbrook__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=gold
mdross1's review against another edition
3.0
First of all, with recent events this book already feels potentially out of date, particularly with chapters that deal with public health for instance. I don’t think it necessarily changes the underlying premise, but it’s never great to write off entire sections that have already been disproven or called into question.
If you like America-centric ‘enlightened centrism’ then this is the book for you. The constant comparisons between Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump got a bit wearisome by the end for sure, but the central premise about how we discount the progress made globally because we personally don’t feel all the benefits acutely is a good point to bring up for sure.
Lots of the points were made, and in a better format, by [a:Rutger Bregman|5781839|Rutger Bregman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1517928864p2/5781839.jpg], and I’d recommend one of his books before this.
If you like America-centric ‘enlightened centrism’ then this is the book for you. The constant comparisons between Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump got a bit wearisome by the end for sure, but the central premise about how we discount the progress made globally because we personally don’t feel all the benefits acutely is a good point to bring up for sure.
Lots of the points were made, and in a better format, by [a:Rutger Bregman|5781839|Rutger Bregman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1517928864p2/5781839.jpg], and I’d recommend one of his books before this.
estheria's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to this at 2x because I didn't have the patience to listen to essentially the same thesis over and over: people think things are horrible but they're not and also, politicians lie. However, this book is awesome. There are SO MANY FACTS in it, and on top of that it's just so nice to read a piece of optimism.
If you think the world is a horrible place or you suffer from declinism (a term I learned from this book), you will never ever ever like this book. Everyone else can get something out of it.
If you think the world is a horrible place or you suffer from declinism (a term I learned from this book), you will never ever ever like this book. Everyone else can get something out of it.
joshuamterry's review against another edition
1.0
A load of right-wing claptrap wrapped up in fancy packaging. The irony of hating this is not lost on me.
elleirbagem's review against another edition
4.0
I actually finished this non-fiction book, which is rare enough that it says something for the book. However, there were at least a few times where I wasn't convinced by the author. Still, I appreciate the positive outlook.
colleen27's review against another edition
4.0
It isn't often that I come across a political or socio-economic book that causes me to step back and rethink the way I see the world as effectively as this book did. In a time of unrelenting bad news, when the two and a half years of the Trump administration have come to feel more like decades, this book put the struggles of the present moment into perspective without being dismissive, and made a strong case for optimism as a key to successful reforms. Loyalists of both major parties will find ideas that contradict some of their closely held beliefs, while affirming others, but both would benefit from reading this book as a check against the crisis worldview that has come to dominate political discourse.
puppylove42's review against another edition
4.0
Two chapter titles "We will never run out of challenges" and "It will never be too late" is my message to pessimistic people. Humanity will forever continue progressing into a better future because of new problems that could possibly prevent worse ones from continuing. My message and the author Gregg Easterbrook is there is always going to be that possibility that something bad could happen but if you don't go out there and live your life then the world will progress without you.
mhdtim's review against another edition
4.0
Well-written and well sourced but the author largely glosses over minority losses as he celebrates progress for most. Also, I would rather he actually foot-noted the sources -rather than buried them at the end.
More...