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oliverjnolan's review against another edition
4.0
I got a quite a lot from this. Despite what the full title might suggest, it's not especially preachy or didactic, and simply offers a number of concise, grounded insights into the reasons why we might find our lives quite stressful. It doesn't offer concrete solutions ,which I appreciated, as they're rarely especially helpful or achievable. A handy guide.
obnorthrup's review against another edition
5.0
Met my expectations, and a good, brief companion to The School of Life's [b:The Good Enough Parent: How to Raise Contented, Interesting and Resilient Children|58644937|The Good Enough Parent How to Raise Contented, Interesting and Resilient Children|The School of Life|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1629830942l/58644937._SX50_.jpg|92242659] and [b:Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals|54785515|Four Thousand Weeks Time Management for Mortals|Oliver Burkeman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1627425434l/54785515._SY75_.jpg|85465206].
geridelacruz's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0
elnechnntt's review against another edition
3.0
A nice little write up, but quite repetitive. If you've read a number of TSOL books prior to this one, I would give it a miss as it just seemed to be an accumulation of other writings rather than anything new or an expansion of similar essays found on their website. I found their Self-Knowledge book was a better investment.
applekern's review against another edition
5.0
A cup of tea, piano music, candle light and this book.
The School of Life has made its footprint on my thoughts already for some time, and this is the first book I have read. A philosophical discussion of what it means to be calm in today's world, why a little bit of pessimism might improve our relationships and how sublime will shift your prespective.
None of these ideas will be completely new to followers of the School of Life / Alain de Botton, nonetheless you cannot hear this enough.
I loved the writing style, easy to read but urging you to read every word and not skim the pages.
The School of Life has made its footprint on my thoughts already for some time, and this is the first book I have read. A philosophical discussion of what it means to be calm in today's world, why a little bit of pessimism might improve our relationships and how sublime will shift your prespective.
None of these ideas will be completely new to followers of the School of Life / Alain de Botton, nonetheless you cannot hear this enough.
I loved the writing style, easy to read but urging you to read every word and not skim the pages.
mahi_tiwari's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
diana_eveline's review against another edition
4.0
"Being calmer doesn't at all mean that we think everything can be fine; it just means we are in a better state of mind to cope with the genuine challenges of our lives."
A wonderful book that explores all aspects of being calm. It starts out with our unrealistic expectations that need altering, builds up to how the ways of our modern society make it harder for us to find calmness and maintain it and ends with a comforting conclusion that we are all just deeply complicated beings who are faced with too much to get it right all the time. Losing your mind every now and then is perfectly normal. After that, it is essential to get back in touch with yourself.
I got this book two years ago from a family that has since become very dear to me. I was completely out of touch with myself but managed to regain footing with their support. They gave this to me as a parting-present to help me maintain my newly gained state of mind. For some reason, it ended up on the bottom of a pile of books. I finally managed to pick it up and regret not doing so sooner. It is comforting without getting too close to the reader, honest without unnecessary bluntness.
This is not a self-help book. There are no ready-made answers or tips on how to battle your every day triggers for stress and anxiety. There is a general origin story that lays out how things happen, which not only makes you feel understood but brings a bit of comfort. I loved the implementation of (political) philosophers and artists from all walks of life. Beautiful examples that really make you stop and think for a moment. What helped me most is to realise that there is no such thing as obtaining a permanent state of clamness. It is not possible and we shouldn't strive for that either. It is just important to realize when your balance is shifting to anxiety and find a way to groung yourself. This book certainly does it for me.
A wonderful book that explores all aspects of being calm. It starts out with our unrealistic expectations that need altering, builds up to how the ways of our modern society make it harder for us to find calmness and maintain it and ends with a comforting conclusion that we are all just deeply complicated beings who are faced with too much to get it right all the time. Losing your mind every now and then is perfectly normal. After that, it is essential to get back in touch with yourself.
I got this book two years ago from a family that has since become very dear to me. I was completely out of touch with myself but managed to regain footing with their support. They gave this to me as a parting-present to help me maintain my newly gained state of mind. For some reason, it ended up on the bottom of a pile of books. I finally managed to pick it up and regret not doing so sooner. It is comforting without getting too close to the reader, honest without unnecessary bluntness.
This is not a self-help book. There are no ready-made answers or tips on how to battle your every day triggers for stress and anxiety. There is a general origin story that lays out how things happen, which not only makes you feel understood but brings a bit of comfort. I loved the implementation of (political) philosophers and artists from all walks of life. Beautiful examples that really make you stop and think for a moment. What helped me most is to realise that there is no such thing as obtaining a permanent state of clamness. It is not possible and we shouldn't strive for that either. It is just important to realize when your balance is shifting to anxiety and find a way to groung yourself. This book certainly does it for me.