Book Review: Anna Quindlen's "A Short Guide to a Happy Life"

This was not the first time that I read this book, and already, whenever someone tells you that they have read a book more than once, it more than likely means that they regard it highly and enjoyed reading it. Such is the case with this book.

It is a short read, and you can probably get through it in under half of an hour, if you really want. Certainly, less than an hour, if you read at a relatively regular speed (whatever that would be). I read probably on the normal to slow side, and it did not take long at all. But believe me, this book will likely be worth your while and the effort to read!

It is short, and has an unofficial, informal, almost conversational feel to it. it is compact, but she chooses her words very well, and to beautiful effect! Describing in brief an event that changed her life, her mother dying while she was still only a young college student of 19, she talks about how that literally changed her life, and what that taught her about character. From being a college student with normal college student activities and the college lifestyle to think about, she suddenly found herself in the suburbs, taking care of someone, her life completely altered. She describes it as the moment in her life when she can define the "before" and "after" this pivotal event. It seems that she got the most of it, and gained valuable wisdom, to boot. In her words:

"I learned to love the journey, not the destination. I learned that this is not a dress rehearsal, and that today is the only guarantee you get."

Powerful stuff.

She mentions how she came to be talking to a homeless man towards the end of this book. This was a man that society looks down upon, a man who struggles to find a place to stay warm on those brutally cold winter nights (which we have had startlingly few of so far this winter, by the way). He is not a power broker or a mover & shaker on Wall Street, not a prominent politician positioning himself for some higher office, not a religious figure, or anything like that. He does not hold a regular job. Yet, the wisdom that she shared with her offered a different perspective, and she ends the book with it. He responds to her question of why he did not find a shelter or go to detox, and try and get himself cleaned up.

As she puts it:

"And he stared out at the ocean and said, "Look at the view, young lady. Look at the view." she says it is sound advice, and she still applies it to her life even today.

She gives quite a bit of good advice based on her own experiences, as well, and I strongly recommend that you get a copy and spend perhaps an hour of your life with her words. It just might be an eye opener!