Book Review: A Short Guide to a Happy Life By Anne Quindlen

 

Now, this is neither the first time that I read this book, nor the first time that I am doing a book review of it here. In fact, I reviewed it back on February 20, 2012. In fact, I reread my own blog entry on it, and touched it up a bit. Already, whenever someone tells you that they have read a book more than once, it more than likely means that they hold it in high regard and enjoyed reading it. Such is the case with this book for me.

Yet, it somehow also profound. It makes you think. 

It is a short read. You can easily read this in one sitting. And it is easy to read, to boot. It flows well. Indeed, you can probably get through it in under half of an hour, if you really want to do that. Certainly, less than an hour, if you read at a relatively regular speed. I read probably on the normal to slow side, and it did not take long at all. Yet, that does not detract from it, as 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. The book is compact, but Quindlen chooses her words carefully, 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. Despite being painful, the silver lining was that it also 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 pivotal moment in her life from which she can define the "before" and "after." 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.

Towards the end of this book, Quindlen also mentions how she was talking to a homeless man. 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. He is not a power broker or a mover & a 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 even hold a regular job. Yet, the wisdom that he 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." 

Quindlen 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 unique and obviously valuable experiences, as well. I strongly recommend that you find a copy and spend perhaps an hour of your life (it likely will not take longer) with her words. It just might be an eye opener!