Rating: 
Summary: If you've experienced it, you might like this book.
Review: I tend to think that there are two types of audiences for this book. Those who have are looking for a "user-guide" on how to experience a happy life, and those who are already happy and are looking for validation on what they feel. "A Short Guide to a Happy Life" makes for a poor user-guide and leaves the reader wondering what Anna Quindlen was trying to convey. However, the latter of the two groups might identify better with the author and walk away with a renewed sense of serenity.
Rating: 
Summary: A little treasure, filled with the wisdom of life!
Review: This little book of Anne Quindlen's is just so full of life wisdom that it can for sure help one think about life and death, and to think about how to live one's life to the fullest. You may not be able to get anything from this book if you just read through it in a couple of minutes (which I believe you really can) and then put it down forever. But if you try to slow down and savour the book bit by bit, and most important of all, stop and *think* what the author really wants to bring out through her sharing with us her own experience, then, I am sure your reading of this book will be very rewarding. The only thing that keeps me from giving this book 5 stars is that I find this little book really a bit too little. If only she can write a bit more for us...
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful book, but I wouldn't buy it
Review: Very wise, sweet, powerful advice. In fact great/indispensible advice for people who are too on the go to stop and smell the roses and appreciate all the beauty and love around them. However, this book, while the quality is stratospheric, the quantity was quite disappointing. The book took me a good ten minutes to read, and I am a slow reader. The photos are a huge question mark - dull black and whites. Go to the bookstore, or the library. This book is worth reading, but not for 12, 10, or 8 dollars plus shipping. This is good quality, but the quantity could barely fill a fortune cookie.
Rating: 
Summary: Practical
Review: This is a practical self-help book. If you want something spiritual to go with it try An Encounter With a Prophet.
Rating:
Summary: Nice message, but don't pay for it
Review: I read this book in about 5 minutes at the library. It's a nice and important message - value yourself and the people in your life more than material goods/earning a living. I suspect that the proceeds from this book (which must have taken Ms Quindlen, who I normally think is an incredible writer, a half hour to write) will allow Ms. Quindlen to practice what she preaches.
Rating: 
Summary: Short Guide to Making a Quick Buck
Review: One star is too generous. Unfortunately Amazon doesn't have a one-half-star alternative. Anna Quindlen is one of my favorite columnists. She is very talented. Why she agreed to put her name on this book is a mystery, but very likely has to do with greed. Those of us who buy books online eventually make poor choices because we cannot flip through the book, read a few pages, etc. I wish Amazon would allow customers to view the first few pages of each book. If that's not possible, how about some access to those books that climb into the top thousand sellers?
Rating:
Summary: OK, but read her essay collections first
Review: This seems like a quick effort to sell another book by Anna Quindlen ... and a worthy try. But if you want vintage Quindlen, read her essay collections. This smacks of quick-fix, self help stuff, and makes the reader feel cheated. Reading this one, I feel is if I've been sent on the same tour downriver with the rest of the light-weight gift-book readers out there ... I am disappointed to think Anna would try to sell me a little more snake oil from the proverbial New Age bandwagon ... This is OK -- but -- there are other, deeper things to pick up if you want to know the real secrets of a happy life. Too bad it's not really this simple. If you're still into old Quindlen stuff, and haven't managed to find something new, this might be OK with you. But maybe it's time to move on...
Rating:
Summary: I agree with the other negative reviews
Review: Very primitive writing for Pulitzer Prize winning writer.
Rating:
Summary: Stop and smell the roses
Review: This book is about not taking life for granted. I loved the book. I would also recommend the book An Encounter With A Prophet for those who would like to see life and spirituality for clearly.
Rating:
Summary: A complete waste of money
Review: This book was a great disappointment and a complete waste of money. I did not find it motivational, inspirational, or interesting. At one point I thought it sounded like it was imitating that writing that circulated on the Internet as being a commencement address by Kurt Vonnegut. However, that was far superior and I received it for free.
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