Rating: 
Summary: For Anyone Who has Suffered a Tragedy in Their Life
Review: I found the words in "When Bad Things Happen to Good People" fitting for anyone who has suffered through a tragedy or a trying time in their life. The book was sent to me by a friend who had lost his fiance to cancer. I, myself, was suffering through a very trying divorce. Since I first received the book, I have given a copy to others who have been in the throes of coping with a difficult time. I found the words encouraging and not a "crying-sad" book. It lifted me up. I found that "bad things do happen to good people". One doesn't have to be bad or be punished to experience a tragedy. Recently, the daughter of one of my best friends took her life. There, to this day, seems to be no reason. She was thirty eight, had obtained her degree and was working in the archives of the library of a leading University. To try to understand has been beyond any of us, and to make matters more frustrating the daughter who took her life leaves a twin behind to cope with the "why"? My friend will find comfort in the words of this book. In some way I can show my appreciation to the friend who first sent it to me by sending it on to others who face the difficult realization that life sometimes brings us events that we don't understand.
Rating: 
Summary: Very much worth a read
Review: Although I do not share Kushner's Jewish belief system, he asks the same questions we all have. Why? Why me? Why now? etc. While his presuppositions are different from mine as an evangelical Christian, I still think he lays out some worthy bones to chew on, making you think through your personal theology and ideas of who God is and just why it is that bad things happen to good people. Another book readers might want to look at is C.S. Lewis' 1940 work entitled The Problem of Pain. A comparison of the two authors, one Jewish and the other a Christian, might interest some who take this issue very seriously and are willing to stretch their own viewpoints.
Rating:
Summary: Deserves six stars!
Review: Everyone at some time in their life is overwhelmed emotionally by a loss or other crisis. This book is essential reading for that time. It will enable one to endure the unbearable and keep life in perspective. The author has given the public a gift of unparalled love.
Rating: 
Summary: spiritual book that really answers what it promises to answe
Review: Even though, as we live our lives, we try to do our best, we try to be good people, to do as much we know and as best we know how. But sometimes, no matter how much good we do in our lives, how much we follow our values and ethics, bad things happen to us or to people around ourselves. And we can't understand why the tragedies happen in good families, why good people, people who care about others, about society from the heart, suffer in their lives. And we try to rationalize, and attempt to understand. Because when we were young, we were taught that if you are good, it is good for your life, and if you are bad, you will be punished. However, as we grew up, we were not as bad, we tried to follow the rules, but were are still punished. Variety of bad things happent to good and innocent children. And as we try to rationalize, to answer the question why, Harold S. Kushner seems to really find the answer that could explain the nature of our sufferings, and the reason to why good people suffer. As we suffer, we lose sen of meaning, direction and we lose the believes that we were holding on so tightly. We lose believes with which we grew up, believes that directed and gave meaning to our lives. There is no reason to why good people suffer. Our bodies and things around us are mechanical and they have no consciousness. If something brakes, if the cancer cell grew and multipled, the bodie dies of cancer. "Pain is the price we pay for being alive." Sometimes, there are certain circumstances and sufferings in life that we can't mentally control. There is a natural course of events, we are born, live and thne we die. But what we do in between is what is most important. Read this book, it will bring peace to your heart and give more perspectives on meaning of life.
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Summary: Life changing book
Review: The wisdom of this book helped me completely rebuild my relationship with God. I no longer blame God for what S/he could not change. Human beings have free will, and some of them exercised their free will by torturing me as a child. After reading this book as part of my healing journey, I am able to rest in the Heart of God without blame or anger against the One Who is always ready to love and comfort us. An atomic blast could not have more completely evaporated the 'wall around my heart' (forged of anger and shame) that for years kept me from knowing God's Love. The lessons from this wise book have stimulated years of soul searching and discussion. But from the first read, I have felt myself to be both loveable and loved. Thank you for this precious gift! (I'm on my sixth copy. They have a way of finding their way into the hands of those who need them...smile.)
Rating:
Summary: When bad things happen to good people.
Review: This book has changed my view on life! I am much more content, and have learned more about acceptance. I am a Chemical Dependency Counselor, and I have been able to share this wisdom with my clients. I have really benefitted from reading this book. I plan to read other books by Rabbi Harold Kushner, as I feel it can only help me and others more.
Rating:
Summary: When Bad Things Happen to Good People
Review: I was given this book after the death of my only child. He was 23 when he died following an 8 month struggle with leukemia. This book was such a comfort as I struggled with the 'why' of my son's death. I highly recommend it to anyone struggling with grief and loss.
Rating:
Summary: Sorting out the confusion
Review: There are very few books that tackle the overwhelming nature of grief with such effectiveness. Haven't we all wondered why bad things happen to good people? Kushner, who is a rabbi and lost a child to progeria, or early aging, has battled with this question and gives uplifting theories into the nature of religion and why life often seems so unfair. For someone who has also struggled with this question, the book was an eye-opening and heart-felt look at why death, grief, and mourning seem so unfair. This is an excellent book for all who have experienced grief.
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Summary: A MUST for Hospital Chaplains
Review: This book ought to be a text book for those who minister in hospitals and who work with Hospice. It is a book that brings at least some understanding of pain and suffering related to the concept of a loving and caring God. The work also brings into prospective an empathy that is most helpful to those who continue ministering to those who have lost loved ones; not only through disease but also through tragedy. For those who are considering Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), I would start with this one!
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Summary: Harold Kushner's very different view of God
Review: I just read, "When Children Ask about God: A Guide for parents who don't Always Have all the Answers", written by Harold Kushner. I found it fascinating. He explains exactly what he thinks God really is. I've been telling my friends about it since it's so logical (and so different). I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in religion, in general. You may not agree with everything in it, but it's bound to make you think about God a little differently. In fact, after reading his book, I realize that God surely exists! He may just not be the same kind of God that I grew up with.
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