What's Worth Knowing

Rating:
Summary: A beautiful and instructive book- simple, not trite.
Review: I could not disagree more with the reviewer who gave this book a single star. I consider myself a deep thinker, and very well read on these matters as well. I found a depth here, as well as a simplicity-- and it was very true to life. I was touched by the author's intention as well as her presentation. This is a book I definitely plan to keep in my personal library-- I can't imagine why anyone would ever sell it! I feel grateful, and very enriched, for having read it. My deep appreciation goes to the author for her humanity and courage.

Rating:
Summary: A beautiful and instructive book- simple, not trite.
Review: I could not disagree more with the reviewer who gave this book a single star. I consider myself a deep thinker, and very well read on these matters as well. I found a depth here, as well as a simplicity-- and it was very true to life. I was touched by the author's intention as well as her presentation. This is a book I definitely plan to keep in my personal library-- I can't imagine why anyone would ever sell it! I feel grateful, and very enriched, for having read it. My deep appreciation goes to the author for her humanity and courage.

Rating:
Summary: A book that makes you smile and think
Review: I do not currently own this book. I borrowed it from the local library. It was on the new book rack. At first it wasn't the kind of book that I thought it would be. But after I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. It made me smile and think about how we let life just happen to us. It reenforces the need to be a part of life and to enjoy life. Because someday I will be elderly and I would regret it if I didn't do something in my life that I enjoyed. I will purchase this book so I will have it to read when I need a reminder that we only live once!

Rating:
Summary: A book that makes you smile and think
Review: I do not currently own this book. I borrowed it from the local library. It was on the new book rack. At first it wasn't the kind of book that I thought it would be. But after I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. It made me smile and think about how we let life just happen to us. It reenforces the need to be a part of life and to enjoy life. Because someday I will be elderly and I would regret it if I didn't do something in my life that I enjoyed. I will purchase this book so I will have it to read when I need a reminder that we only live once!

Rating:
Summary: What is worth knowing?
Review: I purchased this book after reading a passing mention of it in the Wall Street Journal. The title, and the premise, intrigued me. The book is in an easy to read format with a rich layout. What I was hoping to find in this book, I did not find. The title and description of this book offered the promise of wisdom gleaned from those who have matured in years. What I found instead was a light and glancing treatment of significant subjects. Several of those interviewed offered a few words of warning for others to avoid their pitfalls and wasted shallow lives. Along with the reflections on life past there were very few instances of insights that transcended the anticipated cliches which most have heard numerous times. The potential for these interviews was to go deep, the result merely skimmed the surface. The short insights offered from those interviewed by the author were, with few exceptions, not worth knowing. The author's use of brevity for each person's insight limited the reader's ability to understand the context from which their wisdom was offered. Sadly, there was a lack of spiritual reflection, which was a noticible ommission from those who were reflecting back over six, seven, eight, nine decades or more of life. The approach of this book held great possibilities. Hopefully this book will encourage those of us who read it to offer the patient time needed to elicit wisdom from our elders. Saying that, I'm not sure much in this book is "worth knowing" or "worth writing."

Rating:
Summary: What is worth knowing?
Review: I purchased this book after reading a passing mention of it in the Wall Street Journal. The title, and the premise, intrigued me. The book is in an easy to read format with a rich layout. What I was hoping to find in this book, I did not find. The title and description of this book offered the promise of wisdom gleaned from those who have matured in years. What I found instead was a light and glancing treatment of significant subjects. Several of those interviewed offered a few words of warning for others to avoid their pitfalls and wasted shallow lives. Along with the reflections on life past there were very few instances of insights that transcended the anticipated cliches which most have heard numerous times. The potential for these interviews was to go deep, the result merely skimmed the surface. The short insights offered from those interviewed by the author were, with few exceptions, not worth knowing. The author's use of brevity for each person's insight limited the reader's ability to understand the context from which their wisdom was offered. Sadly, there was a lack of spiritual reflection, which was a noticible ommission from those who were reflecting back over six, seven, eight, nine decades or more of life. The approach of this book held great possibilities. Hopefully this book will encourage those of us who read it to offer the patient time needed to elicit wisdom from our elders. Saying that, I'm not sure much in this book is "worth knowing" or "worth writing."

Rating:
Summary: If you don't like it now, you will once you are older
Review: I think those who gave this book a poor review did not give it a deep enough reading to see depth in this book. What's worth knowing addresses mundane topics, but that is the point. Some people go through life looking for what isn't there, missing out on what is. Those same people finding something missing in the book. This book won't tell you the cosmic answers for how to live your life. It will show you that there aren't any cosmic answers, just simple ones, and different ones for different folks. And the book shows that elders are just folks, regular folk in older bodies. This book is a valiant effort to combat ageism.

Rating:
Summary: A thoughtful, pleasant read
Review: I too enjoyed this book immensely. If you are looking for the answer to life or a big philosophical revelation-you probably won't find it here though. The tales are short, simple and very reflective of the life of regular folks and the things they have faced. I thought it also gave a very good look at older"folks". So many times they are relegated to having no particular importance or nothing to say in in today's busy world of the young. Here folks talk of sorrow, triumph, love, joy and regret -the emotions that span a lifetime.

Rating:
Summary: Required reading for Nursing Home Staff and families
Review: Ms.Lustbader has assembled a wonderful collection of wisdom gleaned from persons who have lived long and paid attention.As one with a Mother in a nursing home for the last six years, her book certainly it a resounding chord for me. I just wish that all those facilities could read simply the Introduction about her first assinment that attempted to humanize the residents for readers of their files.A book for anyone interested in true life lessons.

Rating:
Summary: Just Because They're Old, Doesn't Make Them Insightful
Review: The book is a bunch of snippets from older people. I did not find most of the snippets to be particularly profound or insightful. It is a short read (1 or 2 hours max) so it may be worth it to some people but not for me.