14,000 Things to Be Happy About

Rating:
Summary: more joy than you can shake a stick at
Review: This little book caught my eye at the bookstore while shopping for other (more serious) things. I started at page one, and as I turned the pages I realized I needed to grab a highlighter and start over! I marked all the things I could relate with, that brought positive feeling to my heart, and spent hours and hours over the past few years putting it down now and then, and picking it up to see if my tastes and interests had changed. Most of the things she mentions are universal experiences, some are regional and give you an idea of joys you didn't even know about. It was a very positive experience and I plan to get one for everyone I know.

Rating:
Summary: Brightness line by line
Review: This little book is amazing. 14,000. Not 1000 or even 10.000. Fourteen Thousand. No matter what page you open it to you will find things that tweak your memory. Smells, foods, the beautiful outdoors. Lots of little things that you had forgotten many years ago. It takes you back to a simple, slower time. It also centers you in the thought of small pleasant things. It seems that when you close the book and look around life looks a lot brighter.

There are many, many pages to go through and even one or two pages will lift your spirits. It's a little humbling - once you start reading it's strange (and wonderful) to think that there are so many things you remember as wonderful experiences.

It's a little large for a purse, briefcase or backpack a smaller version would be nice to carry with you.




Rating:
Summary: Long List of Happy Things
Review: We saw this book with some great anticipation, yet felt that it was simply a long list of things, ideas, etc. that the author was happy about. Compiled over 20 years, this book was a long time in the making and from the list of other books and calendars has a following. This is a good book for introspection and for looking at during trying times or when we need to be reminded of the beautiful things in life. The 3 rating was due to hoping there would be a little detail as to why she was happy about those things and why we could be too. However, like art, I guess she wants us to come up with our own list or agree or not with hers.

Rating:
Summary: Long List of Happy Things
Review: We saw this book with some great anticipation, yet felt that it was simply a long list of things, ideas, etc. that the author was happy about. Compiled over 20 years, this book was a long time in the making and from the list of other books and calendars has a following. This is a good book for introspection and for looking at during trying times or when we need to be reminded of the beautiful things in life. The 3 rating was due to hoping there would be a little detail as to why she was happy about those things and why we could be too. However, like art, I guess she wants us to come up with our own list or agree or not with hers.

Rating:
Summary: For all feeling sad & blue, here's a book meant just for you
Review: When my dad woke up from a 4-month cancer coma, i bought this book and read it at his bedside. This very simple book, which is nothing more than a very long list, gave us a chance to talk about happier times, to refocus his mind, to let the healing begin. It truly is for anyone feeling low. But is also best as a "gift" book, from the simple standpoint that it was meant to be "shared." i.e. read aloud for the wonderful discussion which will come out of the reading.