Tag: non-expert

Hi, all:

I bring you a non-fiction book that I came across on NetGalley, thanks to Books Go Social, and it has made me think and smile, both great things.

Get a Life! A Guide to Finding a Philosophy to Live By by Alan Poon 

AN IRREVERENT GUIDE TO THE GOOD LIFE
Learn Philosophy. Sound Smart. Live Well.

Are you searching for meaning in a world that feels hollow? You’re not alone. As modern life casts off the traditional anchors of the past, many of us are left adrift. Take an introductory tour through the wisdom of the ages to rediscover what has been lost. Explore transformative ideas from eight of humanity’s greatest philosophies—from Buddhist calm to Existentialist courage, Epicurean delight to Confucian duty, and everything in between.

Uncover alternatives to the script contemporary society has given us. Why is life worth living? What things are worth fighting for? How do we be good and do good? Wisdom comes in many shapes and sizes.

This book mercilessly cuts through the mumbo jumbo of academia with clarity and wit to distill complicated ideas into plain English, focusing on practical insights to live a life of purpose, fulfillment, and happiness. Whether you’re a seeker, skeptic, or simply feeling stuck, Get a Life! offers a roadmap to finding a philosophy of life that’s right for you.

About the author:

Alan Poon was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Vancouver. As a child, he read a complete encyclopedia set for fun (it’s like Wikipedia, but printed!). He had a reputation as a teenage rebel, writing his own answers on multiple-choice tests and fearlessly opening the door to debate Jehovah’s Witnesses. Armed with an engineering degree, he works as a mailman and has no credentials to talk about philosophy. That hasn’t stopped him from trying.

My review:

I thank NetGalley and BookGoSocial for providing me with an ARC copy of this book, which I freely chose to review.

This is a book by an author I hadn’t come across before, and who openly acknowledges he is not an expert in Philosophy. And that might work to our benefit, because although this is not a book that will enlighten anybody who has studied Philosophy in depth, the way it approaches the subject is likely to suit people who have only read superficially about it or have a limited knowledge of the ideas of some famous philosophers and little else. The book is written in an easy-to-read way, although that doesn’t mean the ideas or concepts the author discusses are simple. But he manages to find up-to-date examples, many from popular culture, and that makes it seem less threatening and obscure. And he states that this is not an attempt at writing a self-help book either, so those who are not interested in that genre, or have had their fill of it already, need not worry.

From the beginning he warns the readers that he will not include the big religions in his book, and even when he discusses some philosophies that are closely related to religious belief (like Buddhism) he does it from a secular point of view, talking more about the way they deal with moral and ethical matters, and not getting into otherworldly or faith related themes.

He briefly summarises several philosophical schools:

Under the category “The Ancient East,” he writes about Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. Under “The Ancient West,” he talks about Aristotelianism, Stoicism, and Epicureanism.

Under “The Modern Age, “he includes Existentialism, and Secular Humanism.

He also includes an introduction and a conclusion “the concluding pep talk”) and a sort of quiz at the end that might help those readers who aren’t sure which one of those philosophies would suit them best to choose one of them. A word of warning, though. I only had access to an ARC copy in e-book format, and the quiz was impossible to follow due to formatting issues. I am not sure if that will be the case in the final copy; otherwise, people interested in trying the quiz might do better getting hold of a paperback copy. (Here, I must add that the author left a comment on the post informing us that he had updated the quiz, so hopefully that shouldn’t be a problem any longer. A very nice gesture.) Ah, and there is also a bibliography at the end, including books and articles consulted in the writing of this text.

I enjoyed this book because the author has a talent for summarising the most important aspect of all these philosophical currents; he has a great sense of humour and some of his subtitles are bound to stick in our memories and make us smile as we remember the different philosophies; he shows great sympathy and understanding for human nature and includes everybody, no matter what their interests or lifestyles; and he does not expect a rigid adhesion to one single philosophy or set of ideas. Whatever helps us lead a good life, whichever definition of a good life we choose, is perfect for him, be it a full immersion in one of these philosophies or a pick-and-mix approach to some of their concepts and principles.

I felt particularly inspired by the sections on Buddhism (which I had read about briefly), Stoicism, and Existentialism, but I enjoyed the entire book and revisited some concepts I hadn’t thought about in many years. And I have understood better some that, when I studied them, I was probably too young to fully appreciate.

Here I include a quote as an example of what the author attempts to achieve:

Philosophies of life attempt possible answers to impossible questions. They are stories within which we find a role and a reason to live. All we can do is choose a story that’s right for us, one that inspires, motivates, and comforts us through the highest of highs and lowest of lows. Call it a “truth” if you must —a subjective, personal truth, and one that lets us sleep at night.

A book to consult, revisit, guide us, and inspire us to dig deeper and keep learning and living.

Thanks to the author, to Books Go Social, and to NetGalley for this book; thanks to all of you for reading, sharing, liking, visiting, commenting, and especially for always being here. Keep smiling, and I wish you as good a life as possible. ♥