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librarylady10's review against another edition
1.0
"I'm very good at making myself do things I don't want to do, but sometimes I'm better off not doing those things at all." - Gretchen Rubin, Happier at Home
I am also very good at making myself do things, like read this book, that I would have been better off not doing at all. What a waste of my time! I thought that her resolutions were often obnoxious and her reactions to things even more so. When her husband ignores her request to dress their daughter for school because she's injured her neck, she snarls at him and then berates herself for snarling at him for days. The woman seems to think that she does not deserve to have a negative emotion, even when it is valid. The woman deprives herself of food, sweets, criticism, etc. She also negates almost every suggestion for happiness that people in her life suggest.
The book is also clearly a prescription for happiness for one person. One who is very wealthy. She is able to take 4 trips per year with parents and in-laws, spend entire Wednesday afternoons "exploring" instead of working, create "shrines" in her apartment, etc. She doesn't seem to have to do the work of maintaining a home, and so seems to have more time to organize, downsize, etc.
I am also very good at making myself do things, like read this book, that I would have been better off not doing at all. What a waste of my time! I thought that her resolutions were often obnoxious and her reactions to things even more so. When her husband ignores her request to dress their daughter for school because she's injured her neck, she snarls at him and then berates herself for snarling at him for days. The woman seems to think that she does not deserve to have a negative emotion, even when it is valid. The woman deprives herself of food, sweets, criticism, etc. She also negates almost every suggestion for happiness that people in her life suggest.
The book is also clearly a prescription for happiness for one person. One who is very wealthy. She is able to take 4 trips per year with parents and in-laws, spend entire Wednesday afternoons "exploring" instead of working, create "shrines" in her apartment, etc. She doesn't seem to have to do the work of maintaining a home, and so seems to have more time to organize, downsize, etc.
chrisrin's review against another edition
4.0
Great follow up. Continue to enjoy this author's works.
agrinczel's review against another edition
I liked some of her suggestions but it's easy to get overwhelmed. The reader was annoying and used whiny baby voices for anytime one of the kids spoke, which wasn't often thank goodness.
katie_cerepa's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This is the first book I’ve read by Gretchen and I enjoyed listening to the audiobook edition. I gave this book 5 stars because I was able to connect with the material, it was a unique experience getting to listen to someone else’s process of setting goals and resolutions. I appreciate that the author recognized her own undesirable behaviors, the impact they had on her family and that she actually made efforts to stop acting in such a way. This was refreshing because when reflecting upon my own actions with friends and family, there are always things that I could improve on, but don’t due to fleeting motivation.
Many books on happiness speak only of research, theory and reported experiences of others. This book is a case study that I learned more from than a broad meta analysis.
Many books on happiness speak only of research, theory and reported experiences of others. This book is a case study that I learned more from than a broad meta analysis.
deannamartin113's review against another edition
3.0
For the first 2/3 of the book I was fascinated. Mine was a library book and I even posted a picture on Facebook about needing to purchase a copy so I could underline, highlight, annotate. But, in finishing the book, I'm left with a less than "happy" feeling about it. As I look back over the quotes I copied, most of them are quotes she quoted from others.
In the end, Gretchen should just "Be Gretchen" without constantly telling others she's being herself. Duh!
I'm editing this rating and review because I'm wasn't quite fair to Gretchen. Yes, Gretchen comes from wealth and married into wealth. With this fact we must do two things in reading what she's written:
1) Be suspicious of her conclusions because she is that poor little rich girl trying to find herself.
2) Be open to the possibility that because she is that poor little rich girl trying to find herself, she may occasionally write something worthwhile to ponder.
I don't think this book changed my life, nor will I begin to follow her blog or her podcasts in which she organizes her sister's closets...again. But, I will think more about paying attention to the now of life, actively remove the happiness leeches from my life (which can include my own attitudes) and I will train my children to be functioning adults - as in making their own beds. That is the single most fascinating thing I think I found in this book, she has not taught her daughters to make their beds. She still does it for them, even the 12 year old (who is 15 now). I suppose when you don't have much in the way of normal, household management activities to complete this can give her a sense of what being a housewife is like. I think the other thing that was ironic was her assertion (many, many times) that she was an un-buyer. Of course you can be an un-buyer when you have staff to do those things for you.
As an author, she is good with words. As a researcher, she is gifted. But, instead of reading Gretchen's interpretations of what great writers and philosophers have to say, read those people yourself. Read closely. Become educated in the Great Books yourself. Then, you won't need to read someone's regurgitation.
Action point #1 for me: Read Samuel Johnson.
In the end, Gretchen should just "Be Gretchen" without constantly telling others she's being herself. Duh!
I'm editing this rating and review because I'm wasn't quite fair to Gretchen. Yes, Gretchen comes from wealth and married into wealth. With this fact we must do two things in reading what she's written:
1) Be suspicious of her conclusions because she is that poor little rich girl trying to find herself.
2) Be open to the possibility that because she is that poor little rich girl trying to find herself, she may occasionally write something worthwhile to ponder.
I don't think this book changed my life, nor will I begin to follow her blog or her podcasts in which she organizes her sister's closets...again. But, I will think more about paying attention to the now of life, actively remove the happiness leeches from my life (which can include my own attitudes) and I will train my children to be functioning adults - as in making their own beds. That is the single most fascinating thing I think I found in this book, she has not taught her daughters to make their beds. She still does it for them, even the 12 year old (who is 15 now). I suppose when you don't have much in the way of normal, household management activities to complete this can give her a sense of what being a housewife is like. I think the other thing that was ironic was her assertion (many, many times) that she was an un-buyer. Of course you can be an un-buyer when you have staff to do those things for you.
As an author, she is good with words. As a researcher, she is gifted. But, instead of reading Gretchen's interpretations of what great writers and philosophers have to say, read those people yourself. Read closely. Become educated in the Great Books yourself. Then, you won't need to read someone's regurgitation.
Action point #1 for me: Read Samuel Johnson.
stephaniesteen73's review against another edition
2.0
I really, really wanted to like this. I loved The Happiness Project, and except for being annoyed by all the blog entries, I would have given it 5 stars. I eagerly awaited the release of this book and was even one of the super-fans who pre-ordered it and was given a little Happier at Home tote bag filled with bluebird temporary tattoos and gold stars (2 themes of the books). I'm totally in the same life stage as the author, with one kid approaching teenhood and an empty nest during the school day. So I was all primed to LOVE this!
I didn't.
While it had some good parts, with practical advice and memorable analogies (my favorite: we're in the "rush hour" stage of life), it mostly seemed re-hashed and dull. And considering this Project was only a school year in length (9 months) vs the original calendar year-length, there was even less meat there.
Undaunted, I re-read the original, thinking, "Well, maybe I'm in a different place now and the original won't be appealing." Nope - it's still way better (and I still really found those blog entires annoying). What I also found is that huge paragraphs and sections from the original find their way into the follow-up! No wonder it felt re-hashed...parts of it were!
No disrespect to the author - I think her original idea was great and I admire her Happiness Project following. This one just wasn't for me. I really wish it were!
I didn't.
While it had some good parts, with practical advice and memorable analogies (my favorite: we're in the "rush hour" stage of life), it mostly seemed re-hashed and dull. And considering this Project was only a school year in length (9 months) vs the original calendar year-length, there was even less meat there.
Undaunted, I re-read the original, thinking, "Well, maybe I'm in a different place now and the original won't be appealing." Nope - it's still way better (and I still really found those blog entires annoying). What I also found is that huge paragraphs and sections from the original find their way into the follow-up! No wonder it felt re-hashed...parts of it were!
No disrespect to the author - I think her original idea was great and I admire her Happiness Project following. This one just wasn't for me. I really wish it were!
noodlerabbit88's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
imonyourside's review against another edition
2.0
I found this book to be incredibly similar to the author’s other books (with some of the same information even being shared). Will you learn something about yourself and life in general when reading this book? Absolutely. Maybe just pick one of her books to read and move on to another author (unless you love the topics she focuses on and like reminders of things you’ve previously learned). My favorite was Better Than Before.
caz82_bennett's review against another edition
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
brendanlambourne's review against another edition
3.0
Not a lot new in this book over the original Happiness Project, few items here and there. Not a difficult read.