shinheiba_sm's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
beardedbarista's review against another edition
5.0
Got to thank Nick Offerman for recommending this one. He mentions it in his new book, Where the deer and the antelope play.
A short(read it aloud to my wife as she was cooking dinner)read. Was a great evening read on kindness and making sure to not let all the other "important" things in life overwhelm the need to treat others with kindness. That was a long probably wrongly constructed sentence.
I love Saunders writing and am glad I can add this to my collection of his work.
A short(read it aloud to my wife as she was cooking dinner)read. Was a great evening read on kindness and making sure to not let all the other "important" things in life overwhelm the need to treat others with kindness. That was a long probably wrongly constructed sentence.
I love Saunders writing and am glad I can add this to my collection of his work.
tevreads's review against another edition
5.0
I think Saunders is quickly becoming my favourite modern author. This transcript of a graduation speech he presented at Syracuse offers a simple message, be kind. Indeed, like one of my favourite speeches by David Foster Wallace, This is Water, compassion is the central theme. To me, I believe a compassion for others, but also self, is really the key to life, and I wish everyone else would see it the same way.
_________
Poignantly, Saunders states that one of the biggest mistakes of his life was not being kinder to a girl being bullied at school. He then goes on to explain this cycle of wanting to be a nicer person, but not until you work on yourself, that you need to get that job, or that degree, and only then are you in a position to be a compassionate person. Critically, this is a never-ending cycle, a Sisyphean struggle.
_________
Therefore, as Saunders states, be kind, and do it now, tomorrow, and always. It's really not that hard to reach out to someone, a stranger or a friend, and the feeling of doing so is unlike anything else. If you strip back everything else in life, as you grow old and weary, is that not the one thing you will remember?
_________
Poignantly, Saunders states that one of the biggest mistakes of his life was not being kinder to a girl being bullied at school. He then goes on to explain this cycle of wanting to be a nicer person, but not until you work on yourself, that you need to get that job, or that degree, and only then are you in a position to be a compassionate person. Critically, this is a never-ending cycle, a Sisyphean struggle.
_________
Therefore, as Saunders states, be kind, and do it now, tomorrow, and always. It's really not that hard to reach out to someone, a stranger or a friend, and the feeling of doing so is unlike anything else. If you strip back everything else in life, as you grow old and weary, is that not the one thing you will remember?
chrxiao's review against another edition
4.0
george saunders can write a hook. kinda wished the end had the same punchy showing as the beginning, but a commencement speech isn't a commencement speech without leaning cheesy and trite. the illustration that grows through the course of the book is beautiful and perfectly captures the speech.
interested in this takeaway of kindness being The Thing that saunders emphasizes as his big regret, in the context of his work. i've only read tenth of december by him (short stories) so i wouldn't say i know him well as a writer, but this new knowledge does layer his existing work in interesting ways.
interested in this takeaway of kindness being The Thing that saunders emphasizes as his big regret, in the context of his work. i've only read tenth of december by him (short stories) so i wouldn't say i know him well as a writer, but this new knowledge does layer his existing work in interesting ways.
rodica_b's review against another edition
5.0
This is not really a book, as is it’s not long enough to constitute a “proper” one. More like a very short essay full of very wise words. Worth reading and rereading, for when your memory is playing games with you and needs to be reminded of the important things in life.
senordustin's review against another edition
4.0
OK, nothing to original but that's five minutes well spent.
lindakay99's review against another edition
5.0
"What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness. Those moments when another human being was there, in front of me, suffering and I responded...sensibly. Reservedly. Mildly."