foxon's review against another edition
2.0
A message I can get behind, prose I cannot. I felt like half this book didn't need to be there, and the bits about the author were not as interesting and in no way enlightening (for me, at least). It might seem obvious that asking questions is the best way to learn but a lot of people don't question anything they are told so I still think there is value in saying it. Unfortunately I just didn't find this book interesting beyond that.
simplyfayin's review against another edition
2.0
Your typical self helping book which doesn’t really give any practical advice but is more a collection of the writer’s stories and life lessons.
hoit's review against another edition
1.0
I confess I only bought this audio-book because it was on sale for $0.99. I found the author's narration quite soporific, though it's a relatively short audio-book. I feel the questions that the author terms as "life's .... essential questions" more of a banal description on "how to use your common sense", interspersed with author's personal experiences. This is not a book that I would venture into for a second read/listen, and perhaps would hesitate (a lot) to recommend to anyone!
mkesten's review against another edition
5.0
An essential guide to living and learning. Thank you Katie Couric for recommending this book during your joint podcast with Kara Swisher.
Ryan doesn’t answer questions as much as posit the questions what should ask of ones-self and the world around us.
In so fractured a society and body politic they are questions to help break down the barriers to knowledge, build empathy, and provide an environment to tackle thorny interpersonal problems as well as problems of public policy.
There are several touching and funny stories to illustrate his points.
Remind me to ask my daughter to read it.
Ryan doesn’t answer questions as much as posit the questions what should ask of ones-self and the world around us.
In so fractured a society and body politic they are questions to help break down the barriers to knowledge, build empathy, and provide an environment to tackle thorny interpersonal problems as well as problems of public policy.
There are several touching and funny stories to illustrate his points.
Remind me to ask my daughter to read it.
writehollydavis's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5. Solid read, had some good advice in there but other times I felt it dragged a bit. He did extend this speech into a book, after all. My biggest takeaway was to ask people 'How can I help?' so that you can either be a part of the solution or they can look to themselves when they're ranting and complaining and come up with it on their own.
blondelibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Ryan takes his graduation speech and fleshes out his concept of life’s essential questions. I really enjoyed his personal stories that shed light on his advice. I would highly recommend this book to new grads... and everyone else.
ladamic's review against another edition
3.0
The first few chapters of this short book were instructive on asking questions more often and how. But the last bit got into the meaning of life and was rather proscriptive. It is not clear that one should evaluate how to live one's life based on how one will evaluate it on one's deathbed (or how one will be written up in an obituary). There is a lot of living to be done before that, and I should think that figuring out how to do that is more relevant.
kateoclaire's review against another edition
3.0
Good questions, interesting stories, but nothing mind-blowing. Better as an article or his speech.