A review by elybakouche
Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole by Susan Cain

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

I enjoyed this book, with some slow parts in the middle. Overall, it resonated with me; I’m definitely one of those “bittersweet” people.

I found the story of Susan Cain’s relationship with her mother and the bittersweet in these complex relationships touching, and I loved the chapter on genetics and how trauma is passed down through generations. 

I did not like the chapter in immortality, it was a bit far-fetched, or maybe a testament to my tendency for bittersweetness. I couldn’t connect with those who want to live forever; it reminds me of the way we dismiss the natural cycles of life also present in nature, including how we exploit the earth. I don’t think it deserved an entire chapter.

Speaking of, I lost a lot of respect for Susan Cain when she used the example of an oil rig, where a manager struggled with his relationship with his team and his son, to discuss vulnerability and its key role in creating understanding and intimacy in relationships.

An oil rig? Really? When we know that the extraction of fossil fuels is currently destroying the earth, and impacting the lives of millions around the world? On out to the 6th mass extinction, but this time human-made? To me it sounds as horrible as mentioning an example with Hitler in it. I found it shocking and almost stopped listening. It doesn’t matter how interesting it is. It’s wrong.
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