OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Rethink Happy" by Doug Kisgen.]

Rethink Happy, An Entrepreneur's Journey to Authentic Joy, tells of one man helping another find greater fulfillment in all aspects of his life. It is written in the form of a story, making it less instructive than a typical self help book. Rather than being told how to improve your own life, you will learn along with the main character, Cleve, after he has a chance encounter with a man named Camino, who becomes his mentor.

Cleve is a stereotypical entrepreneur, husband and father who spends long hours at work, too much time at the bar and has disconnected from his family. He thinks he should be happy because he is "living the dream", but he is not truly happy. He isn't able to admit this to himself until Camino guides him to this realization. Cleve meets Camino in the stands at a baseball game and the mentor-mentee relationship begins. Camino teaches Cleve about the changes he can make in order to start on the path to authentic joy. Central to these changes is a strengthening of his relationship with God.

I liked the fact that the author chose to get his message across in the form of a story. Reading about Cleve applying the techniques being introduced made it easier to imagine applying them to my own life. The reader is never directly addressed or instructed, but rather is allowed to consider the message and Cleve's reaction to it. It's interesting to compare his actions to those you might take yourself.

The author includes some references to philosophers such as Socrates and Aristotle. He also refers to the study of metaphysics, but it is important to note that he keeps such references light, and in the context of conversations between Cleve and Camino. For example, on page 156, Camino tells Cleve,

You’ve already shared you do believe there is a God, which of course, is good, true and reasonable. By the way, you can check out Aristotelian and Thomistic metaphysics if you ever need help on the reasonable part.

This keeps the story flowing, using easy to read language that isn't bogged down by complex philosophical theories, but still lends some authenticity to the ideas presented.

The aspects of the book that I didn't enjoy really don't hold up as criticism. Cleve fit a little too neatly into a stereotype. He was predictable and followed Camino's leadership a little too easily. However, this is not a novel, and I do believe Cleve was perfect for the point he was created to illustrate.

Secondly, in order to fully commit to the author's suggested path to true happiness, you must firmly believe in God and be open to building a closer connection with God through prayer. While this is not for me, it would certainly be appealing and helpful to many people. This could perhaps be a criticism of the book synopsis, since it gave no indication that the book is grounded in Christianity.

In spite of this not being a book that was particularly inspiring to me personally, I will be able to apply some of the lessons to my own life, and I believe the same would be true for most people. It is written simply, and gives concrete suggestions for ways to make positive changes in your life. If you are a Christian looking to awaken your spiritual side, don't miss this one. I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars.

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Rethink Happy
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The title is intriguing! Glad you enjoyed the book! Thanks for the great review!

It's wonderful when a book we review really touches us. Glad to hear that you were able not only to read and enjoy the book, but you were also able to apply parts of it to your life! I'll keep an eye out for this one.

@AA1495: The title is perfect. It really does give food for thought on your definition of happy.

@Lauren M: Lots of applicable tips and ideas in this book!

Thanks for your comments!

Sounds like an inspiring read! Thank you for sharing!

Great, insightful review. I like that you gave objective opinions of the book, even though it may not have personally inspired you. Nice job!

@klbradley Thanks for reading!
@bookowlie Thank you. It was difficult to decide on my ranking but in the end I knew it was a great book and I am very comfortable recommending it.

Sounds like an inspiring and helpful book. I appreciate your being objective with your rating despite not finding the book personally inspiring. Great job on the review. Congratulations to Doug Kisgen on such a great book.

Thanks kimmyschemy. Many will find it an inspiration.

Love the review. At first the book did not appeal to me but after reading this review I will explore the pages. I like the fact the author shares true happiness comes from a relationship with God instead of merely believing. So many expect happiness from a successful career and family, but without God nothing is possible.

@lydialeigh71 If you do read it I would love to hear your thoughts!

Not my cup of tea, but it seems like an inspiring book for those who like the genre. It is good that the story is flowing, easy to read and "isn't bogged down by complex philosophical theories". Good job on the review!

This book sounds amazing!!! I wasn't sure what it was about, but seeing that it is geared towards building a close relationship with God, makes me more excited! Thank you for the well thought out and balanced review.

Sounds like a very interesting format for a self-help book. I to read it because of the mention of Thomism! I'm placing my bet now that the author is a devout Catholic

Great job on the review This seems like a nice, inspiring story, I can see how it would appeal to certain people, but non-fiction is usually not my thing so I think I'll have to pass.