Joseph Deitch

This was among my books that ended up in the hands of the wrong people when moving 4/1/18 - see https://btripp-books.livejournal.com/206862.html for details - I believe that this is the only LTER book that I received but lost (it was top of my "to be read" pile that disappeared along with the "to be reviewed" books). As such, I don't have much to say about it. At this point, it's just a particular facet of a hideous nightmare, one loss among thousands. It's a miracle I didn't kill myself back then.… (meer)

I've read a number of life-improvement frameworks presented in various books over the years. Some of 'em make for good solid tools, some decent and worth considering, and some a waste of paper and time. This one's closer to the upper end of that scale: not profoundly world-changing IMO, but good enough in that it pulls together a number of useful concepts—broken down into five perceptual "insights" underlying ten practical "skills"—in an understandable and usable way to be a useful read to anyone who's looking for self-improvement frameworks to learn and compare and consider using.… (meer)

I usually don't gravitate toward self-help books because I am skeptical of "one size fits all" solutions for a wide range of people with different backgrounds, issues, and in varying stages of life. When I read the introduction to "Elevate", what immediately appealed to me was its flexible approach, inviting the reader to set their own pace and adapt the reading to their personal needs. The scope of this book quite large, so it is hard a write an in-depth reaction to something that will take a while to digest. This great scope has the advantage that most readers will probably find something that resonates with them, maybe even different things at different times. Beyond the personal usefulness of "Elevate", I was struck by its relevance to our current political environment regarding our personal biases, cognitive dissonance and our tendencies to perceive the world in a rigid, set way. While this is a personal guide, I think it provides food for thought regarding society at large. I look forward to delving further into this book in the near and distant future.… (meer)