The little book that could…
Great review of A User’s Manual for the Human Experience.
This guy “gets it”:
The ultimate self help book, January 18, 2010| David A. Baggenstos (Bellingham, WA) |
Anyone who regularly reads self-help books would very likely benefit from this book if read with an open mind. I also believe that most people could benefit from several ideas in the book. For those who are living a highly satisfying life with few problems, the book may be something to offer to a friend who has not reached the quality of life they seek.
I downloaded this book on iTunes to listen to on a road trip. I read one review and thought I’d take a chance with it. Prior to listening to this book I never heard of Michael Dean. The topics covered in the book range from blocking what the author calls “serenity vampires” to starting a business, business model philosophy, kittens, guns, workflow, keyboard shortcuts, politics, addiction (not just the stereotypical drug and alcohol addiction), relationships and ultimately how to put it together to live a full and rewarding life. The breadth of topics and experience covered in the book is impressive - the title of the book describes exactly what it is.
I agree with many of the reviews posted here discuss much of what is truly great about this book. One thing that I’d like to add is that Dean is for real. The book is NOT about creating a marketable “Michael Dean Self Help Guru Franchise” - there are no planners, seminars, additional products or services required to implement his recommendations for creating a better life. He lays it all out there - the book is a kind of gift back to society. The author is successful in other business pursuits which he discusses in the book as examples, but there doesn’t appear to be any angle to leverage this book for business reasons. It’s the authors gift back to the society. The book is raw and lacks the candy coating of may other books in this genre.
It takes courage, work and discipline as do most things worthwhile. He shares with brutal honesty what it took for him to create the life he wanted - much of what Dean suggests was learned the hard way. For some the author will save a person a great deal of pain by learning from his experiences and trying out some of his approaches. Others may find the book very entertaining and get a few ideas for making a career change. I believe there is something for everyone in the book.
It seems there are some readers who believe that the book is only for people with substance abuse problems or those who are miserable with life. This is not true. AA is discussed in portions of the book. There are interesting comparisons between AA principles and developing a business model. Despite what one thinks of AA, the organization has millions of members and exists throughout the world for decades. Dean dissects components of AA and relates some of these principles to business structure. I found this section of the book quite interesting.
While I found this book to be very engaging and well written (I felt that he was sitting with me sharing his experience and solutions for problems and challenges in life), the content is where it’s at - the real value of the book are his ideas, experiences and recommendations for what works for him. I think he’s a good writer, but I’m not much of a literary critic or a writer - the main point I’m trying make here is that a critique of Dean’s writing style is secondary to the insights and solutions offered in the book.
Finally, the book is not gentle or politically correct. For the person who is easily offended, highly critical and judgemental - this is probably not a good book to read, but the world is not always a gentle and PC place. Dean is honest and lays it out there. There is not always the feel good vibe that comes from many other books in this genre.
I give Michael Dean’s User’s Manual for the Human Experience my highest recommendation. Check out a few pages on Amazon or iTunes- it could be the book that really empowers you to make some changes for creating the life you always wanted.