THE NURSE IN THE DELIVERY ROOM SLAPPED ME...ONCE

A man shares the wisdom and inspiration he’s collected throughout his life.

Anthony doesn’t just file away bits of insight whenever he happens upon them; he seeks them out, initiating conversations with other people about life and their own experiences and outlook. In this collection of short essays, the author shares these ideas and stories and what they have meant to him, in hopes that they will inspire others. He argues that successful people largely create their own luck by how they respond to the circumstances around them. Conversely, those who feel that only bad things happen to them help fulfill their own prophecy through their attitude and expectations. Though he was deeply grieved by his mother’s death, the author decided to write this book to work through that pain, to turn that experience into something positive and to help others find better ways to respond to life’s challenges. He asserts that one can begin to change his or her life simply by altering how one looks at each day–as a grind or as an opportunity. He urges readers to appreciate the time they have and to make the most of it by improving themselves and helping others to do so as well. Many of his discussions are illustrated by stories in which he learned something new from someone in his daily life, or he attempted to turn someone around toward a more positive outlook. The essays are interspersed with poems, which offer more emotionally charged meditations on similar themes. He concludes with slightly more stern chapters, addressing how many people approach self-help books as quick fixes, arguing that changing one’s life requires a constant commitment. An outgrowth of his website, SomethingToShare.com, this succeeds because the author’s advice is directly derived from his own experience. Some may perceive his values as old-fashioned, however, particularly those about children and parenting.

Words to live by.