Customer Reviews

101 Things NOT to Do Before You Die

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The title of this quite funny book by Robert Harris is a knock-off of the varying successful: "101 things to do _____" series. I got the book from my daughter as a reward for helping her move and I read it on the airplane on the way home.

"101 Things NOT to Do Before You Die" is a list book with each idea standing alone on one or two pages. Harris's ideas are creative and his writing is very good. It is at various points clever, funny and thought provoking. In fact it is the kind of book I would write if I could write.

Exerpt: #93 Don't let the pessimists get you down: "History shows that things get better not worse over time." This could be the Maxim of the Week on my blog.

As a previous reviewer said this book will make a perfect gift. Buy it but read it first before you give it away.

Good casual read, no need to concentrate - just some useful information on things "not to do" we may never have given much thought to. Makes a wonderful gift!

This is one of the books that I pick up regularly to cheer me up and quite often refer to in conversation. It consists on a list of 101 Things Not to Do and a page or two explaining the rationale for each of them. The manner in which it does not live up to its title is that quite a few of the items are more positive advice framed in a negative manner. The cover gives an example of actual avoidance advice

Don't Run With The Bulls at Pamplona

On the other hand

Don't Risk Losing Personal Items

is really positive advice about the advantage of renting a safe deposit box

Don't Play Scrabble by The Conventional Rules

is an itneresting variant on one of my favorite games which minimizes the element of luck.

Regardless most of the book is hilarious with a dose of sound wisdom. I would say the funniest is

Don't Worry about The Inconsistencies on Gilligans Island

and the two most practical are

Don't accumulate non-funcitonal pens and
Don't hunt for the best parking space/

The only piece of advice I firmly disagree with is Don't read War and Peace. It really is worth the time.

With scads of books telling us what to do with our lives, this book fills the void in telling us what NOT to do. As a member of a society driven by schedules, to-do lists, instantaneous electronic communication through cell phones, texting, and e-mail, it comes as a relief to me to ponder that there are some things that I should not, and need not, do.

The list runs the gamut from common sense to whimsical, but will inspire thought about what is really important to you. Harris's writing is direct and to the point, sometimes sometimes reminding us not to take ourselves too seriously, sometimes reminding us that "common sense" is not so common.

The format of the book -- each chapter is 1 or 2 pages, and stands alone -- does not require front-to-back reading, which allows you to flip to any page and enjoy it.