The Art of Being Kind [Hardcover]

Stefan Einhorn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2007

Being kind in a genuine and positive way is an art, and while it frequently happens spontaneously, one can learn to integrate the “art” kindness into their personal and professional lives.

Einhorn believes it is the single most important factor in achieving success and satisfaction. Contrary to the cynical axiom, “nice guys finished last,” Einhorn makes the case that being a good person can make you happier, richer, more successful and fulfilled. Kindness is not always easy to put into practice—in all of life’s dilemmas, we calculate, whether consciously or subconsciously, what the consequences of our behavior—good or bad—is likely to be. It is this ethical intelligence that Einhorn helps the reader cultivate through five exercises, which will help readers tackle setbacks while reaping the benefits of being kind.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In a world filled with road rage and selfishness, is it possible to be kind? Einhorn (A Concealed God), chair of the department of oncology-pathology at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, believes that practicing kindness is an art whose skills we can develop in order to succeed and feel good about ourselves. In a vague and simplistic way, Einhorn defines true kindness as a desire to do good and to put this desire into practice, but Einhorn never defines what good is. According to Einhorn, certain counterforces—lack of reflection, lack of empathy, not wanting to get involved —work against our attempts to be kind. But if we can learn that being kind benefits not only others but also ourselves—because what we do for others comes back to us—then we can overcome those forces and succeed in our quest to be kind. Einhorn's conviction—based on his own experience—that the good we do always comes back to us ignores the contrasting belief that no good deed goes unpunished. The expectation of good returned may not be the soundest foundation for kindness. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Stefan Einhorn, MD, PhD, is a chairman of the department of oncology-pathology at the Karolinsak Institute in Stockholm. The author of several books in the fields of popular medicine and philosophy of religion, including A Concealed God: Religion, Science, and the Search for Truth, he is a prominent lecturer both in Sweden and the United States.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 212 pages
• Publisher: Pegasus (October 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933648708
• ISBN-13: 978-1933648705
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,371,564 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Art of Being Kind, October 3, 2006

By 

NoWireHangers (Sweden) - See all my reviews

In "The Art of Being Kind", Stefan Einhorn makes a good case that the world would be better with more kindness in it. One of the best parts of the book is where he presents evidence for how kindness in beneficial, and draws parallels to kindness among certain animals. The chapter on ethics and religion is weaker. Einhorn is an agnostic, but he gives the religions much credit for being ethical and ignores the obstacle religion can be when it comes to things such as empathy and kindness (read Sam Harris's "The End of Faith" for more on that).

It's refreshing that he doesn't demonize egoism but instead states that kindness is good, even if there are egoistic motivations behind it. The result is what counts. The last part of the book is also good. It deals with feeling successful and how to evaluate the direction your life is taking, and about making the world a better place for yourself and others by being kind.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read Book, August 29, 2011

By 

Dorr - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Art of Being Kind (Paperback)

This is the first time that I commenting about a book. This book is so good that I could not not to do it. This is an excellent book for you, your childern, your parents, your colleauges, your neighbors, .... You won't regret reading it.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Poorly written, rambling, September 2, 2008

By 

Stacey (Oakland, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Art of Being Kind (Hardcover)

I like most books that I read, but this one fell far short of my expectations. After reading a chapter, I turned to the back flap for the author's bio to try to figure out if he had any credentials or experience pertinent to writing this book. Not so much, and it shows. It reads like someone sitting down at his computer to write his thoughts about ethics, success, kindness. Like a bad high school term paper, thoughts are strung together without purpose. There is research included, but it did not serve to boost the integrity of the book.