Customer Reviews

Chicken Soup for the Soul (60-Second Smart)

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Perhaps, I am too cynical. Perhaps, I have lost my innocence. But once again, I picked up a book, I thought might reach deeper, might have meaning . . . but alas, I found a book that made happiness and meaningfulness seem easy, too easy. I didn't buy it. This book tries so hard to please that it smacks of a cheesy attempt to make money on a public truly searching for meaning. Don't get me wrong, there are some wonderful stories in here but too often they are surrounded by those quick anecdotes about someone who would have comitted suicide if a stranger hadn't said I love you to them on the bus and now their life is wonderful. Or Big Ed who after one seminar finally learned to love his wife and ended-up executive vice-president. To me, this book makes me wonder why I have such a difficult time changing my life and finding true happiness. It seems so easy to these people. If you lower your expectations, feel free to read this book, you'll find a few gems. If you want short stories filled with more depth try Anthony de Mello's One Minute Nonsense or Song of the Bird. And if you are truly looking for books that will get you thinking about the meaning of it all go try John Irving's Prayer for Owen Meany or David James Duncan's River Why or Daniel Quinn's Ishmael. I found this book to be less like Chicken Soup and more like lifesavers. They sound good and taste good, but if you are really hungry they do not come close to filling you up

I picked up this book based largely on the fact that it is a #1 NY Times Bestseller and that it has received rave reviews. My impression after reading it is that the book on the whole is not worthy of its stature as one of the bestselling books in the past 2 decades. Some of the stories are good, and some do evoke emotions. But the ultra-short length of the stories makes them seem (again, over all) more superficial than stories of greater length. It's difficult to convey a compelling feeling or thought (which, by their very nature, need some context) in one or two pages. But some of the stories are good and I'd recommend others to pick up this book. Just keep your expectations in check.

The book "Chicken Soup for the Soul: 101 Stories to Open
the Heart & Rekindle the Spirit" is an excellent book.
The book was originally given to me by a friend who thought
that I "would enjoy it". Me, the person who genuinely
dislikes reading any kind of book for pleasure, "enjoy"
this book. Definately not me, I thought to myself.

I had to travel on a business trip alone, therefore I
took the book along (just in case I got extremely bored).
Thoughtout my trip, the book didn't get cracked open. I
found other things to do with my time, than read a book.

Yet, on my return flight, my reservations were mixed up
for some reason or another. Therefore, I ended up having a
4 1/2 hour layover in the Dallas Airport. Being upset, I
didn't even want to shop. I also didn't want to look out of
place, so, I opened the book and started glancing at first,
pretending to read.

Then all of a sudden, as if a magnet were pulling me
closer, I began to read the first short story in the book.
It was so real and inspiring that I continued to read. I
couldn't wait to flip a page. As a matter of fact, I was
really thirsty. Not wanting to put the book down, I
continued reading. Every story hit close to home and I
could relate to most everything being read.

At one point, I heard a young man say "I think you
could use this tissue more than I can", as he handed me a
tissue. Looking up at him, I noticed that my eyes were
filled with tears. The story I had been reading was so real
that I found myself crying and feeling the characters
emotions. Being a little embarrased (but not much), I
explained how I typically do not shed a tear for most books.
I told the young man how this book was so capturing and
inspiring, that it pulls you in and holds your mind,emotions,
and attention captive. He laughed and said something to the
effect of "most women cry over mushy things".

Sitting next to me, he read over my shoulder as I
continued to read. When I finished the short story, I turned
and looked and him and noticed that he too had tears in his
eyes. I didn't say a word, but the spiritual emotions were
evident. We were both captured by this wonderful book.

Till this day, I thank my friend for giving me this book.
I have also given a copy of this same book to many friends
(the first one, being my new friend that I met at the Dallas
Airport that day).

I highly recommend this book to everyone, it will
rekindle the spirit of everyone who reads it (especially
the ones who think that this is just another one of the
"mushy" books.

If I could, I would put a money back guarantee if not
fully satisfied on this book. That is how much I enjoyed
reading it.

Thank You, and I hope that you have the opportunity
to pick up this book and give it a chance, I did and I loved
it.

From a real Skeptical,
Lucy R. Fonseca
3127 S. Nelson
Amarillo, Texas 79103
(806) 379-9201

I received this book as a gift and had to throw it across the room in disgust after about twenty pages. This is an extremely corny and phony book which pulls at predictable heart strings. There is absolutely nothing original or truely heart felt in the book. Anyone desiring this kind of mushy theatrics would be better served watching a soap opera.

In my deepest, darkest hour I borrowed this book from the library. It has restored my faith in human nature and shone a light for me to follow. The stories can bring such a huge emotional release. Truly wonderful and I look forward to reading many more.

This book is not only an easy read, it holds the intrest of the reader. The stories are so enlightening. Each one leaves me wondering if I am going to cry on the next. This is one of the best books I have ever read. I HIGHLY recommend this book. I plan on bying all of them I can. Please buy one at your first oppertunity. Don't wait. Do it today. The stories in this book make you think and really do warm your heart. I can't say enough wonderful things. :) :) :) A BIG thank you to the writers.

I've heard a lot about this book, like how fabulous it is. Several people told me it's a must-read book. Several book reviews praised it so high. But I don't feel so. Just the first story of the book made me doubt its quality. The second and third, and fourth, and so on stories didn't make me feel any better. Absurd stories, nearly all of them. This is one of the overrated and overpraised books. A VERY BIG DISAPPOINTMENT. I would have rate this book -10 stars if I could.

Chicken Soup for the soul is a wonderful book for all ages and races. I recently sang at a nursing home with my friend, and I read one of the stories. Everybody loved it. I even noticed some people with tears in their eyes. The story really effected them, as it did me. After singing that day, a man came up to me and told me he could sing too, and then he began singing one of my favorite songs from "My Fair Lady". It is my own story that really touched me, and I think could be in a Chicken Soup for the Soul book.

When I first caught sight of this book of short stories, my 1st thought was, 'oh, just another one full of mushy, romatic love tales.' I bought it anyway, and much to my surprise, joy and pleasure, it is full of honest-to-goodness true, belieavable, simple life stories. Everything from silliness, love, saddness, cuteness, faith, helpfullness, selfishness, selflessness. It's a wonderfully short, poignant and definitely, heart-warming book. A book that you would chose on a cold, rainy day, if front of a warm, crackling fire, with a mug of steaming, hot chocolate. On second thought, the book will warm you enough without the fire or the hot chocolate! L. Plaski

This series of books have wonderful short stories that can make one feel that
life is too short to take things for granted, to overlook the simple pleasures
before us, and to learn to open our eyes to our own life's experiences. Carefully
thought out, each story can inspire you to believe in "Life" and all it contains.
I wish this book could be handed out on street corners, and we could all sit back
and watch our world change before our eyes. I have introduced this book to others
at my workplace, it has spread like wildfire. We went from an office of backstabbing
women, to warm, loving "sisters" and know how to communicate better than ever. The
two authors of this book's series, each have other books, none of which I would cut short
of reviewing in the same rave. We are in a "test-sensitive" world nearing the end of the
20th century, we all need to pull together as one and make our world the most precious
home for all children to come. "Chicken Soup for the Soul" is Outstanding! It has
inspired me so much, I want to write inspiration myself!