Amazon.com: Legacy: The Giving of Life's Greatest Treasures (9780060392833): M.D., Barrie Sanford Greiff: Books

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Legacy: The Giving of Life's Greatest Treasures [Hardcover]

M.D., Barrie Sanford Greiff (Author)
3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)


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Book Description

June 2, 1999

In his four decades as a Harvard University psychiatrist, Dr. Barrie Sanford Greiff heard thousands of his patients, colleagues, and friends express a common yearning: to create meaning in their lives beyond material wealth and to pass something more than simply money on to the next generation. How, they asked, can we repay the world for the sacred gift of life? How can we share our lives and contribute to a better tomorrow?

The answer for tomorrow, as Dr. Greiff thoughtfully and clearly explains, is to build a legacy today, "to bequeath not only what we have earned, but what we have learned." In this warm and joyous volume, he tells the heartfelt stories of real legacies--of men, women, and even children who have found remarkable wisdom in the course of everyday life.

Be as a stone cast upon
the water, that the
positive influence of
your action may extend
far beyond the power of a
mere pebble in the hand
of a man.
-- Ancient Saying


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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Those contemplating their contributions to their families and to society will find some useful strategies here for shoring up their legacy, if they are able to get past the author's somewhat contrived organization of his material. Grieff (Tradeoffs), a consultant and former psychiatrist at the Harvard Business School, has come to believe through his work with patients that most people have a strong need to leave the world what he calls a "spiritual bequest," be it nuggets of wisdom, abiding values or family stories. This legacy, he says, is best developed around eight themes that give meaning to the human experience (all beginning with the letter "l"). Loving oneself and others well, the importance of personally rewarding labor, of developing a sense of humor, of remaining open to change and accepting loss are well-worn themes in the self-help genre. However, Grieff presents his advice in an engaging, gentle style laced with many humanistic anecdotes. Agent, Helen Rees.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

The inspirational self-help market is built on repackaging common sense in a snappy new way that will grab the popular imagination (or, better yet, grab Oprah). Psychiatrist Greiff takes a shot at becoming the next Suzie Ormond with this self-help guide for all those poor souls who, having read Ormond and put their financial houses in order, still feel a nagging discontent. What's a poor soul to do when the bottom line isn't enough? Think legacy: something to give your kids besides money. What you need, Greiff counsels, is the eight Ls (inspiration rarely comes without alliteration): loving, learning, laboring, laughing and lamenting (a pair but they count as two), linking, leading, and leaving. The idea is to tell your kids stories about how you experienced each and every L. That way you'll give them something that captures the real you and can be enjoyed forever, even after the trust fund runs dry. This is just the kind of painfully obvious advice that sells millions of books. Ilene Cooper

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Harper; First Edition first Printing edition (June 2, 1999)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0060392835
  • ISBN-13: 978-0060392833
  • Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,306,949 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

3 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
3.7 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A treasure, May 27, 1999
This review is from: Legacy: The Giving of Life's Greatest Treasures (Hardcover)
Dr. Greiff has distilled more than wisdom in this treasure chest of spiritual guidance. He illustrates by way of childrens' insights, gentle everyday metaphors and incisive quotes. Although other reviews have lambasted the self-help nature of this book--and compared him to pretenders in this realm--the good doctor has transcended the genre. He's provided nothing less than a loving guidebook to mortality.
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars Where was the editor??, October 25, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Legacy: The Giving of Life's Greatest Treasures (Hardcover)
While the general premise of Legacy was good, there was no beginning, middle or end. Whatever good points there might have been are lost in self-centered and pedantic lecturing. Dr. Greiff seems to be more interested in hearing himself talk, than giving anyone a real idea of how to build a legacy.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars finally feel easy for life, December 15, 2000
A Kid's Review
This review is from: Legacy: The Giving of Life's Greatest Treasures (Hardcover)
I'm so surprised it's rate so bad and sell so little in USA. I come from Taipei and read in Chinese edition. When I first met it in book store . I feel like i finally find the home . i need to stop to look at my self almost every page. i check out how did I spend my days? how did I look at myself? How did I think to be alive. i'm glad I know I'm not lonly to against the main stream conception-- most of people think job and money is everything. i'm glad to know ya, I'm in the right way. I enjoy to be a human being. even I live in Taipei-- full of purlution and speed creazy. But I know i just need to continue to involve myself to this wonderful world.

i couldn't put this book down in 3AM even I need to wake up early. Through it , I don't feel I need to work hard to be a better person, I just need to share.

I immediately bought 5 more for my friends . I think it's better than to go to a doctor. It'll help them to get over the self pitty and find their own livling value.

If you just think about yourself, you'll think the life is so hard, just turn your eyes to others, then you'll know there's so much to do for others than yourself.

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