Customer Reviews

The New Good Life: Living Better Than Ever in an Age of Less

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I had read some of Robbins other work, namely Diet for a New America, and was impressed by his passion and enthusiasm for healthy living. This book takes it to another level, and applies that passion to reshaping our ideas of wealth and happiness. Frankly, it couldn't have come at a better time, what with our recession and financial troubles these days. He makes the case for living... I almost want to say simply, but thats not right, its much more than that. Its about trying to be content with the things many folks seem to take for granted, and not seeking happiness in the superficial materialism. Really, an excellent read, I highly recommend it whether you're a fan of his other books, and especially if you're new to his work. We all need to learn a new way of living (since clearly the old way wasn't working, for us or the planet!) and this book is a big step in the right direction. A+

I heard the author John Robbins on a radio show, and was impressed enough that I bought the book. Evidently he's written a lot of other bestsellers, but I hadn't heard of him before, and this is the only book of his that I've read. And I loved it! It's filled with practical, substantial and immediately applicable ideas that I hadn't heard elsewhere, and that have already saved me a lot of money, lifted my spirits, and made me laugh (no small feat given what I'm going through these days). One of the things that I loved about The New Good Life is that Robbins' mind and heart are so spacious. He is a deeply compassionate and caring man who has led an amazing life. He writes movingly about the whole human experience, from the practical to the profound. In guiding the reader toward a more sustainable and joy-filled life, he offers many brilliant, useful, down to earth suggestions, while touching and skillfully addressing our hearts, spirits and deepest longings. This book is a storehouse both of information and inspiration. I have had some difficult breaks financially and emotionally lately, and this book was a real breath of fresh air. Reading it has helped me to ground in what I CAN do, instead of feeling helpless or hopeless. At a time when I am being forced to reexamine almost everything in my life, John Robbins is a godsend. His voice is real, solid and trustworthy, and his heart is wise. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

I didn't work today, so I went to the bookstore and sat down and read this book cover to cover. I really loved it. I have read most of his other books, ('The Food Revolution, Diet for a New America, Healthy at 100, and May All Be Fed: a Diet for a New World) and this one offers a nice medley of things from his other books. There is a chapter on your money spending archetype, i.e. 'the saver' or 'the sensualist?' And many true stories and outcomes of people who have these spending personalities. Full of great advice! There are recipes for having a smaller waistline (Robbins says that some Americans have a larger waistline due to the Old Good Life-and obesity is a disease of affluence). There is a very educational chapter on the question of having children or not.
Robbins is such a compassionate person, and he has lived his life in such a humble, loving way. Helping so many people. In this book he explains that 'The Old Way' was the way of the consumer who equated material wealth as happiness and weighed his or her self-worth with how much he/she was able to consume. With these hard economic times, the definition of the 'good life' is changing, (thankfully) and he helps alleviate the pain of "not having enough" or as much as you may have had in the past, helps you take back your humanity, and makes you feel incredibly grateful for learning the new skills he has in this book to lead a more humble life. A life that is free of the old material clutter-which was so often connected to a deep confusion we had about our own worth.

I also highly recommend his other book, 'The Food Revolution'

This book, like John Robbins' other books (which I also loved), is life-changing. This book takes his message of compassion and integral living to a whole new level. You will be glad when you buy and read this book, and your life will be enriched when you live it. It is both intimate and expansive, personal and universal. It tells the very personal story of his own financial ups and downs, and why he has made the choices he has in his own life. It is also a book written to help the readers to a deeper understanding of their own relationship to money, and to what they define as "success." It is more than a self-help book, and more than an autobiography. In a gentle, thoughtful, and compelling way, it invites us to discover what we really value in our lives, and to build a deeper connection to it by the choices we make with our money, our relationships, and our daily choices. Highly recommended.

John Robbins' new book is utterly captivating! The New Good Life guides us to make wise choices, from the small to the big ones. We can take heart that there is an other way to live. As I read The New Good Life, I felt something growing in me steadily and surely. My capacity to live with joy was expanding, as was my ability to live with compassion for myself and for others.

This man really walks his talk. With every page we can feel his integrity on how to integrate the new good life into our lives and the pages are full of a smart, entertaining and practical wisdom in a time where we need it so much.

I highly recommend this book and learned so many good tips along the way. It's a very entertaining, touching and informative read and it couldn't have been timed more perfectly.

Let me begin by saying that the author's other books are great - Diet for a New America is fantastic and should be read by EVERYONE. I heard a podcast interview with John about this book and based upon that interview decided to give it a read. The book is broken into main sections. The first "Healing Your Relationship with Money" is excellent. Just as America needed (actually still needs) the principles found in his first book (Diet for a New America), we need the insights and information found in this first section of the New Good Life. The only complaint I have about this section is the lack of discussing lessons learned from his own personal financial downfall. Hate to spoil the story, but the author lost 95% of his assets (gained from books I assume) through indirect investments in Bernie Madoff. There is a valuable lesson there for everyone which is to NEVER put all of your eggs in one basket (no matter how good the basket looks). A fundamental principle good investors follow is diversification. Too many people have lost their hard-earned fortunes by not following that basic principle, which is a shame.

The second part of the book is simply awful. It includes long discussions about how to save by insulating your house, buying bulk foods, washing your clothes only in cold water, etc. All of those items make complete common sense and have been covered as tips in magazine and on talk shows for years. There is an entire chapter on children and their financial expense. Why? Do we have an overpopulation problem in the US? I don't believe so. China perhaps, but not here. I may have missed the true point of that chapter, but I questioned why it was even in this book.

This could have been a great book, but it didn't even come close. The truth is that Americans need to spend a whole lot less money on stuff and more time and energy into their quality of life and relationships. There are some facinating statistics in this book (in the first section of course) which clearly demonstrate how far we are spiraling out of control.

I HIGHLY recommend every other one of John's books, but this one missed the mark for me unfortunately.

Want peace of mind? Want health? Want a modicum of true security? Want real freedom? Want joy? That's what you'll uncover in these incredibly helpful pages. You won't find any magical thinking here - just the deepest wisdom coupled with the clearest practical guidelines for a truly good life. This book can dramatically change your life for the better.

Zoe Weil
Author of Most Good, Least Harm

With his characteristic clarity and compassion, John Robbins shares the many ways we can be part of the solution, whether we're managing our own personal financial burdens or the ever-looming global warming crisis. Truth be told, my favorite part of the book were the opening chapters in which he details his own history of leaving behind his father's ice cream empire and living with his wife - and subsequent son - in a remote house they built themselves. Nobody walks the walk like John Robbins does, and we are all so blessed that he is generous and humble enough to teach others how to learn and grow from his own experiences and provide tools and resources to learn and grow from our own.

In The New Good Life John Robbins expands on his life story in an exciting and inspiring way that he hadn't done in his previous books. The book is a fantastic read for those familiar with John's work. It's full of interesting ideas on how to save money while leading a more fruitful and sustainable life. I was at first apprehensive reading about cleaning products, but now I'm appalled by how much money I used to waste poisoning myself and my family with useless products.

Reading this book has improved my life in measurable ways while empowering my family to lead a happier, more fulfilling life. The last page also had a wonderful jewel. John has a new blog at [...]

I had been planning to read his earlier books after some friends recommended Robbins to me. Then I found this new one. An excellent guide to a more satisfying, meaningful and simpler life. Including the reasons why: healthier for the world, one's self and one's family. A whole lot is packed into this one book. Even nontoxic, effective, money-saving cleaning tips and easy ways to serve up healthful, delicious foods. Great chapter on the whats and whys of what some folks and unmuzzled scientists and health experts say is the best way to eat, for health, saving resources, helping the environment and social justice: plant-based.