Customer Reviews

The Noticer: Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective.

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If you pick up this book titled THE NOTICER, by Andy Andrews, don't make the mistake I made. Don't wait until bedtime to start reading it. When I picked it up last night, I had every intention of simply reading the introduction and then turning out the light and calling it a day. Having read everything Andy Andrews has written, I knew it would be a good and just wanted to see what it was going to be about. Well, there is no introduction, so I thought I'd just read the first few pages to get a feel for it. I finished reading it around 1:30 this morning. Yes, it's that good.

Okay, it gets even better. Just past midnight, I even got up and ate a plum for a quick midnight snack and told myself, "Okay, you've got a busy day tomorrow. Go to sleep." I turned out the light and it took all of about 3 minutes before I turned it back on and opened the book again. I knew trying to fall asleep was a fruitless endeavor. I simply had to finish the book.

Andy Andrews is one of the finest writers (and public speakers) of our time. If you are not familiar with his work, this book would be a great place to start. For me, it may not have been quite as good as The Traveler's Gift, but that book has had such a profound effect on my life, I may be a little biased. I hope in time, this book will have an equally profound effect and in the few hours since I read it, I have thought about it's messages all day. Those messages are still sinking in and I will certainly read the book again this weekend before I decide who I want to share it with first.

I don't want to spoil the story for anyone, so I will only say the story revolves around a very influential old sage who touches so many lives by simply giving the people he encounters a new persective. When it all boils down to the basics, that's how simple it is in creating the determining factors of our lives. Whether we choose to be happy or miserable all revolves around our perspective.

One of the beauties of this book is that Andrew's deftly applies the "new perspective" principal to so many differing situations. You are sure to find more than a few examples of things that will relate to your own life. There's definately a message here for everyone.

Andy concludes this magnificent story with a Reader's Guide. A few pages of thought provoking questions that will help put it all together for you and would make for an extraordinary group discussion.

For me, personally, the story really helps reinforce my own personal mission - to inspire and empower people professionally, personally and spiritually to elevate their lives to a higher level. There's a little bit of "Jones" in all of us. Read the book and you'll understand exactely what I mean. I give this the highest recommendation possible.

His name was Jones. Not Mr. Jones, just Jones. If you had the opportunity to meet Jones, you would never forget him. He had a way of making a significant impact on your life. He always seemed to come around when you were at your lowest. Life was difficult and you were not sure how to keep going. But then you met Jones. He called himself a "noticer", because he noticed things that others overlooked. He noticed "things about situations and people that produce perspective. That's what most folks lack--perspective--a broader view".

Perspective--it's about how you look at things--how you look at life. That is what I learned from reading this book. No matter how bad things look, it was all about HOW I looked at things. "The Noticer" is an amazing story of how one man changed a community. He helped many people look at their lives differently. Jones helped Andy who was 23, homeless, and parentless. He helped Andy find perspective and it changed his life. Jones helped a couple find perspective which helped them save their marriage. He helped an older widow, who felt her life had been lived and was finished, find perspective that her life was just starting and that even she could make a huge impact in people's lives. Jones helped so many people. He touched many lives.

"The Noticer" by Andy Andrews is one of the best books I have ever read. The book could not have come at a better time for me to read, as I gained perspective. Amazing, inspirational, encouraging are just a few of the many words that could be used to describe this book. This is a book that I will read again and again. This is a book that EVERYONE should have and read.

Do you find yourself in transition in life? I happen to be going from a rewarding career of mothering with children in the home to a happily married teacher with independent and successful children. What is next? Only God knows for sure but this book by Andy Andrews brings an awareness of "the best is yet to come". I pray that my eyes will continue to be open to the opportunities that will come now that my life is in transition.The Noticer: Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective.

I have read Many books and I mean Many. Out of these there has only been one I have chosen to keep and re-read until I recently listened to "The Noticer". If I could afford it, I would purchase this audio book and give it out to others!! I also feel there is much more expression within the words of this audio book with the author reading it.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND GIVE IT A RATING BEYOND THE FIVE STARS.
Phyllis Mangrum

I really liked this CD. I was going to order the book and then decided to order the CD instead. I'm so glad I did. It was so interesting that I did not want to get out of the car. The author/reader was so convincing you felt he was telling you his story while sitting across a table or in your living room. I have ordered another copy to share and have already lent out my CD as well. I tagged this "hope" because the whole story gives hope - seeing things from a different perspective than what you've been focusing on.

Andy Andrew's "The Noticer" is one, absolutely incredible book.

If you were to look at the page count, the book is a quick read. But, the content encased by both covers offers a lifetime of hope, reassurance and inspiration.

The book's key figure goes by the name, "Jones". He is an elderly, grandfatherly man who seems to appear in peoples' lives when they are at their bleakest and darkest. The words of wisdom from the book constantly reverberate through my memory as I recall the various times throughout the reading of the book that I felt the sting of self-reflection and the warmth of hopeful reconciliation. Jones is the "Noticer" who drops in and out of people's lives and offers wisdom that penetrates hearts and inspires change. Jones' gift is the power of perspective. When trouble hits our lives, it is easy to be entangled too deeply into the weeds of life's worries and struggles. Jones steps into the lives of the people in the book and helps them to step back and view the options everyone can choose from. He patiently teaches and graciously offers the gift of perspective to anyone willing to simply listen.

There were several times throughout my reading of the book that I groaned inwardly as introspection led to revelation about my character and inspiration on where I can go from here. This isn't you're typical "feel good" book. While the messages found throughout the story come in easily managed doses they stick to you heart, soul and mind. I tried to leave this book immaculately unmarked and unscathed, thinking that this would make a great gift that I could pass on to another reader. But, I couldn't stop myself from bending corners of countless pages and highlighting favorite passages, marking up parts of the book that called me to a deeper self-reflection and a greater motivation to change. I may end up just buying copies for others to mark up and dig into. No other book since the Bible has inspired me to address my personal weaknesses and face my personal challenges and move forward to personal changes.

There is the added bonus of "A Reader's Guide" found at the back to take it even deeper. This has been one of the most rewarding and thought-provoking reads I have ever experienced. Andy Andrews is a gifted storyteller who can move our hearts and change our minds for the betterment and advancement of ourselves.

There was a song years ago from the soundtrack of the animated movie, "The Prince of Egypt" that beautifully captures the spirit of this simple and powerful book on the strength perspective can bring to our lives. The song's title: "Through Heaven's Eyes".

I struggle with the right words to describe The Noticer by Andy Andrews from Thomas Nelson. Is it the beginning of a movement, or a good marketing plan? Is it a feel-good book, or a short story stretched to fill about 150 pages? Is it autobiographical, or just written to sound like it? I'm afraid the latter of each of these questions is my impression.

I like the idea behind The Noticer Project (www.thenoticerproject.com). Think of five people who have impacted your life and write a note of appreciation - on the website, of course. However, as I began reading the book, I began feeling the project was a marketing device for a lack-luster tale.

The story surrounds a man, named "Jones", not "Mr. Jones", who helps people change their perspective on their own lives. I kept looking for Jones to point these people to the others who influenced their lives. It wasn't there. Jones appears and disappears with regularity in the community. Each time to help someone out of a personal dilemma. Jones pointed each of them to their own lives and how to change. Not a bad thing, but not the concept I was expecting. In none of the encounters is any one thanked, except Jones.

The various vignettes of encounters with Jones reminded me of the 80s television show "The Highway to Heaven" starting Michael Landon. In fact, these short tales could have been story ideas for that program. Unlike "Heaven," where we knew that Landon's character was an angel, it is never explicit with Jones in The Noticer.

There are good principles to learn from the stories and from Jones' philosophies. There are also comments, such as "Deciding to fly away and actually flying away are two very different things," that are worthy of posting over a desk or on the refrigerator. A Reader's Guide is included at the end of the book for book discussions or personal reflections.

Although I enjoyed most of the little stories, it wasn't a page turner. I could have easily set the book aside and not gone back to it. Considering the marketing hype, I was disappointed with this book.

I listened through the book in a single sitting last week while I was waiting for my eyes to recover after surgery. I can imagine that if I had a paper copy, it would be one of those books that I would not have been able to put down.

The Noticer was a funny mix of what appeared to be a fiction and non-fiction story all rolled into one that followed the activities of an old guy by the name of Jones (just Jones...no mister). Jones seemed to show up at just the right time to help people who were in sticky life situations, and after he dispensed his pithy, down to earth wisdom, disappeared as mysteriously as he appeared.

I spent most of the book trying to figure out if Jones was actually a real person or a supernatural being of some sort...it annoyed me a little because it was distracting, but I guess that's part of what kept me engaged. The episodes contained within the book, while engaging on their own, felt a little disjointed and almost as though they were mini-sermons tacked together, and I often wondered how Andy switched from narrating the story from his perspective to writing about situations where he was not present. In spite of these distractions I'd whole heartedly recommend the book. It contains a swag of easily applied common wisdom for living that is refreshing in it's directness and simplicity. Jones doesn't mince words, but dispenses truth with grace and love.

Jones' gift for being able to notice little things that were in plain view, but often overlooked by others, allowed him to help his new friends see their circumstances from a different perspective. Jones often said : "In desparate times, much more than anything else, folks need perspective." And it was this theme that eventually tied the disparrate parts together for me. I finished up the book thinking that it would be nice to have a noticer around to bring perspective to my life in those moments where I can't see the forest for the trees :)

It is an inspiriting and challenging read. Well worth the investment.

In the Noticer, an old, friendly sage, Jones (not Mr. Jones), weaves his way in and out of the lives in one small, all-American town. He finds people in their moment of need and helps give them a little "perspective".

I really wanted to like this book. I respect the author, appreciate the publisher, and was interested in its premise. So it was with some anticipation that I dove in. I had a hard time finding a pace with the story. It felt a bit like the author had grabbed the good ideas from a handful of other gems books and tried to condense those into a chapter each (i.e. the early chapter about Jan & Barry sounds very much like Chapman's Love Languages), making it feel a bit jerky in pace. Jones was an interesting character, but I found his character development too vague. I understand that his mystery is part of the point, but there wasn't enough there to grab on to - Is he God or an angel? Does he disappear or is he traveling elsewhere?

I didn't hate this book; in fact, I'll probably pass it on to my parents next. I think it is likely one that will either really resonate with someone or it will fall flat. Unfortunately for me, it was the latter.

[...]

Andy Andrews has always been one of my favorite storytellers. The Noticer is a book that focuses on reminding the reader that one of life's most important traits is the ability to "notice" the gifts that we have in our lives. Perspective...a broader view. As I kick off 2011 this book has been a great inspiration for me. Never underestimate the power of a little book to inspire big ideas. I highly recommend you also read it again.

Stefan Swanepoel
Author: Surviving Your Serengeti: 7 Skills to Master Business & Life