Customer Reviews

5 Principles for a Successful Life: From Our Family to Yours

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May 12, 2009

BOOK REVIEW: Newt Gingrich and His Daughter Assemble Comments from Liberals, Conservatives from Many Professions in '5 Principles for a Successful Life'

By David M. Kinchen


You wouldn't expect to find advice for a successful life from Rush Limbaugh and Bill Clinton in the same book, but former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R-GA) and his daughter Jackie Gingrich Cushman have managed to do just that in "5 Principles for a Successful Life: From Our Family to Yours" (Crown Forum, $22.00, 224 pages.)

Other advice givers include Mary Matalin and her husband James Carville, strategists on the right and left sides of the political spectrum, respectively; NBC newsman and best-selling author Tom Brokaw; Gen. David Petraeus; radio host and son of the Great Communicator Michael Reagan; Tucker Carlson; Whoopi Goldberg and dozens of others. The book is heavy with advice from past and present military officers, including Lt. Col. Oliver North, Gen. Peter Pace and Gen. John P. Abizaid.

Bill Clinton writes about the importance of gratitude in helping him achieve his goals: "I was born into a family without wealth or powerful connections," he writes. "But from my mother and other relatives, I was given a more powerful gift: the belief that I could do anything in life with big dreams, hard work, and a genuine interest in and respect for other people."

Whoopi Goldberg takes a line from Shakespeare, who did a bit of acting in his time: "To thine own self be true" to explain her success: "I live by 'Be true to yourself' because who else can you really be true to? Each decision you make moves you a little further in life. Sometimes, if you are true to other people's principles, they move you back. And if you adhere to someone else's principles you may move forward, but somehow you're not as steady, you're not as clear, you're not as strong."

Here are the five principles:

1. Dream Big, like Walt Disney, who didn't let failure and naysayers stop him from achieving his dreams...or like Jackie Gingrich Cushman's sister, Kathy, who didn't let a severe case of rheumatoid arthritis stop her from completing a walking marathon and raising money to help cure the disease.

2. Work Hard, like Newt Gingrich himself, as his daughter remembers. Working hard, she says, can be a surprising source of energy. Another example in the book is John "Jack" Horner, a man who was a technical adviser on the "Jurassic Park" movies and from his early boyhood "wanted more than anything to be a dinosaur paleontologist when I grew up."

3. Learn Every Day. The key is to remember that learning is a reciprocal process. Newt Gingrich was interested in everything. Luckily, he had a family that encouraged him to learn constantly. "My grandmother, Ethel Daugherty has been a schoolteacher, and she taught me to read before I went to school. She said over and over 'You can learn anywhere, from anyone. Keep your eyes and ears open.'"

4. Enjoy Life. The authors draw from ancient philosophers like Aristotle, who said "Happiness depends upon ourselves" and modern scientific studies to show that successful people work hard to achieve their dreams and complement that hard work with a capacity to "really enjoy the journey you're on." Rush Limbaugh advises "There should be no guilt in the pursuit of happiness and the enjoyment of life."

5. Be True to Yourself. After he left the speakership in 1999, Newt Gingrich reassessed his life and career, after 26 years of running for office and serving in Congress, he was faced "with the daunting challenge of thinking through a new career." He set out to determine what he would not do, become a lobbyist, take a job with one firm which would monopolize his life, etc. He began by studying science, fulfilling his passion for learning.

I'm not a big fan of self-help books, but the diversity of the contributors and the the essential soundness of their advice -- combined with the words and writing structure of the father-daughter author team -- convinced me that this is a book everyone can enjoy and learn from. I was especially taken with the section on Walt Disney, quoting from a 2006 book I had read and reviewed, Neal Gabler's "Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination." If one person had to be chosen to symbolize success in America, it would be difficult to find one more intriguing than Walt Disney. Gabler's book is quoted and listed in an excellent reading list at the end of the book.

If you travel a lot, pack this book along with your laptop, iPhone, BlackBerry, etc. It's worth reading and re-reading.



Publisher's web site: www.crownforum.com

Great for high school kids because it reads quick and has short chapters.
Kids won't get bored once they pick it up.
Bi-Partisan guests and Non-Partisan writing!

In their book 5 Principles for a Successful Life: From Our Family to Yours, father/daughter team Newt Gingrich and Jackie Gingrich Cushman share their thoughts and experiences toward living a meaningful and successful life. They eloquently illustrate the principles all parents hope to communicate to their children in word and deed. I plan on reading and discussing this book with my own children. The words of other successful Americans, from Bill Clinton to Whoopi Goldberg, Rudy Giuliani to paleontologist Jack Horner, are shared and inspire the reader to live according to the principles:
1. Dream Big
2. Work Hard
3. Learn Every Day
4. Enjoy Life
5. Be True to Yourself
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will refer to it often as a wonderful resource which will inspire us toward better living and thinking. During these hard times in which we live, Newt and Jackie's book is a wonderful investment toward an improved way of life! I will recommend it to everyone I know and give it as gifts to the people I love.

This book is a "must" read. It reminds me of the principles we grew up with not so long ago - principles my father taught. Principles that, when followed, lead to a life full of passion, enthusiasm and respect for yourself and your neighbors. What better way to look at life than: 1. Dream Big 2. Work Hard 3. Learn Every Day 4. Enjoy Life 5. Be True to Yourself. Newt and Jackie have proven with this book - they still live in each of us!

Perfect Girft Book. Buy for a graduation, father's day or birthday gift.
The chapters are short and informative just what you want for a summer read.
I found myself reading several of the stories outloud to my young sons.
Just what we need right now. Inspirational and important are what comes to mind!

Not only is it a insightful guide on how to focus on what's important in life; with the commentary of successful leaders in politics, business, sports and entertainment, it's a moving tribute to people who have overcome obstacles to make a difference in the world. Jackie Cushman and her father put a great deal of thought and love into creating this book, as they share stories of their own struggles and successes - both day-to-day and long-term. It was clearly a labor of love. What a wonderful gift for someone who has achieved success or who is seeking to do so.

I now understand why Gingrich's daughter is out on the campaign trail defending her father who divorced two women and had at least two extramarital affairs. It is a joke on the American people for the two of them to offer advice to youth on a successful life and is a testimonial that Bill Clinton changed America's perception of whether it is okay for politicians to cheat on a spouse. Newt Gingrich decried Clinton's immorality during the same time that Gingrich was carrying on his own affair. Newt Gingrich was a disgrace to the Republican party and this book is a disgrace to the publisher who chose to make a few bucks on Gingrich's name recognition.

This is a fine compilation of words on life from Newt and his daughter, peppered with one or two pagers from other notables, some historical, some Pop figures. It's a quick read and well worth the time. Younger folks might enjoy it the most.

The 5 Principles for a Successful Life was a quick, inspiring read. It is not a political book. I enjoyed the input from the various contributors and in seeing how these principles had helped them achieve so much. I do not delve into self help books but found this short and sweet - a common sense guide to getting what you want. I have bought several copies for all the graduates in my life. It has also rejuvenated my goals and aspirations. I highly recommend it.

Common sense words of wisdom that we could all stand to hear now and again, packed into an easy and enjoyable read. This is a book one can return to again and again. It would make a perfect gift for anyone graduating from high school or college this year!