I Was Blind But Now I See: Time to Be Happy [Paperback]

James Altucher (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 16, 2011

We've been brainwashed. We need to acknowledge this. We need to recognize who has been doing the brainwashing and work towards reversing its effects. Then, building from the core, we can learn who we really are, get success, wealth, and finally happiness. This book lays out the techniques to escape the zombie recruitment machine, expanding our personal frontiers, and finding the tools to build up the wealth of happiness inside.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

James Altucher has written seven books, has written articles for every paper and website in the known universe. Has run several businesses. Has ridden the roller coaster of success and failure many times, in money, love, success, career, etc. Now he shares his experiences on how to get it right, unravel the brainwashing, and ultimately succeed and be happy.

Product Details

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (September 16, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1466347953
• ISBN-13: 978-1466347953
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (76 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #262,904 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

James Altucher is a writer, successful entrepreneur, chess master, and investor.

He has founded over 20 companies and sold some of them for large exits. He has also run venture capital funds, hedge funds, angel funds, and currently sits on the boards of many companies.

He has written and been profiled in most major national media publications like the Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, CNBC, Forbes, and Business Week.

His blog, which began by detailing Altucher's precipitousfall from wealth and success to absolute rock bottom and then back to wealth, has attracted more than 10 million readers since its launch in 2010, and in 2011 inspired a comic book.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

74 of 74 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Honest review from a twitter follower December 30, 2011

By NotoriousDIK

Format:Paperback

For perspective, I started following James Altucher on twitter and his blog after someone I knew sent me a link to his blog. I felt we thought the same way about a lot of things, and I feel it reassuring and motivating to follow his writing. It's not for everyone, but it works for me, so I continue to do so... because of this, I decided to purchase his book thinking it might expand a bit on his blog. Unfortunately it really doesn't... but that being said I could recommend buying the book or not buying based on the following:

DON'T buy the book if:
1. You're strapped for cash - really everything is already on his blog for free.
2. Critical of poor editing or typos - Unfortunately since a lot of this is cut and pasted from the blog it has some glaring references to links etc that could have been cleaned up prior to printing. Also quite a few typos.**
3. If you haven't read his blog first. Read the blog first and decide if you want to buy the book based on the below.
4. You're hoping for him to expand on the blog... for the most part he doesn't do this much.

BUY this book if:
1. You like the blog and would like to try to capture a good bit of it all in one place without clicking around, or if you'd like to read somewhere without internet. i.e. most airplanes, camping, etc. I got it mostly for this reason (and the thought it might expand on the topics)
2. You like James' writing and want him to keep doing it. I felt good buying the book and basically throwing a few $$ to him. Also, I really think he's sincere in loving what he does. I appreciate it and want him to keep doing it, no better way to say that then buying the book.
3. You like the blog and want to genuinely share it with someone. e-mailing the blog hardly works, we're overloaded with the information in the internet as it is, but buying the book for someone shows conviction and commitment, and the person you want to read it probably will at least start it. (yes I realize I starting reading from a link, got lucky I guess)

Hope this helps!

**Note to James: Try sending a copy of your next book to some of your followers for free to proof read. I'm sure they'd be happy to get an early copy of some of your writing, and you get some free editing! Win-Win!

142 of 148 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Like a box of chocolates September 23, 2011

By Gary North

Format:Paperback

This book reminds me of Forest Gump's mother's description of a box of chocolates: you never know what you're going to get. As with any book you read, you will forget 90% within a week; 98% within a month. So, you want to know what you should concentrate on.

If you are in the corporate world, go to page 83: "What You Need to do if You Were Hired Today." Read to page 89. Then read it again. Then read it again. He offers 10 rules. All of them are good. If you systematically implement all of them, you will stand out as a contender. But Pareto's 20-80 law holds true here as elsewhere. You won't implement all of them. So, implement 20% of them. That means two. Which two? #4 and #10. (Buy the book to find out the 10 rules.)

If your marriage is in trouble, go to page 101: "25 Dates Until I Met Claudia." Read to page 106. There, he describes the post-divorce singles scene. I can think of nothing I have read recently that is more likely to motivate you to work on your marriage.

What about college? He says not to go. He explains why from page 37 to 48. I also say not to go. I earned a Ph.D. But I have a variation: earn a degree; just don't go. If you want my strategy, search for "college," $11," and "YouTube."

His section on keeping your mouth shut at dinner parties except for asking an occasional question is good advice. It begins on page 155 and goes to 158. This may be the most difficult advice to follow in the book.

If you want to write a book, read his section on self-publishing. It will save you a lot of grief. It will also get you published. It starts on page 91 and goes to page 96. His stories on how little money successful authors make by letting a conventional publisher publish the book should be required reading in every school of journalism and every course on creative writing. It begins on page 96 and goes to 101.

Cherry pick this book. Chocolate-covered, of course.

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars James & the Amazing Technicolor Stories. September 30, 2011

By Richard M. Rosso

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

James Altucher is real. His writing is real. You wince a bit. His candid, raw style will make you laugh, get you to ponder, you'll get angry at what shades the truth from us. He pulls you into his personal trials. He takes you along through the good and bad of his life. He's an open book. He's there to teach. All along the way you're thinking and questioning all the dogma you've been force fed your entire life. Your mind is awake. You may never feel the same again. You may not agree with some of his thoughts but it doesn't matter. There's something in this book you will learn. You'll be happier, or healthier, or smarter.

James has an amazing ability to rattle and get readers to re-think the American "religions" like owning a home (no) or going to college (why?). James has gone through more highs and lows than most living things on the planet. He has an incredible gift to not only recall the experiences, but examine them in an objective, self-reflective manner and in some way, he is all of us at different times in our own lives. His lessons are strong, built on life stories. And as a muse and teacher he shares his worst and best of times with readers so they ultimately may be better. And happy.

Some of the the most thought-provoking elements of the book: "Be a Human" beginning on page 167. Why are we angry? James is correct that we are in a depressive cycle as we've been battered by a pretty tough decade. How do you rise above? How did he? "Success is a Sexually Contagious Disease," starting on page 107, hit home for me. I've battled all the challenges he raises like sadness, forgetting who you are, anxiety, thinking that "if I get this I'll be happy." But what is true happiness? James lays it out.

Recently, I had a chance to walk NY streets with James Altucher and I shared with him my own weaknesses, my challenges because through his writings he provides insights into what makes us human, what connects us as people and also what the hell is wrong with us, too. You want to share with him you just hope you don't wind up a story in his blog! He filters lessons through his own life prism which makes the entire read entertaining as well as enlightening.

I'm carrying this book with me at all times. Readers should sign up to follow James on Twitter and sign up for his popular blog: [...]. Believe me, you won't regret it.