When All You've Ever Wanted Isn't Enough: The Search for a Life That Matters [Paperback]

Harold Kushner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 29, 2002

With the same compassion and wisdom that powered his phenomenal bestseller When Bad Things Happen to Good People, Harold Kushner addresses a need that is universal and timeless -- the wish for a meaningful life.

Why is it that, after attaining many of our goals, we are left with a sense that something vital is missing? In his deeply inspiring bestseller, Rabbi Kushner shows us how to live as human beings are meant to. He guides us to a heightened sense of joy, purpose, and meaning, and helps us to redirect our energies toward goals that will bring us lasting happiness and true fulfillment.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Kushner's new book is likely to match his When Bad Things Happen to Good People as a bestseller. In the rabbi's sympathetic and eminently readable guide, discontented people can find reasons to banish doubts on whether living is worthwhile. The Book of Ecclesiastes is the main source of reassurance here, for the spiritually bankrupt. Citing the short entry in the Old Testament as "the most dangerous in the Bible," the author argues that a fear of uselessness is humanity's ancient enemy. Ecclesiastes poured out his complaints that all his wealth and wisdom and achievements were nothing: he must die and be forgotten like an animal. Why does God withhold the power to enjoy the gifts that are the scribe's by the grace of God? Exploring the despair voiced in these pages, Kushner emphasizes the lesson that the unknown writer finally learned more than 1000 years agoevery person matters. Readers will benefit from Kushner's advice on making their lives matter to themselves and others. First serial to Redbook; Literary Guild selection.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

The Washington Post Thoughtful, well reasoned...a useful spiritual survival manual.

The Baltimore Sun Rabbi Harold S. Kushner has written a...book to give disillusioned Americans something to feel good about.

Redbook Inspirational...Rabbi Kushner gives good people more good advice.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone; 1 edition (January 29, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743234731
• ISBN-13: 978-0743234733
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #148,098 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #86 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Judaism > Jewish Life

More About the Author

Harold S. Kushner is Rabbi Laureate of Temple Israel in Natick, Massachusetts, where he lives. His books include the huge bestseller When Bad Things Happen To Good People and When All You've Ever Wanted Isn't Enough.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Author Gets a 5, The Publisher Gets a 1, November 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: When All You Ever Wanted Isn't Enough (Paperback)

The author takes you on a journey with Ecclesiastes to try to find the meaning of life. I will not spoil the outcome for you, but it is an outcome that many people who are monotheistic, agnostic or atheist eventually discover as did Ecclesiastes. The answer is applicable for any generation.

Although written by a Rabbi, the wisdom in this book is applicable to anyone of any belief. Although I don't believe that this is Kushner's most popular book, it just might be his best. He actually ends up answering several questions rather than just THE ONE - this is exceptional work.

As well written as the book was, the quality of the printed book was awful. It looked like the printer was short on ink and many pages (not just 2 or 3) were tough to read primarily at the edges. Since I generally rate a book based upon the author's work, I will give it five stars and hope that the poor quality print of the book I had is an isolated incident.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the voice we need..., June 24, 2002

By 

M. Nichols (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: When All You Ever Wanted Isn't Enough (Paperback)

I have read and enjoyed all of Rabbi Kushner's books, and everytime I read a new one I'm sorry that voices like Kushner aren't the ones we hear blared through tv and radio. Why do the Jerry Falwells and Laura Schlessingers get a bigger audience than Kushner, who has a gentle and humanistic approach to spiritual matters? Is it because, as he says in this book, a life of value has nothing to do with fame or money, and knowing this, he doesn't have the desire to be a celebrity pundit? I wonder.

As with all of his books, "When All You're Ever" is gracefully written and brief, and thus hard to put down (I read it over a Sunday afternoon and evening.) Despite its brevity, it touches on many relevant themes, from ennui to materialism to biblical relevance in modern lives. He frames these discussions around the story of Ecclesiastes, which has always been one of my favorite books of the bible. Until I read Kushner's perspective, I didn't realize why. Unlike so many books of the bible, Ecclesiastes is written by someone who lacks purpose in life, and comes to appreciate the small pleasures. It lacks much of the fire and brimstone of other parts of the OT, and therefore has more to say to the modern reader than the more archaic (and spiritually immature) sections.

All of Kushner's books are wonderful. Read them!

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beyond any self-help book, July 23, 2000

By 

Kerri Eads - See all my reviews

This review is from: When All You Ever Wanted Isn't Enough (Paperback)

I wish everyone would read this book and the world would be a much better place! This book is so inspiring for the person with a negative outlook on life. I read this book and wanted to invest more time in bettering my relations with people who are important in my life, and it gave me a different outlook on the importance and the impact I can make on other peoples lives. To give more of myself in relations with everyone. It is so well written, I think Harold Kushner has a gift from God that he is sharing all his insight with us. Everything he says, is beneficial to anyones belief. Very, very inspiring I am buying it for all my friends and family to read.