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Nathaniel Whitten
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Secrets of the Superoptimist Paperback – January 1, 2007

by W. R. Morton (Author), Nathaniel Whitten (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 17 ratings
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Book by W. R. Morton, Nathaniel Whitten
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  1. Print length
    166 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Vitally Important
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 2007
  5. Dimensions
    5.25 x 0.5 x 8.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0977480704
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0977480708
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The brainchild of Morton and Whitten, a pair of "seekers of higher truth and optimal sensation" who claim to have received this book's 116 "wisdom transmissions" from a mysterious source called the SuperOptimist, this volume could become the self-help of choice for people who don't read self-help. This quirky, unique primer, categorized on its back cover as "Psychology/ Philosophy/ Great Religious Texts of the World/ Humor," provides more than 100 points of advice for achieving SuperOptimism, defined as "the mental discipline to reframe any situation into a favorable outcome." Centered around three central principles-believing in the preeminence of your own fortune, considering pain a kind of informative "sensation," and removing one's shoes whenever possible-specific "secrets" include: drink caffeine, "compare yourself downward," wear wool, "skip therapy," engage strangers and "tip everybody." The book also includes exercises and appendixes, as well as a handy, all-purpose slogan for 2007: "I can handle it." Whether or not one can, in fact, handle it, Morton and Whitten provide plenty of fresh perspective from way out in left field.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

W.R. Morton and Nathaniel Whitten met in 1976, which happened to be the 200th anniversary of our nation’s independence. After publishing an underground newspaper which nearly got them both expelled from Henderson High School, Morton went on to get his masters in film criticism from USC, while Whitten graduated from New York University with an English degree, having served as editor of the NYU student newspaper. In the intervening years, both have worked various jobs in creative fields. Morton has worked as a creative director at AOL, a screenwriter in Hollywood, a life coach/computer troubleshooter for the likes of James L. Brooks, Hans Zimmer and Beck, and an artist whose work has been exhibited in the galleries of Venice, California. Whitten has spent the majority of his professional life as an award-winning copywriter in advertising, most notably with Chiat/Day, DDB, and JWT. He was creative director of his own shop, Weiss, Whitten, Stagliano which produced memorable work for the likes of Giorgio Armani, Ferrari, Guinness, and The Economist.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vitally Important; First Edition (January 1, 2007)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 166 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0977480704
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0977480708
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.9 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.5 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 17 ratings

About the author

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Nathaniel Whitten

Nathaniel Whitten

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Nathaniel Whitten is the author of several books that defy easy categorization. Among them are "Secrets of the SuperOptimist" (with Walt Morton), which Rolling Stone called “Hilarious” and The Huffington Post hailed as “Highly amusing. Secrets we can actually use,” as well as "The Do-It-Yourself Constitutional Amendment Kit", which Publisher’s Weekly deemed “Charming...edgy...like an episode of The Daily Show crossed with an issue of Mother Jones." "The SuperOptimist Guide to Unconventional Living" will be available September 2022.

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4.5 out of 5 stars
17 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Virginia Weir
    5.0 out of 5 stars Not as ironic as I thought
    Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I have to admit to being hesitant about this book. Any title with the words “Super”, “Optimist”, or “Secrets”—and certainly not all three—feels like there might be more irony in it than I can bear. Nevertheless, the short chapters (with titles like “Put your feet near water.” “Love your worst problem best.” “Never be photographed while eating.”) drew me in and I found a strange (and, yes, ironic!) mixture of humor, wisdom, odd-but-enlightening facts, as well as some some darn good writing.

    For me this is a spiritual book with a light tone and a calm palm down on the ego of spirituality. Sometimes the Secrets promote a retreat from day-to-day ridiculousness, and sometimes they plough full force into it, but the emphasis is always on seeing the world around you, with humor and amazement and a balance of caution and daring. Mostly what is required is the capacity to step back, really SEE, and attend to the present moment.

    “You can’t reliably predict 5 days from now, much less 50 years. That’s why the SuperOptimist believes that the ‘good time’ is not in some imagined far distant future, but in every tiny moment of existence at this very moment right now. And now. And now. And…now.” (Secret #8)

    Viewed as a circle, there’s only a slight gap between SuperOptimist to SuperPessimist, but the book’s Secrets hold close to optimism. And sometimes the Optimism even blossoms into Hope—for every ego-driven, mother-fearing, anxiety-ridden soul who dares to walk bare-soled onto the green grass and enjoy (Secret #37). Ha.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Kevin McGlinchey
    3.0 out of 5 stars Good Toilet Read
    Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2008
    Verified Purchase
    If you are looking for serious self-help you might want to keep browsing. If you are looking for a random collection of encouraging thoughts sprinkled with wry humor and a most excellent cover photo click on "add to shopping cart."
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  • arlopear
    5.0 out of 5 stars A witty & digestible delight!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Stumbled upon the this book in the form of a gift. I was immediately taken in by the wit and writing style. I can't think of a better way to describe it other than it's really a page-turner without trying to be. The tone is fun and light from end to end without being frivolous or self-help'y. In a world that takes itself way too seriously, I found myself smirking at so many of the "secrets" the authors "reveal"...many of which are easy and ready to practice right out of the box! Clever stuff in here.

    The perfect antidote for a more than wacky world. Recommended for those with a sense of humor and an appreciation of irony.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Carol A Eggers
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Fun read! Some wise ideas!
    One person found this helpful
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  • pam montgomery
    5.0 out of 5 stars The secrets are out........
    Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    "In these strange times we live in, I find myself waking up and reaching for the Superoptimist to start the day. It's comforting to know that whatever happens, I have a trusty guide to help me reframe everything as a positive, even the really screwed-up things. These secrets really pack a wallop — in a good way."
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  • Fred Paprin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Feeling blue? Secrets of The Super Optimist is what the doctor ordered!!!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2023
    Stumbled across this as a gift book and ended up reading it for myself…..written in a pithy fun manner I felt the. overhang of feeling down that day……the humor really helped lift my spirits in a time when all on tv is outage and anger the Super Optimist was a healthy antidote!! Highly recommend for everyone and as a perfect house warming gift!!!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Placeholder
    5.0 out of 5 stars A fun and practical approach for living today!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2023
    I love this book. In a time when we are all struggling to find positivity in our everyday lives, this humorous, whimsical, yet intelligent and practical book saves the day. There are wonderful ideas and has proven to be a great gift.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Calamus Works
    4.0 out of 5 stars Secret #8.6: “Go for the real butter.”
    Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2014
    If nothing else, I honor and appreciate this snippet of advice found in the positivity manual Secrets of the SuperOptimist. Butter-ness is next to godliness, after all. Butter aside, authors W.R. Morton and Nathaniel Whitten, in over one hundred quirky “wisdom transmissions,” advise their readers how to achieve a state of theoretical and situational “SuperOptimism” in their book Secrets of the SuperOptomist. Having written a self-help book that criticizes self-help whilst offering advice, these authors openly embrace the various contradictions within their text and reiterate that they are merely witnesses to these divine truths.

    I was drawn in by the stark opposition of the title against the book’s cover: a free falling, ambiguous human engulfed in a ball of flames. This was going to be wry and dark! Alas, you can’t judge a book by the juxtaposition of its cover. While I enjoyed the “secrets” and found a few very positive and enlightening tips to ponder, I was hoping for more snark and less quirk. Though some of the “secrets” were wittily written and original, many missed what I believe was the authors’ satirical target. They list their numbered secrets out of chronological order, which felt like a contrived attempt to be offbeat. They use an eclectic blend of Eastern and Western religious thought and a ton of meditation techniques to explain how to handle many situations. Again, some of the situations were quite funny and useful: Secret #97, “If someone thinks you are crazy…all the better. Nobody bothers crazy people. And sometimes they get free food.” And some not so helpful or funny: Secret #50, “Act aloof at your next job interview. Chances are, they’ll make you an offer.” Maybe it’s just me, but I would not heed this advice.

    I really enjoyed the advice for writers and artists scattered throughout the work. One exercise of sorts within Secret #55 was to “turn yourself into a fictional character.” They suggest to do this to keep your life interesting, as well as an exercise in creativity. And to end on an inspirational note, I will end with Secret 11.3: “It is always more important to disseminate your own work as it stands than to allow robot monkeys in a corporate office park to micromanage, repackage, and nullify its soul. Do it yourself. Make something. You’ll be glad you did and you’ll amaze your friends.”
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