Lost in the Cosmos: The Last Self-Help Book Kindle Edition

by Walker Percy (Author)

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“A mock self-help book designed not to help but to provoke; a chapbook to inveigle us into thinking about who we are and how we got into this mess.” —Los Angeles Times Book Review

Published at the height of the 1980s self-help boom, Lost in the Cosmos is Percy’s unforgettable riff on the trend that swept the nation. Filled with quizzes, essays, short stories, and diagrams, Lost in the Cosmos is a laugh-out-loud spin on a familiar genre that also pushes readers to serious contemplation of life’s biggest questions.

One part parody and two parts philosophy, Lost in the Cosmos is an enlightening guide to the dilemmas of human existence, and an unrivaled spin on self-help manuals by one of modern America’s greatest literary masters.

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Carl V. McCoy

A laugh out loud narrative that asks some tough questions about finding meaningful work. A humorous dose of inspiration for those wanting real change.

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Kirt J Boyd

As funny as they are inspiring, the residents and staff at The Last Stop Retirement Home will have you wanting to move in, even before you retire!

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Kirt J Boyd

Spend a year with Holy Moses and the gang at The Last Stop Retirement Home. Sometimes inspiring, sometimes ridiculous, but always wildly entertaining.

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The epoch-trotting supernatural comedy thriller that does for the paranormal what Dr Who does for time travel. Perfect for fans of British comedy.

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T. J . Brown

Book 2 of the epoch-trotting comedy thriller that does for the paranormal what Dr Who does for time travel. Perfect for fans of David Wong.

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Linda Fausnet

After ignoring his secretary for years, Johnny realizes she's a lovely, incredibly talented Broadway star in the making. Too bad she hates him.

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Product details

File Size: 3323 KB
Print Length: 271 pages
Publisher: Open Road Media (March 29, 2011)
Publication Date: March 29, 2011
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B004TLVNHU
Text-to-Speech: Enabled

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Not Enabled

Word Wise: Enabled
Lending: Not Enabled
Screen Reader: Supported

Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #312,776 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
- #84 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Absurdist
- #3230 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Humor & Satire > General Humor
- #6478 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Humor & Satire > Humorous

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Carl V. McCoy

A laugh out loud narrative that asks some tough questions about finding meaningful work. A humorous dose of inspiration for those wanting real change.

5

Kindle Edition
$3.99
Feedback

Kirt J Boyd

Spend a year with Holy Moses and the gang at The Last Stop Retirement Home. Sometimes inspiring, sometimes ridiculous, but always wildly entertaining.

14

Kindle Edition
$4.99
Feedback

Kirt J Boyd

As funny as they are inspiring, the residents and staff at The Last Stop Retirement Home will have you wanting to move in, even before you retire!

55

Kindle Edition
$3.99
Feedback

T. J. Brown

The epoch-trotting supernatural comedy thriller that does for the paranormal what Dr Who does for time travel. Perfect for fans of British comedy.

359

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$4.99
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Gavin Zanker

A decade-long grudge, a mysterious guest, and a clergy phobia - all of this and Adam hasn't even made it to the day of his mother's funeral yet.

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David Stone

David’s family fortune is at risk. Emma has a genius plan to save it. Will business and pleasure mix? Let's say it gets complicated. KU Unlimited.

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T. J . Brown

Book 2 of the epoch-trotting comedy thriller that does for the paranormal what Dr Who does for time travel. Perfect for fans of David Wong.

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Hit 'pause' on endless wars and the apocalypse with the SciFi series about a brighter future that will make you smile.

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Lost in the Cosmos

July 8, 2012

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Imagine a young man, freshly graduated from a mediocre State College. He studied music, or painting, or sociology, i.e. something a bit idealistic in ambition but rather quite useless to him in actual practice. He is in a used bookstore in a large Northeastern Metropolis and comes across a book entitled, "Lost in the Cosmos". He is intrigued. He flips intently through the book to ascertain if the little money he has to his name should be used to buy it. Certainly the title speaks to him. He, too, feels lost--maybe not "in the cosmos" so much but certainly in his own general vicinity. Nonetheless, little of the book quite makes sense to him. Let's face it, he wants to *stop* feeling lost, not go further into this awful feeling. He wants an answer, one that he can understand. He wants to be found, dammit! So, he puts the book down and moves on.

Twenty years later the man--now, alas, not so young--has been reading the novels of Walker Percy, e.g. "Love in the Ruins", or "Lancelot" and is reminded of "Lost in the Cosmos". He finally orders it online. After two decades of self-loathing masquerading as inflated notions of self-worth; after a lifetime of so many bad choices followed by even worse choices (punctuated by some really monumentally bad choices bordering on the comical) he finally reads the book.

He starts to get it, or so he hopes. The book explains his own life so brilliantly, not just his to be sure, but virtually everyone he knows. It is so pitch-perfect in laying out the dilemma of the free-floating, postmodern, nihilistic, autonomous self--and the various attempts to overcome this empty nothing we feel ourselves to be--that he is finally stunned into silence. More than anything else he finds this silence compelling. A choice is required. One that he has been studiously avoiding his entire life. He is lost in the cosmos--he always had been--but now, thank God, he finally knows it.

Do you:
A) Dismiss this review as the self-inflated pomp that it actually is and instead purchase something more entertaining or perhaps watch an episode of your favorite show on the internet? Nothing wrong with a little diversion, is there?
B) Buy the book and find out for yourself just exactly how lost you are?

Choose one.

111 people found this helpful

Comment

Kindle Customer

If you're not lost, you don't need it

July 14, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This book is not for everyone. It is now a little dated and makes a number of references to popular culture that you might not get if you didn't live through the 80s (if you don't know who Donahue is, substitute Montel and you'll get the idea). But if you want a book that makes you really examine what you believe about your life and how it fits into the universe, then you will enjoy this fun, quirky romp through the cosmos, and, more importantly, through yourself.

I just happened to see this book in a university bookstore one day. Total serendipity. The subtitle of the book grabbed me immediately: "The Last Self-Help Book". It seems that all I did in the 80s was read self-help books, without much effect. Was this THE ONE?

At the start of the book he gives a Preliminary Short Quiz, to find out if you even want to take the Twenty-Question Self-Help Quiz to find out if you even want to read the book. The witty writing style and thought-provoking questions had me hooked. I devoured the book and reread it several times. There are a number of things in the book that I still remember today after 30 years. His entertaining and enlightening takes on fashion and depression are two chapters that come to mind. This book definitely changed the way I think about myself and my place in the world. It also inspired me to read every Walker Percy book I could find which was a treat in itself.

I think that one of the more important things he does in the book is that he reestablishes the place of Man as a creature above all creatures by using science and philosophy. He doesn't need to bring in Genesis or any type of religious argument to do it. But, he explains, because we are unique among all creatures (self aware, triadic interactions), we are also lost because the self is the one thing you can't get outside of to study and examine. He makes his points with all sorts of imaginative scenarios, entertaining answers and thought-provoking narrative.

I recently decided to reread the book again and it is still an incredible adventure. You might still be lost after you finish, but at least you'll have some idea as to why.

25 people found this helpful

Comment

This book is spectacularly brilliant in what it has to say about the postmodern ...

December 15, 2014

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book is spectacularly brilliant in what it has to say about the postmodern condition of mind and soul. Percy had a uniquely gifted insight into the nature of dread and boredom that no can match while at the same time his penetrating wit produces a laugh out loud response. This is a must read....there isn't another self-help book ever written that can hold a candle to it. You will come away with a renewed mind and spirit and have more insight than a lifetime of counseling.

10 people found this helpful

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William B. Zeunges

March 11, 2018

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Im still lost

4 people found this helpful

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Appreciated gift!

August 24, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Given as gift as part of their Amazon list. It was appreciated ! It arrived in good shape.

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