Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsMotivational irony?
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2015
It's really easy to write motivational words, even those that take into consideration all the challenges of finding success. In this way, The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson can be just the right medicine for providing the common sense description and inspiration someone needs.
Even with a specific spin that dreams are God-Given, I found the words could still be powerful for those that may not share the author's zest for Judeo-Christian values. Spirituality of some sort is likely a nice prerequisite, but one could certainly apply the story of Ordinary almost universally.
Given these things, and judging as as a book meant to encourage others to get out and follow dreams, ultimately improving the world, it would garner high marks. However, it's there where things become a bit more difficult.
A little research on Bruce Wilkinson, and the story he closes with, provides an interesting insight into the longer state of following our dreams. A reader can choose to look at this several ways. An author is certainly no less fallible than a reader looking to them for help. Just as any teacher, may struggle with the material they are charged with passing on to their pupil. However, the discerning reader should conduct his/her own research and apply due diligence in comparing whether what has been preached, has been practiced.
In truth, I would have given far lower marks for this. My natural inclination is that sage advice should be given from demonstrable sage-ness. At the same time, perhaps this is something I should look into a bit more deeply myself, deciding if that is what really matters.
And so I am left asking, in order for words to change the masses, for my life to be changed by them, must they have come from someone that lead by example, or succeeded perfectly in following those words? Perhaps, and I do not yet know, the true importance is the impact to me personally and how I can be changed, or kicked in the pants with common sense. Ultimately succeeding where even the teacher has not, may mean the words did just that. Of course, one might expect a teacher to eventually be forth coming with those struggles and failures. I'll be sure to look for that in a revised/anniversary edition.
For that reason, I rate this one right in the middle. Which should say something for the overall value I found in the content, despite being able to judge the past, from the future.
