Product Description

From Harold S. Kushner, author of the inspirational #1 bestseller When Bad Things Happen to Good People, comes a book that shows us how to be our best selves even when things don’t turn out as we had hoped.

Kushner turns to the experience of Moses to find the requisite lessons of strength and faith — the lesson that teach us how to overcome the disappointments that life inherently brings. From the examples of his remarkable resilience, we can learn how to meet all disappointments with faith in ourselves and the future, and how to respond to heartbreak with understanding rather than bitterness and despair. With Kushner’s signature warmth, Overcoming Life’s Disappointments is a book of spiritual wisdom — as practical as it is inspiring.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #38129 in Books
• Published on: 2007-08-21
• Released on: 2007-08-21
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. When life does not unfold as planned, Rabbi Kushner (When Bad Things Happen to Good People) strongly but sympathetically urges his readers to take inventory, learn from their experiences and move on with an open heart. Who better to learn from, he contends, than Moses, the greatest hero of the Jewish people? Moses not only led the Jews from slavery in Egypt and through the desert for 40 years to receive the Torah, but had to continually bear the ingratitude and complaints of his people, and relegate his personal life to a distant second place. Threading vignettes of Moses' resiliency into his discussion, Kushner advises that when personal difficulties arise—whether in the form of illness, marital problems or job frustrations—readers should not allow their faith and dreams to die. Rather, they should draw upon hope and forgiveness to become stronger, channeling their love and fear toward a dream that incorporates the best of who they are. Kushner does not shy away from difficult issues and awkward dilemmas, and his years of rabbinical experience in dealing with congregants' troubles make him well suited to offer advice. This readable and sensitive discussion of "Life is tough; let's be strong enough not to be broken by it" should appeal to anyone who has ever been disappointed. (Aug. 16)
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From AudioFile
Rabbi Harold S. Kushner is best known for his book WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE. This book is about living about one's personal destiny. Kushner uses as his focus the life of Moses, not for his great achievements, but for his disappointments and how he overcame them to become the best person he could be. That is the challenge for all of us, he writes. Kushner's style is to tell a biblical story, then discuss its context and potential meaning, and then expand on it as it applies to modern lives. The author's voice is pleasant and easy to listen to, and he varies it effectively, adding emotion and occasional volume where needed. His reading clearly reflects his experiences as a rabbi. His message is powerful, and the presentation is compelling. R.C.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

From Booklist
Rabbi emeritus Kushner, author of, among other titles, When Bad Things Happen to Good People (1981), scores another hit with book number 10, which is based on the theme and philosophy of his previous best-sellers. His idea is to explain the inexplicable in terms that turn negatives into ways of coping. Kushner skillfully uses the tale of Moses to manage the oh-so-true statement, "Nobody gets everything he or she yearns for." Forbidden to enter the Holy Land? Having wandered for 40 years and endured complaints and rebels, Moses was tired; another leader deserved to take the lead. Plus, reading into the Bible and other religious tomes, the author finds that Moses ignored his family--a critical element comprising the complete life. Moses is not the only example used. Abraham Lincoln was weighed down by depression--or, in his case, what doesn't kill us makes us strong. Sondheim's second act of Into the Woods underscores the importance of assessing broken dreams and forging new ones. Joseph Campbell of mythology fame is cited, as are Tevye and wife from Fiddler on the Roof, among many others. In all, the universal lessons for overcoming disappointment remain simple yet profound: remember who you're working for, substitute new dreams for old, keep promises, be humble, maintain life's priorities, forgive and forgive, and always dare to dream. Amen. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

Wisdom of Moses
Using the ancient wisdom to overcome life's
disappointments is of course, nothing
controversial. The author draws inspiration
from reading Torah creatively. The strength
of the book is the numerous examples
of how modern heros overcome disappointments
in their lives and many books on this and related
topics the author mentioned. The shortcoming is that the book does not
provide any information on how modern scientific
knowledge could help us overcome these disappointments.
The majority of the book could have been written anytime
between the past 3000 years - replacing the stories
in the book with then contemporary ones.

Well worth the read
Rabbi Kushner uses the story of Moses, as told in the Bible, to illustrate that although life can involve great sorrow, it also contains great happiness - and you can't have one without the other. The focus of the book is looking at ways to overcome the inevitable disappointments in life. Fortunately, it is not a formulaic how to be happy type of book.
Although based on the Bible's account of Moses' life, the message is universal and can be of help to members of all religions or those who do not hold religious beliefs.
It is written in Rabbi Kushner's typical down-to-earth and easy to relate to style. While the ideas on how to overcome disappointments are not new, they are presented in such a way that they give one a fresh view and useful reminder.
There are some contradictions in the book, such as talking in one chapter of how Moses' burden made him old before his time, and in another how bright and energetic Moses was in spite of his advancing age. However, these do not detract from the overall quality of the book.

overcoming lifes disappointments
Rabbi Kushner is such a great writer. His style is direct and personal. It is easy to read and follow. You can skip around from chapter to chapter and still gain a lot of insight. It does not necessarily have to be read from cover to cover. Rabbi Kushner is obviously very grounded and in touch with what people need to know and how to convey information that can be quite philosophical.