Bright-Sided by Barbara Ehrenreich

Barbara Ehrenreich uses common sense, critical thinking and a sharp sense of humor to analyze the positive thinking philosophy that influences so much of American society.  Tracing positive thinking back to a nineteenth century backlash against the dourness of Calvin-based religion, she examines the philosophy of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Transcendentalism and the Christian Science of Mary Baker Eddy.  Moving into the twentieth century, she scrutinizes the self-help books of authors like Norman Vincent Peale and Dale Carnegie, also the belief that attitude can deter the progress of serious disease and the prosperity theology of preachers like Joel Osteen. Finally, she traces our country’s current problems to the wide-spread reliance of politicians, CEOs and managers on feelings and intuition instead of the analysis of hard facts their counterparts used in the past. She concludes that positive thinking is not a benign philosophy which improves our attitude, but rather the purposeful turning of a destructive blind eye to signs of trouble we should be heeding. 

Check out Bright-Sided @ the library!

The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

Pat has goals.  To work on being a kinder person, to get fit and stay buff, to read the great American classic works of literature that he didn't get around to when he was supposed to be reading them in high school, to keep his anger under control, and to get Nikki back.  Actually, all of his goals are really about getting Nikki back and ending apart time.

When Pat's mother comes and gets him from the neural health facility in Baltimore where he's been for... well, he doesn't actually know how long, but awhile, he knows the end of apart time has to be close.  He's out of the bad place and living at home in Philadelphia, where his mom has bought him pretty much a complete gym-in-a-basement, complete with the Stomach Master 6000.  He's got a new therapist, Dr. Patel, and even though his dad's not talking to him (unless it's specifically related to Eagles football), he's building a relationship with his brother and (who got him his old seat back at the Eagles home games) and hanging out with his best bud Ronnie again, even if Ronnie's wife Veronica is not exactly his favorite person.  Sure, his mom claims that all his and Nikki's wedding photos were stolen by a burgler (they were in very expensive frames), and all signs point to him having been in the bad place way longer than a couple of months, but he's pulling it together for Nikki.

So when Veronica's sister Tiffany is invited to dinner one night, Pat is confused.  Tiffany is angry, volatile, uncomfortably direct, swears like a sailor and is more than a little odd.  She's also in therapy, because her husband died a few years ago, and she's also living at home, because she got fired from her job.  Pat is a married man, so even though everyone seems to be encouraging him to cheat on Nikki with Tiffany, which is confusing, he knows he can't date her.  But he does decide to be her friend - after all, it's the kind thing to do.

This is the story of how friendship, love, raisin bran, a deep hatred of Kenny G., modern dance and serious Eagles football fandom all come together to heal two people who need each other.  Quirky, fun, heartbreaking and hilarious, Matthew Quick's first novel is fabulous.  Whether you saw the movie and loved it, want to read the book before you see the movie, or (like me!) are a huge fan of author Matthew Quick (check out our reviews of Sorta Like a Rock Star and this year's Milwaukee County Teen Book Award nominee Boy21!), you've got to add The Silver Linings Playbook to your reading list!  It's the perfect way to kick-start your weekend and ignore the fact that it's snowing... again.

Here I Go Again by Jen Lancaster

Lissy Ryder is that girl: the one in high school who was head cheerleader, homecoming queen and the one who tore you to shreds just for being different. Now things are a bit different. Sure at one time she was married to her high school sweetheart with a great job doing PR in Chicago, but now he wants a divorce and her liberal use of work time has caused her to be downsized. Living in her parents home deep in credit card debt, Lissy doesn't have much to look forward to- except her 20 year high school reunion.

Expecting her classmates to accept simple apologies, Lissy goes ready to start her own PR firm to represent their now successful lives. It's too bad for Lissy that none of them want to forgive her. After having a bit too much box wine to drink, she ends up in the care of classmate Debbie, now Deva. Deva gives Lissy a remedy that will help her find inner peace, which really takes Lissy back. Back 1991 and her 17 year old self.

With a second chance to right all her wrongs, will the new Lissy Ryder make all the right choices, and will those choices be worth it in the end? Jen Lancaster does it again with a hysterical look at second chances and how one little change to the past can create an entirely different future. Make sure you have a huge chunk of time to read, because once you start Here I Go Again, you won't want to put it down!

The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking by Oliver Burkeman

Why are there so many self-help books published every year? The author argues that they do not work. He believes that the stress of positive thinking is actually making us unhappy, and coincidentally making some people rich. Wealth, relationships, material possessions, and financial success are not the way to happiness. The author looks to other paths which include embracing insecurity and uncertainty as a way to ultimately find, maybe not happiness, but perhaps a little peace.  The Antidote questions our society’s values of selfishness and greed and would like us to reflect on what truly is important.