The Complete Life's Little Instruction Book: 1,500 Practical Tips for Happiness

by H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Book Overview

Wouldn't it be great if someone could download a lifetime of good old-fashioned common sense into one little book? H. Jackson Brown's The Complete Life's Little Instruction Book is just that. Solid advice for living well laid out in concise nuggets of wisdom. It contains the 1,560 entries found in all three volumes of the New York Times bestselling Life's Little Instruction Book series.

The Life's Little Instruction Book...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1558534903
• ISBN13: 9781558534902
• Release Date: October 2000
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.06 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.6" x 7.1"

Customer Reviews

Everybody should have one of these!

I loved this little book! This is the result of a dad sitting down to write out a few words of wisdom and advice for his son who was going off to his freshman year at college. The first list was 511 entries, and then, he mailed his son a new collection every two years. There's some great advice all through this book! And no long stories attached either. Short and straight to the point, each numbered piece of advice is no more than a few lines long. The suggestions cover a broad range, some are serious while others are funny or trivial, but all are honest and good advice, and many are just interesting. Like #841: "When your dog dies, frame his collar and put it above a window facing west" -I've never heard of that before. I highly recommend this little book as a gifts for anybody in your life and for anything from birthdays to graduations or just because. Would also make a good coffe table or bathroom book too.

# 207: "Commit yourself to constant self-improvement"

When Mr. Brown's son Adam was leaving for college in 1990, Brown wrote the first installment of "Life's Little Instruction Book" for Adam to take with him, with basic principles to live by and live well; as the years passed, it grew into three volumes, and here we have all three books under one cover with 1560 entries. It provides food for thought, in subjects that range from mundane and practical to occasionally, some of remarkable spiritual depth.Much is on ethics; we are constantly making choices, some that can affect the rest of our lives, and there are some sections here that might stir us to bring our choices into sharp perspective. There is a lot about taking responsibility for one's actions, and on doing the right thing ( # 636: "Do the right thing, regardless of what others think"), and on respect and kindness to humanity and the environment. There are two entries, on tape recording the laughter and memories of one's parents, which is a wonderful idea, and one I wish I had done (# 248 and # 440), and much useful advice on finances, getting a job, and a lot on having a fruitful and happy marriage (# 364: "Every day look for some small way to improve your marriage").Being that this was written for a young man, it is an especially good book for the male of the species, but it would make a wonderful gift for all young people starting out in life, and for those of us who are in our later years, nice reminders to keep us sharp and on the right track.

This book has changed my life!

I re-read this book (or at least a portion of it) every month or so, just to remind myself of what kind of person I want to be. It's positive suggestions have really made me be a better person. I'm a teacher, and I've actually posted up some of the suggestions on the walls of my classroom, in an attempt to make my students more positive and peaceful. The book makes a great gift for any occasion, for any person.

Wisdom the whole world should use

This is an absolutely wonderful, thoughtful, caring, concise, nurturing book that everybody of any age can benefit from. How lucky the son of the author is to have a father with such a wonderful insightful soul that he has taken the time to document his life's wisdom to his son in the form of a book. It is the perfect book for everybody.

No life should be without it.

This book is a comprehensive study; sometimes funny, sometimes fraught with emotion, always applicable and poignant, it holds a place of honor on my living room coffee table. Very rarely does a book offer continuous comfort like this one. Instructions such as, "eat no one's meatloaf, but your mother's" and "once in your life, own a convertible" are genuine treasures. Once picked up and opened, you will find it nearly impossible to put down.