The Optimist's/Pessimist's Handbook: A Companion to Hope/Despair

by Niall Edworthy and Petra Cramsie

Book Overview

The mere sense of living is joy enough. Emily Dickinson, 1830-1886, American poet Humanity's story is one long testimony to the truth that life is as rewarding and beautiful as you make it. As... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 143915953X
• ISBN13: 9781439159538
• Release Date: November 2009
• Publisher: Free Press
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.9" x 7.6"

Customer Reviews

happy fun......sad fun..

This is a real "fun" book. Keep it on the coffee table. The black cover is the pessmist half. Now turn it over . The white cover is the optimist part. Great to pick up...open anywhere.....read a page or two...

Funny, Uplifting, Ironic, and Insightful

"The Optimist's Handbook" is really half of a clever printing that covers a number of topics (eg. Death, Fame, Life, Love, Science, Sex, etc.) from both the perspective of an optimist and a pessimist. Personally, I liked the pessimist side best because it quickly turns most frowns into grins. Following are some examples: Resigning yourself to life's grim treadmill, and thereby avoiding more disappointments, is the best way to trudge forward. Misery loves company, but not with a horde of perky Utopians. Adventure is just bad planning. (Roald Amundsen) My only solution for the problem of habitual accidents is to stay in bed all day. Even then, there is always the chance that you will fall out. (Robert Benchley) The more books one reads, the more stupid one becomes. (Mao Tse-Tung) Every civilization that has ever existed has ultimately collapsed. (Henry Kissinger) The graveyards are full of indispensable men. (Charles De Gaulle) A single death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic. (Josef Stalin) Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent; the world is full of educated derelicts. (Calvin Coolidge) You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test. (George W. Bush) Peter remained on friendly terms with Christ notwithstanding Christ's having healed his mother-in-law. (Samuel Butler) Science is the record of dead religions. (Oscar Wilde) In terms of allocation of time, religion is not very efficient. There is a lot more I could be doing on a Sunday morning. (Bill Gates) There is too much point to the wisecrack that life is extinct on other planets because their scientists were more advanced than ours. (John F. Kennedy) I think there is a world market for maybe five computers. (Thomas Watson) This "telephone" has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. This device is inherently of no value to us. (Western Union internal memo) The was in Vietnam is going well and will succeed. (Robert McNamera) Why yes, a bullet-proof vest. (James Rodgers' last request in front of the firing squad.) "One of the greatest gifts science has brought to the world is continuing elimination of the supernatural. We can live our lives without the constant fear that we have offended this or that deity, or that we are at the mercy of devils or the Fates. (James D. Watson)