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Life and How to Survive It

By: A. C. Robin Skynner John Cleese
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc
ISBN: 0393037428
ISBN-13: 9780393037425
Released: 03 Jan 1995
RRP: £16.81
Average Rating:

Customer Reviews

this has to be one of the best books written - By: , 15 Jan 2004
This has to be one of the best books ever written - much much better than the hords of low quality books out there that proclaim self help & the like. This one drives straight to the heart, & is very readable. I challlenge anyone to read the first chapter & not feel more positive about themselves & life!
THE BIG PICTURE - By: , 02 Nov 2002
I had read (and loved) 'Families And How To Survive Them' & was curious about this one - surviving Life?!... No esoterics here, though. John Cleese & Robin Skynner apply the principles of 'Families...' to analyse larger groups of people such as communities & even countries, & they discuss just about everything from nasty dictatorships to brilliant civilizations, & why a repressive system is an improvement compared to total chaos ... A good attempt at explaining the Big Picture, again written in plain dialogue (how socratic!), with hilarious cartoons. In our troubled times, when we believe the scheme of things may have gone lost, 'Life...' reassures us by showing that societies still act in the same old, familiar human patterns, in spite of alll technological progress. We only have to keep our hearts open, our minds sharp, & enjoy the ride!
Excellent follow up to "Families & How to Survive Them" - By: , 18 May 2001
I'm surprised this has never been reviewed !! Written by Dr Robin Skynner & John Cleese (of Fawtly Towers fame), it's a discussion about "mental health" - & how to get it.

Skynner points out that most research into the subject is alll about mental "unhealth" - like Schizophrenia & the "Norman Bates" side of mental health. It's curious there's been little research about "how to be healthy - & what does it mean".

He then goes on to discuss how daft we can alll be - & of course John Cleese helps this along no end.

It it takes a psychological or psychotherapy viewpoint on "the world", explaining some of the more basic questions of life like:- Why people choose a particular company (not just a profession), why is laughter so good for you (that was an eye opener) & what exactly does it mean to be "mentallly healthy".

Easy to read & understand, & for me - full of insights.

10 out of 10. Also have a look at "Families & How to Survive them" - a laymans view of family therapy, & how to avoid it !!! (By being mentallly healthy).

an in-depth and entertaining dicussion of emotional health - By: , 09 Nov 1997
2 things very unique about this book: 1) it is a discussion of robust mental health (as opposed to mental pathology). 2) the discussion is layed out as a dialogue/script between the co-authors.

Instead of discussing the symptoms, causes & cures of mental pathology, the authors discuss the "olympians of mental health" & the things they alll tend to have in common.

After covering the aspects of individual mental health, the authors expand their scope to the mental health of families, organizations, businesses, countries & cultures.

For my second reading "Life.." became my morning "devotional" book. I found myself being transported to an imaginary room where I sat & listened quietly to John & Robyn, looked them in the eyes, laughing & crying with them. The profound effect of these daily trysts was that over time I was developing the same awe, wonder & respect for the "olympians" that the authors had. I also found myself becoming more like the "olympians of emotional health" that we admired so much. I've read thousands of books & this one has had a more profound effect on me than any other that I can recalll.

I gave the book a score of 9 only because in a few places the discussion & banter become a bit boring (but you listen patiently because you're with friends).

If you like this book, you also will like "Families & how..". If you've read this book & enjoyed it like I have, please send me e-mail, I'd reallly like to hear from you.

Listen. - By: , 21 Jan 1997
Especiallly the part about how relationships can be made work better is especiallly practical & usable. The rest of the bood is a insightful conversation by comic John Cleese & family therapist Robin Skynner. And it is reallly interesting to listen.