The practice of offering others pithy snippets of advice to help guide their lives is an ancient practice. Literary luminaries such as the Greek poet Hesiod, Israel's King Solomon, and the German monk Thomas à Kempis helped pave the way for what eventually would become a bulging canon of self-help and devotional books. While Harvey's book of daily advice is not particularly ground-breaking in the genre, it is a very good example of modern inspirational literature.
Divided into 365 readings to give his audience a full year of encouragement, Harvey's book is designed to be the catalyst that sparks its users to greater success in life irrespective of their goals. Each entry is fairly short, just a few paragraphs on a page, which enables those on a tight schedule to make easy use of it. A pertinent quote usually from a well-known writer or historical figure introduces each selection. Harvey then follows this with a few pointed questions, thoughts, and the occasional illustration before giving his readers an assignment such as journaling on a specific topic, writing their own obituary, or perhaps simply meditating on a thought-provoking question before the next session. The inclusion of assignments in his guide comes as no surprise since the author works as a certified life coach.
Harvey's strengths as both a writer and mentor come across vividly in his book. He manages to achieve an effective balance between telling his readers what to think and asking them questions that will spur them on to think for themselves. The result is a well-written guide that could prove useful for almost anyone needing an inspirational pick-me-up.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review