Ten Fun Things to Do Before You Die

by Karol Jackowski

Once you get your hands on this heavenly book you won't be able to resist its inspirational instructions on how to live life -- like you have nothing to lose.

Ten Fun Things to Do Before You Die blends humor, insight, and wisdom in a way that's accessible and irresistible. Nothing exhilarates and sends the soul soaring more than having the best time ever -- so much so that face muscles ache from such hearty laughter, writes author Karol Jackowski, a nun for more than 35 years. May you have millions of such laughs. Time rarely gets more divine that that.

Featuring whimsical illustrations and pointers on how to rediscover a fulfilling life -- including how to treat yourself, get some depth, and make yourself interesting -- Ten Fun Things to Do Before You Die is a boundless well of enthusiasm and encouragement. It's a deceptively simple guide to life -- and a way to rediscover the power of wry humor, humanity, and faith.

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Spirituality, Self Help

112 pages, Paperback

First published March 8, 2000

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recommended to me by a nun, this short book offers a lighthearted but meaningful list of suggestions for living a fuller life. The author transformed a lecture she gave into this book and as a result, it has some great ideas presented at a surface level but doesn’t really do a deep dive into any of the strategies.

[Rita Riscada · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the unexpected life lessons' package from a funny nun, which you can apply in a non-religious way.

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karol Jackowski knows that it means to really live. Have More Fun Than Anyone Else. Get Some Insight. Get Some Depth. Find a place to Escape Reality. Write Something at the End of Every Day. Think About Nuns. Make Yourself Interesting. Live Alone for a While. Treat Yourself. Live Like you Have Nothing to Lose. And of course, a couple more things like: what kind of people you should surround yourself with; 4 ways to have fun; 7 commandments of life; and of course how to have fun and become more interesting. While this book may seem like just a bunch of lists that encourages you to live well, it's MUCH MORE than that. There is a divine spirituality to this book.

'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho for a very long time has been my ultimate spiritual 'bible.' 'Ten Fun Things to Do Before You Die' by Karol Jackowski is a companion to 'The Alchemist,' for me. I read it every once in a while. This time being probably the fourth or fifth time, and even so it still leaves me fulfilled, calm and enthused about my own life. When I read it there is so much within it that mirrors how I live and what my beliefs of life are. It's truly a magical book.

With that being said I want to talk about the main reason I love this book so much. Karol talks about how 'what moves you bears divine insight.' I have always believed that in life, and of course 'The Alchemist' also touches on this subject. Additionally, almost everything in life, though, bears some level of insight. Karol writes it very eloquently. 'By the grace of that God all dissapointments, failures, mistakes, event tragedies become part of the winding path of our lives, given as turning points, and loaded with divine insight - should we care and have the strength to see." I love Karol for emphasizing this point. Because we should all make it a point in our lives to see the divinity in all things before we die.

The reason this book will bring peace and comfort to you after you read it, is because it is filled with hope, grace, and meaning. Life can be immensely threatening and confusing. What Karol does is help you see that life is so much more than what seems to happen on the surface, or much more than just the things we experience. 'You can take great comfort now in knowing that after a while, everything that happens to you, everything you dig up, even all the dirt, becomes exceedingly precious and simply divine. Strange but true. Strange because it doesn't readily make sense, but true because the deeper you go, the closer you get, and the closer you get, the more peaceful and indestructible you become."

Before you die have more fun than anyone, get insight, get depth, cultivate great escapes, have superior devotion to reading, and even write every day. Karol is a nun, and she writes about the three ways to live like a nun, if you should consider to do so before you die. She has a part in the book dedicated to holy disobedience, one of my favorite parts of the book actually. Find ways to be solitary. And learn to be a more interesting person before you die.

Thank you! Karol Jackowski for writing this book.

[LemontreeLime · Rating 5 out of 5]

After hanging out with Nuns for many years, I know they can have a very special marvelous sense of humor. Oh my this book is so very funny in that delightful way that only they have.

[Vita · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very fun and enjoyable read. Though written by a Roman Catholic nun, this book can be enjoyed by people of all faiths.

[Tomi Alger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Nun believes there is much to enjoy and to experience in life, including having fun, being kind to yourself, writing everyday, spending time alone, and making yourself interesting. What a shame it would be to not experience what the world offers or what you might do to help others. Though she was a Nun for 35 years, her life was not dull and that life gave her many opportunities to enjoy and experience. I liked this inspiring book.

[Rosa Storer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read and very insightful! Probably something I would read more than once to refresh my memory!!!

[Kristen Boyce · Rating 1 out of 5]

Writer is a Catholic nun however she mentions the use of tarot for fun. Tarot and the like are explicitly condemded by the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Most of the other advice is good but basic.

[Marci Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute book about life and thinking about the things you want to do before you die. I like the idea that everyone of us would have a different list if we had to create it on the top 10 things we want to do before you die. This was kind of the bucket list book before we called it the bucket list. Each of the 10 things will mean something different to each person. The 10 things are: have more fun than anyone else, get some insight, get some depth, find a place to escape reality, write something at the end of every day, think about nuns, make yourself interesting, live alone for a while, treat yourself, and live like you have nothing to lose.

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a light-hearted read that gives you some insight about nuns (e.g. they actually do have a sense of humor). It's similar to Anna Quindlen's Short Guide to a Happy Life, except that it acts more as an instruction manual, giving specific ideas about things you can do to find peace and happiness. Can be read in less than a couple of hours. I don't know how many of her tenets I will follow, but the book did provide some food for thought and gave me a few laughs along the way.

[Karine Shauli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Upon grabbing this book I didn't realize it was written by a Nun. Therefore, some of the tips regard things that nuns do including embracing silence. These tips are ones that help you know yourself- apparently, and while it is advice coming from a nun, it is general life advice on things to make sure you do to feel more complete.
I appreciated this book even though I am not interested at all in being a nun and I think anyone else can aswell.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it and bought it one Christmas for my friends at work, too!

[Itai Gurira · Rating 4 out of 5]

witty, funny, simple . . .must read and will read again

[Jeff Youngstrom]

My review from July 11, 1998