The Question Book: What Makes You Tick?

by Mikael Krogerus, Roman Tschäppeler

What would be your ideal job if you didn't have to worry about money? Would you like to have more responsibility or less? How far would you go for a promotion? When did you last stand up for what you believe in? What are you afraid of?In this unique handbook to your own life and work, there are no right or wrong only honest ones. Featuring sections on subjects everyone can relate to, from the professional (work and finance), to the personal (sex and relationships), The Question Book can be used alone, like a journal; or with a colleague, partner or friend. It will probe and enlighten on everything, including what your boss really thinks about you, whether you are in the right job, and what motivates you to get out of bed every morning. These wide-ranging questions - which provoke short 'yes or no's as well as open-ended responses that dig deeper - are pertinent, direct, and compulsively fun to answer. In The Question Book, you are under the spotlight. And only you have the answer.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, Business, Philosophy, Personal Development, Ebooks

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Mikael Krogerus is a freelance writer for German and Swiss newspapers and magazines. He was a staff writer with NZZ FOLIO, the supplement magazine of Switzerlands leading newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung, for five years. Prior to that he worked as a copywriter for various advertising agencies. He’s a graduate of the Kaospilot School. He’s a Finnish citizen and was brought up in Sweden and Germany.

Reviews

[Sanjay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well it is not as deep and thoughtful as the blurb make it sound. Questions range from silly to outright nonsense. However, you may find some questions worthwhile which may reveal something you might be ignoring unconsciously.

I cannot think it to be much effective, psychologically speaking. Overall not recommended.

[Hossein Bayat · Rating 3 out of 5]

کتاب سوال، که نشر ققنوس با ترجمه مریم تقدیسی اون رو چاپ کرده؛ یک ایده به شدت جذاب داره

این کتاب هیچ محتوای متنی خاصی نداره. شامل ۵۷۷ تا سوال است. سوال هایی که دایره گسترده‌ای از مطالب را شامل می شوند. شاید خالی از لطف نباشه که سالی یک بار یک دور این کتاب رو بخونیم و به سوالاتش پاسخ بدیم؛ انگار که داخل یک مصاحبه شرکت کرده ایم. خود پاسخ به این سوالات و فکر به مطالبی که شاید حتی گاهی بی فایده به نظر برسه؛ به آدم دید میده و یک سری از نقاط ضعف و قدرت خودش رو بهش یادآوری می‌کنه...

[Reem Al bairoute · Rating 3 out of 5]

You have to keep this book in a hidden place
It is like you have published all your secrets :p

[Mahdi Aljamri · Rating 5 out of 5]

كتاب جميل بين فترة وأخرى تستطيع كتابة الاجوبة فبه
وعندما تعود بعد فترة اشهر تجد مستجدات حياتك
وكيف انك ستجيب جواب مختلف عما كنت عليه مسبقاً

[Andrea James · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought this book mainly because I was interested in the authors' decision-making questions. The positive aspect of the book is that it makes you take the time to ask yourself things that you may take for granted or of which you may take little notice, such as "2 compliments that you often get" or "what have you struggled with in the past but learnt to live with".

But in the main, the questions relied too much on self-assessment and most of us are quite judges of our own and other peoples' characters, we have rather selective memories and are terrible at predicting our future choices/behaviour. And we fail to see that we are bad at these things so we will feel satisfied or defend our answers.

While the act of answering questions does have some value, I expected better devised questions for a small £10 book.

[Razan Alghriafi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Firstly, let’s agree that it is not a book.

It is a kind of a notebook, where you have to fill out millions of questions.

I loved the idea, but I have wasted my money!
Cause I am still not convinced that we should consider it as a book!!

Will fill it during my free time to have fun!! Lol

[Mateja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tough questions you were always afraid to ask... yourself.

[Maria Espadinha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Auto Diagnóstico e Cura


O que nos faz falta?

O que dispensamos?

O que podemos optimizar?
.
.
.


Para encontrar as respostas certas à que formular as perguntas certas. Só assim é possível aguçar a consciência sobre nós mesmos e melhorar as nossas vidas!...


Nota:Para quem preferir , existe uma edição em português intitulada "O Livro das Perguntas"

[Viji (Bookish endeavors) · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, if you plan to answer the questions written in this book in writing, keep it in a safe place. You really don’t want that getting into someone else’s hands, unless you have written all good things about yourself and plan to impress that girl/guy finally!

The questions are simple, and most of them are what you might get in a rapid fire round if you plan to attend some reality talk show, or what you might get from your girlfriend (because I don’t think a boyfriend will ask so many questions, sorry if I offend any men who do!) in the initial days of your love story. It won’t have a life-altering effect, but it will surely make you think for a while.

When I posted this book on my whatsapp status update, I got a very interesting question- can we call this a book?

And that led me to the thought- why do we call anything a book?!

As per definition, a book is a medium for recording information in the form of writing or images, typically composed of many pages together and protected by a cover.

Images and words arranged in a structural format, is it what it is? Then what do we call ‘Ecce Homo’, the ravings of a philosopher about to lose his sanity? Or what about James Joyce’s works? Or if the number of words are to be counted as the criteria, then how about the collections of haikus or verses by Rumi? Don’t they also qualify?

A book is a condensed form of one idea, or many ideas. It may be as defined or desired by the author, or it may be left to the interpretation of the reader in the post modern times, a time which claims that ‘the author is dead’.

Representation of ideas can be in a limited format, letting the reader go between and beyond the words. One such example is of Cesare Aira. He is also a champion of writing books less than 200 pages, saying he cannot bring two ideas in one book. One can also find the kinds of Umberto Eco who devote hundreds of pages to one idea. Both of them are prominent authors and both have their own followers, and some like me follow both of them. The size of their writings is not what defines their content.

Proust is a name known and revered in limited circles, and known for the tomes he had produced ‘In remembrance of the lost time’, interconnecting neuropsychology and Literature. Saramago is equally known for being difficult to comprehend, but taunting one with less number of pages. The depth or profundity of an author is also thus not represented by the structure or number of pages he uses.

Incredulity towards meta narratives have drawn the post modern literature towards rediscovering and reinterpreting the conventional definitions of every part of our life, including books. In such times, a lover of knowledge should be open to deconstructions of one’s own presuppositions of the existing definitions and should expand the horizons of what a concept can be. For every age brings with it new ideas. It is only by adopting and adapting and churning out what’s unacceptable that progress is possible.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

أسئله ممتعه وفى أسئله محبطه بصراحه
ونص الكتاب سبته فاضى عشان نص الأسئله بتتكلم فى حاله انى عندى partner
او عندى اطفال
وانا لا عندى ده ولا ده الحمدلله :D
كتاب لطيف مش وحش ومش اجمد حاجه
اخر جزء كتبت فيه حاسه بايه حاليا وفى جزء أسئله عن القلق والأوفرثينكنج
فا كتبت كل الى حساه بالملى
وأخر ورقه أسئله انت بتسألها
وكتبت فيه أسئله كتير
ياترى هعرف إجاباتها ولا لا
ياترى هيتحقق الى انا عايزاه ولالا
إلى أتمناه إن فعلا ما يتحققش الى بخاف منه
وإن الأيام الجايه تبقى سعيده
فا ياااارب السنه الجديده تدخل علينا كلنا بالسعاده والإطمئنان والبعد كل البعد عن التوتر

[Nakul Shenoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sticking with my love for simple, small, "pocket" books, I recently found a set of three that are definitely worth more than one read: Michael Krogerus & Roman Tschäppeler's The Decision Book, The Change Book, & The Question Book.

Each of these espouse 50 Models that make you ponder on the everyday aspects of life. My personal favourite among the three (and each of them is good!) is The Change Book, which vies to explain "how things happen".

Try it. I know you will enjoy it.

[Vaish · Rating 4 out of 5]

The one word that describes this book must be "brilliance". You discover so much about yourself while reading this book answering these questions. Obviously I haven't answered all of them yet, I've got too much fun with this book to already finish this, but I already wanted to do the review.

[Ayham · Rating 3 out of 5]

New of its kind, help in asking yourself questions to understand yourself better.

[J Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to know about someone really deeply

[Jahnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good guide for some self-reflection. The questions can be used as journaling or writing prompts, too.

[Helen (they or he) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks, this was worse than I thought and it had no impact on my life whatsoever! :) I was right when I said this sound like a glorified instagram story challenge and I should've stopped sooner but alas!

[Nick Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is quite simply one of the most useful books I have ever read. It does exactly has it says on the cover, asking thought provoking questions about who you are and your views on life, politics, religion, career, relationships, sex, past, present, future, emotions, death, birth, hopes, regrets...do I need to continue? You will explore yourself and know yourself and like yourself a lot more, or it could send you into an existential crisis. For me, it was the former.

Some questions will frustrate and others seem monotonous...but my gosh I've learned.

It's not the best book ever, but I judge books on their importance to me personally and what I take from them. Therefore, like I say above, it's one of the most useful books I have ever read, and certainly one of most dynamic self help books (if you can call it that) I have ever read. I feel I have self-helped myself.

Five stars well awarded.

To conclude though, and I take advice from other reviews, keep this book (and your answers) in a safe place and show no one. It's yours and yours only, and you help write your own book.

[Cherise Aquilina · Rating 1 out of 5]

"How do you explain the fact that women in all western countries still earn less than men?"

1/5 stars

The only thing I can say is that most of the questions were quite underwhelming... This was more of a notebook filled with questions, rather than a book. 🥱

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bill and I went through this during a few long car trips. Some of the questions were repetitive and some were kind of stupid but it was fun and a good way to get to know each other more while also killing time. It's not really meant to be done all with a partner but it worked for us.

[Khalid Almoghrabi · Rating 2 out of 5]

A mirror of question for self-assessment. It could be much better with analysis and advices to add to this small book

[Nymeria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Samo ja mogu da preletim preko opisa i napravim neku svoju sliku u glavi.
Verovatno mi zato cesto ljudi govore da izvrcem stvari koje su mi rekli, a ja zapravo samo imam neku svoju cudnu perspektivu.
Dakle, ja sam mislila da mi covek postavi pitanje i onda analizira sta znaci taj moj odgovor.
Gde to pise? Pa, nigde i to nije poenta.
Dakle bas kao sto se zove - to je knjiga u kojoj su postavljena pitanja ciji odgovor pises direktno u nju. Logicno.
Dakle jos manje logicno je zasto sam je skinula na Kindle.
Ali hej, pandemija hara, ja sam samoizolovana, ionako nemam pametnija posla petkom, izvucem ti ja neku svesku i krenem da prepisujem pitanja i bas iskreno odgovaram.
Shvatim da ima milion i jedno (po mojim kriterijumima) kretensko pitanje i takva preskocim.
Nisu ona nesto preduboka, ali hajde ima nekih oko kojih sam se fino zamislila pa je tu pala i pokoja samospoznajica.
Zabavilo me je kad su me pitali kako bi me opisali roditelji, a ja onda ispitala mamu i tatu da uporedim odgovore i to tokom voznje u kolima, da nema bezanja iako je tata odmah pitao - jel moramo sad.

“Pa, ovako ... rekao bih da si iskrena i ponekad jako tvrdoglava. Jesi to napisala?”
“Paaa ne, ja sam mislila da ces reci da sam duhovita i zabavna”
“Al on to nije pomenuo”
“Nije”

[Girish Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cathartic and relieving

Recent times have made it very difficult to confide in or to open up to someone without ridicule or judgments.

The book, which is a series of questions that systematically probes our deepest darkest secrets and just lays them in front of us to examine. It also allows us to reveal things that have been hiding just below the subconscious and gnawing at our peace and calm.

Personally, this book has been very therapeutic and cathartic, it has especially helped me open up about topics that I have kept under wraps for all my life.

Thank you..!

 

 

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot of these questions are repetitive. From the description, I'd figured it would be far more in depth than it was. But it never was. It came off to me that the book bases most of the questions off of how you appear to others or how you would like to appear to others.

Skip this book, you don't need it in your life.

Not to mention it's wildly outdated.

[Klaudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pierwszy raz zetknęłam się z książką zawierającą same pytania. Było to ciekawie doświadczenie. Jednak niektóre pytania trochę mnie zawiodły. Myślałam że po przeczytaniu tej lektury coś się zmieni, bądź będę mieć jakiekolwiek przemyślenia, a żadnych nie mam. Dosłownie chyba nic nie wyniosłam z tej książki:((

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was honestly expecting a book where the world's questions were explained. It's not. It's literally what the title says, a compilation of questions. The answers are our own. I would say some were pretty interesting! Help me dig into my own life, who I was, who I am, and what I want to be. It's a good past-time book and probably great for ice-breakers as well.

[Ayesha Holder · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book was basic and just a way to kill time. I was wasn’t actually writing answers but then I got to the apart about religion. The section for thesis was ok but the section for non-believer was filled with judgmental questions and accusations rather than real questions. I would give a zero star if I could.

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This really wasn’t what I thought it would be. It is literally a book only filled with hundreds of questions. I thought it would include some context as well. I didn’t actually answer each question… just kind of read through them. Interesting… but it’s really just a tool for self reflection. It doesn’t guide you anywhere.

[Maryam Same · Rating 5 out of 5]

الكتاب اول مره سمعته عنه في سناب المدربه مريم الدخيل
وشريته من جرير
عباره عن اسئله في كذا مجال وتجاوبهم تعرف نفسك اكثر ينفع تستخدمه لوحدك او في جلسات اصدقاء واقارب
عن نفسي جربته بكذا جلسه كل واحد يختار رقم ونجاب اهم شي الصدق في الاجابات
الباب اللي الغيه باب الموت و الفقد لانه مو ناقصين نكد غير كذا كتاب حلو كثير

[Navya Agarwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book for self-exploration. It is engaging and at times you dive deeper into yourself to answer. Book starts with simple questions and then goes deeper and deeper into topics. Give it a try when you are bored. I loved it though. :)

[Ehtesham · Rating 3 out of 5]

To know thyself, this book could be a good worksheet that helps you to explore your values, strengths, and weaknesses. This notebook contains personal questions and thoughts that you might not want others to see.