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Life Lessons
Life Lessons from Byron by Matthew Bevis
Essential life lessons from Byron, one of life's Great Thinkers
Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
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July 8, 2021A personal interpretation of Byron's poetry. The author advocates that the life of the poet cannot be separated from his work, and that the poetry should be enjoyed in full consciousness of its autobiographical connotations.
January 26, 2020
Very straight to the point, with clear description of Byron and his many tips to get through life. Byron is such an interesting character and would definitely read up more on him!
October 7, 2013
I didn't enjoy this book as much as 'Life Lessons From Freud' which is another book in this series from 'The School of Life' but I'm not sure who to blame, Byron or Bevis.
I felt like it said a lot without really making a point but that also seems much in line with Byron who seemed focused on the fluidity of self and life so much that committing to anything was a struggle.
To be fair I probably don't have a lot in common with Byron. Bevis discusses Byron's preoccupation with going astray which is where the magic happens, the mixed feeling of our limited power alongside our unlimited potential and also how to accept our own insignificance. I don't feel comfortable with any of these ideas and so naturally I initially reject them although deep down I do understand what he is getting at - it just scares me if I'm honest.
This book left me wanting to read Byron's most famous work Don Juan. Throughout this book there are many snippets from it and I often found myself enamoured by his words.
I felt like it said a lot without really making a point but that also seems much in line with Byron who seemed focused on the fluidity of self and life so much that committing to anything was a struggle.
To be fair I probably don't have a lot in common with Byron. Bevis discusses Byron's preoccupation with going astray which is where the magic happens, the mixed feeling of our limited power alongside our unlimited potential and also how to accept our own insignificance. I don't feel comfortable with any of these ideas and so naturally I initially reject them although deep down I do understand what he is getting at - it just scares me if I'm honest.
This book left me wanting to read Byron's most famous work Don Juan. Throughout this book there are many snippets from it and I often found myself enamoured by his words.
November 26, 2023
Lord Byron is not someone I have ever read for. The only reference I have of him is of the concept of the Byronic hero, used to describe Howl in Dianne Wynne Jones’ Howl moving castle, but I digress.
Lessons from Byron is a very well-written book that interprets different passages and writings of Byron and categorizes them by what they represent or what message they are meant to convey. It’s not only good for those who aren’t well versed in literature, it also offers new and exciting ways to look at life and experiences within it. Byron describes and relays different parts of the human experience. It’s a nice read when you’re on vacation, on a beach, at a coffee shop, or when you just want to reflect and let your mind wander. My favorite chapters were: How to get wet, how to hope and how to say goodbye.
It’s a hundred pages and I took my sweet time finishing it so I can delight in a book heavily abused with notes and doodles from my life.
Lessons from Byron is a very well-written book that interprets different passages and writings of Byron and categorizes them by what they represent or what message they are meant to convey. It’s not only good for those who aren’t well versed in literature, it also offers new and exciting ways to look at life and experiences within it. Byron describes and relays different parts of the human experience. It’s a nice read when you’re on vacation, on a beach, at a coffee shop, or when you just want to reflect and let your mind wander. My favorite chapters were: How to get wet, how to hope and how to say goodbye.
It’s a hundred pages and I took my sweet time finishing it so I can delight in a book heavily abused with notes and doodles from my life.
January 15, 2017
A 3.5
Oddly enough, this book reasonated with some musings and reflections I had, when I watched the movie "Arrival" yesterday. Please allow me to disgress a bit into the film first. Arrival discusses about how traditionally we view language, communication and time in a linear way, and with the imparting of the revelation by the Alien that these could be viewed in a "circular" and "closed loop" format, it gives a totally new discovery on how "reading" oneself and others' stream of consciousness is the universal language to both communication as well as prediction of what is to come.
Interestingly this chimes in line with Byron's advice to us not to plan, control, dictate life so much, and not to be so hung up about beginnings and endings. Both Byron and the film "Arrival" remind us about the sheer importance of "experience" and "understanding".
Oddly enough, this book reasonated with some musings and reflections I had, when I watched the movie "Arrival" yesterday. Please allow me to disgress a bit into the film first. Arrival discusses about how traditionally we view language, communication and time in a linear way, and with the imparting of the revelation by the Alien that these could be viewed in a "circular" and "closed loop" format, it gives a totally new discovery on how "reading" oneself and others' stream of consciousness is the universal language to both communication as well as prediction of what is to come.
Interestingly this chimes in line with Byron's advice to us not to plan, control, dictate life so much, and not to be so hung up about beginnings and endings. Both Byron and the film "Arrival" remind us about the sheer importance of "experience" and "understanding".
September 9, 2014
Bah, what a useless reading, even if I love Byron....
Mah, che lettura inutile, nonostante io ami Byron...
Mah, che lettura inutile, nonostante io ami Byron...
February 17, 2015
Short but still a fun read. Byron has always been a personal hero for me but I never realized how wise his writing was.
September 16, 2016
Easy read. But I enjoy reading Byron's works, rather than the "implied" lessons from him.
February 2, 2017
A lively figure with great ways of approaching life.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews