How to Ruin Your Life

by Ben Stein

This book is a collection of Ben Stein’ " To Ruin" • How to Ruin Your Life• How to Ruin Your Love Life• How to Ruin Your Financial Life These books will not only make you laugh out loud, they will allow you to honestly assess your life. Learn from these books— for heaven’ sake, do the opposite right now!

Genres: Humor, Self Help, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Psychology, Comedy

400 pages, Paperback

First published September 29, 2002

About the author

Benjamin Stein is a multifaceted American figure known for his work as a writer, lawyer, actor, comedian, and commentator on politics and economics. He began his public life as a speechwriter for Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, later gaining widespread recognition in the entertainment world for his deadpan comedic style. Stein became a pop culture icon through his role as the monotone economics teacher in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and as the host of Win Ben Stein’s Money, a game show that earned multiple Emmy Awards. He also played Dr. Arthur Neuman in The Mask and its sequel. A Yale Law School valedictorian, Stein worked as a lawyer for the Federal Trade Commission and taught law and economics at Pepperdine University.
A prolific columnist, Stein has contributed to The American Spectator, Newsmax, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. His books, often co-authored with Phil DeMuth, address financial planning and economic commentary. In 2008, he wrote and starred in Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, a controversial documentary criticized for promoting intelligent design.
Politically conservative, Stein has defended Nixon's legacy, expressed strong views on U.S. foreign policy, and advocated higher taxes on the wealthy to support military initiatives and reduce national debt. During the 2008 financial crisis, he came under scrutiny for downplaying early warning signs and misjudging the scale of the economic collapse.
Stein has also had an extensive voice acting and television career, appearing in series such as The Wonder Years, Seinfeld, and Family Guy, and voicing characters in The Fairly OddParents, Rugrats, and Animaniacs. His personal life includes a long-standing marriage to entertainment lawyer Alexandra Denman and homes in California, Idaho, and Washington, D.C. Though often polarizing in his opinions, Stein remains a recognizable figure across political, academic, and entertainment domains.

Reviews

[Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars for How to Ruin Your Life (audiobook) by Ben Stein read by the author.

I just love Ben Stein’s very dry sense of humor. I remember first seeing him in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and then later on his game show on MTV. He has an interesting way of cutting through the nonsense and relating to people. And in this book he shows how if you exhibit some of these traits then you’re on the right track to ruin your life. Unfortunately most of the people that need to hear this will never read this book.

[Marvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is cute. I like Ben Stein's sarcastic humor despite the execrable documentary Expelled. Mr. Stein notes 35 tips on how to be a failure, all of them common sense. Yet, as a social worker, I know common sense is not as common as it sounds. Of course, one way to ruin your life (my tip, not Mr. Stein's) is to never read. So the ones who need this book will never read it. Such is life.

Since Mr. Stein's tips are a bit common sense and all-encompassing, I decided to impart my own wisdom (using Stein's tip: "Consider yourself the source of all knowledge") and give more specific advice on what not to do if you wish to be a sucess in life.

1) Never place a swastika tattoo on your forehead.
2) Never make bomb jokes in an airport.
3) Never say anything anti-cat to my wife.
4. Never ask Ben Stein for science advice.

You're welcome.

[Jonathan Maas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sounds like a snarky book - but if you think about it, it's pretty positive.

Ben Stein, who has been around plenty of people who have ruined their life, gives a guidebook on how to ruin yours.

If you read it, and do the opposite - good things will happen.

[Joseph Demakis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book

[Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went through a Ben Stein phase where he and I used to email back and forth. He came here to give a speech and I left my copy of "Tommy and Me" he had previously sent me in the car so my sister bought this for me so I'd have something to get signed.

This book is a quick read and it really is good advice, BUT it is all given sarcastically and I tend to not like sarcastic humor, and am finding I don't like sarcastic advice either through this book and also through another one I have going called "A Reasonable Life."

[Michelle Kampmeier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ben Stein's reverse-psychology self-help book is hysterically spot-on. Taking this from the opposite point of view really makes the reader pay attention and perhaps even see more clearly their own behavior. Very interesting take. I do believe that a bunch of people in my own life need to read this one. Goodness! Exactly how I've been feeling lately.

[Kristi Willard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Graduate from high school, don't have children before you're married, and stay married. These are the three keys to staying above the poverty line. Who knew?

[Kim Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the tongue-in-cheek prose, but I felt like it would have been better as a 50-page book.

[Jonathan Tennis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Purchased this book years ago when I went to a Ben Stein reading / presentation at a university. It sat on my shelf for years and I read this as a collection (Life, Love Life, Financial Life) in a few sittings. It gets kinda dry when read this way but his points remain relevant--most people I know who are messing up their lives in some way are doing some variety of the things listed in these books. The hardest parts of the book for me were the ones that resonated most with my actions. No one is perfect and I'll be the first to admit that I am far from it.

In the end, I read it imagining what it would've sounded like if Ben had narrated it.

Enjoyable enough. Would recommend to anyone, especially if you can never get enough of "Bueller? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?"

My favorite line happened to come from the Love Life book but is applicable to these types of behaviors wherever you see them: "Remember, people do change--but only for you--and only if you love them with all your heart."

[Joe Juarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

You've been in my house for a long time, why didn't I read you sooner?

And it's a good thing I did. Ben Stein has done himself a great deal by writing a book about how the selfish could get their way (which some people - one I am thinking about now - do).

I know this book is meant as a joke. But really, what person would follow this 35 chapters of self-destruction? I think I answered that question above.

But for anyone that was warned about their selfishness, this book is highly recommended. It makes you think "Boy, am I really like that". It will let him or her open their eyes and enjoy their life as it is right now.

Sure a person might not have or enjoy the finer things of life. You can't wish for a good life by snapping your fingers or praying numerous, numerous times to God (I think he might have heard you the first time). You have to work hard for it. A person's world isn't perfect compared the other. And if it was, I wouldn't think I be here writing this review.

[Stephanne Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

So if your a personality that is always really hard on yourself, DON'T READ THIS BOOK! Otherwise it's really a great slap in your face. With 35 ways to ruin your life, you would really have to be a self-centered, delusional, narcissistic person (and I know I'm being repetitive) not to have a few of these hit home. I only gave it 3 stars because I think that there really ought to be a disclaimer on it to warn the weak of heart. I honestly can see someone read this and break into tears because they believe it targeted every weakness they see in themselves. This is not a self-help book for the faint of heart.

That being said, it's also hysterical in the continual jibs (or compliments whichever you believe). I laughed at myself and others that I have seen exhibit more than a few of these steps to failure.

[LA · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is such a fun read, particularly if you like Ben Stein's dry humor. If you know his seedy past of drug addiction and how he overcame it, this little book is even more meaningful; you are reading advice from someone who *knows* what it's like to be down. Plus he's adamantly pro-life and conservative, which ordinarily would cause me to hesitate before reading anything he's done for fear of moral damnation. :)

This book would also be a neat little gift for teenagers or young adults heading off to college; just good common sense ideas without any of the moral judgments/condemnations of how things "should" be.

[Jen Jenson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was an obnoxious book. Ok, so I giggled a few times at first but really it was negative. I know it’s a plan to ruin your life, and that it is. I figured it would be written slightly different. I was annoyed the whole way through, but it was so short that I just finished it. Sad thing is there are many many people that I know that this book described to a T, and perhaps this book might be beneficial to them a) might give them an eye opener… or b) make them even worse. I don’t recommend this book at all! I think I need to go read 101 Power Thoughts, by Louise Hay over another 4 times just to counteract the amount of negative energy that protruded from this awful attempt at a book.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I found it humorous and a decent read.

I think the idea could've been better utilized in an allegory or fable-style fashion with more cautionary tales, rather than a series of sardonic one-liners, but I still found it amusing.

I took one star off at the end due to the knock at vegans & agnostics/atheists. While it's never good form to slam your political, religious, & idealist opinions in a holier-than though attitude, I felt Ben was ironically doing this by dogging these viewpoints outright, not just by their possibly offensive behavior.

[Heather-Lin · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting attempt, an anti-self help book. A few times wonderfully funny, the rest was somewhat tedious. Some of the admonitions - excuse me - RECOMMENDATIONS revealed the author's ideological prejudices. That's fine. The real flaw in this book is that it could've been so much better, so much funnier, wry and heartbreaking, had the author thoughtfully looked to incorporate the huge untapped pool of self destructive tendencies out there, rather than zeroing in on his chosen few. Ah well. It's over now, and I can walk away without feeling my mind was poisoned.

[Shelleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading the first ten pages, I was ready to give this book 5 stars. It is self-help in reverse. It is how to self-destruct and not be successful. He gived 35 steps to ruin your life. But in the end, I think it boiled down to step number 3 Convince yourself that you are the center of the universe. All his other steps refer to this one and makeing sure you do not think about anyone else but yourself.

[Joshua Woodbury · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short self help book aims to teach the secret to happiness by demonstrating conduct certain to lead to loneliness, conflict, and unhappiness. I would have lost interest had the book been lengthy, but it is very short, and chapters like convince yourself you are the center of the universe, fight the good fight over everything, and criticize early and often, made it worthwhile.

[Daniel Currie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the 1CD audiobook version of this book.

Ben intends to tell you what to do thru telling you what not to do, hence the title.

Even at 1CD, it gets tiresome listening to him tell you all the stupid things to do to ruin your life. There are a few funny moments, but not nearly enough.

[P.M. Bradshaw · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really like Ben Stein. This book, however, was just okay.

Stein's sarcastic delivery is very funny, particularly if you can hear his voice in your head as you read it. But the premise is kind of a one-trick-pony, and wears thin even at only 110 pages.

It's worth few chuckles and 45 minutes of your life, but not much more than that.

[Stephen B · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is maybe one of the worst books I've ever read, while stein has good delivery for his trademark tone this book becomes repetitive very quickly. Stein Espouses obvious advice like "Don't save any money." Yes, thank you, I know things like saving money and being nice to people are important. Duh.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is just gushing with quality advise like, "Make the people around you feel small" and "Don't save any money" and other gems like, "Remember that no one else counts".

This is just a little tongue n cheek look at how people go about causing themselves a lot of trouble in life.

[Yan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a very short book, listed all the possible things a person can do to ruin his/her life. Many of the points are already common senses to many people including myself, but there are a few that remind me that I sometimes also do things that can ruin life, which I should be aware of and avoid.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've liked Ben Stein's style since the highly underrated game show Win Ben Stein's Money. This was great for a laugh and had some valuable and appropriate points laid out in an entertaining, slightly hyperbolized truth.

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dry, Witty, and Hilarious - (like Ben)

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Ben meant for this to be a work of satire, unfortunately people really do follow his plan to ruin one's live and behave in the manners suggested in this book.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is kind of a fun book :)

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Straightforward, to the point, true, and completely hysterical. :-)

[Jason Shuttlesworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Straight-forward short guide on how to not achieve success in Life. It's like the anti-self help book and point on accurate.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ben Stein's wit is outrageous and fun. The book also had tons of excellent advice. The only thing that got tiresome after a while was that all of the advice was given in the form of sarcasm.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always enjoyed Ben's style of humorous. This little "guide book" would be good for a few people I know! lol