What do you think?
Rate this book
Overcoming Life's Disappointments
From Harold S. Kushner, the author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People, a book that shows us how to be our best selves even when things don’t turn out as we had hoped—that is, how we can overcome life’s disappointments.
Kushner turns to the experience of Moses to find the requisite lessons of strength and faith. Moses towers over all others in the Old he is the man on the mountaintop to whom God speaks with unparalleled intimacy, and he leads his people out of bondage. But he is also deeply human, someone whose soaring triumphs are offset by frustration and his people ignore his teachings, he is denied entrance to the Promised Land, his family suffers. But he overcomes.
From the life of Moses, Kushner gleans principles that can help us deal with the problems we encounter. Through the example of Moses’ remarkable resilience, we learn how to weather the disillusionment of dreams unfulfilled, the pain of a lost job or promotion, a child’s failures, divorce or abandonment, and illness. We learn how to meet all disappointments with faith in ourselves and the future, and how to respond to heartbreak with understanding rather than bitterness and despair.
This is a book of spiritual wisdom—as practical as it is inspiring.
Kushner turns to the experience of Moses to find the requisite lessons of strength and faith. Moses towers over all others in the Old he is the man on the mountaintop to whom God speaks with unparalleled intimacy, and he leads his people out of bondage. But he is also deeply human, someone whose soaring triumphs are offset by frustration and his people ignore his teachings, he is denied entrance to the Promised Land, his family suffers. But he overcomes.
From the life of Moses, Kushner gleans principles that can help us deal with the problems we encounter. Through the example of Moses’ remarkable resilience, we learn how to weather the disillusionment of dreams unfulfilled, the pain of a lost job or promotion, a child’s failures, divorce or abandonment, and illness. We learn how to meet all disappointments with faith in ourselves and the future, and how to respond to heartbreak with understanding rather than bitterness and despair.
This is a book of spiritual wisdom—as practical as it is inspiring.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
79 people are currently reading
729 people want to read
About the author
Harold S. Kushner
62 books403 followersHarold S. Kushner is rabbi laureate of Temple Israel in the Boston suburb of Natick, Massachusetts. A native of Brooklyn, New York, he is the author of more than a dozen books on coping with life’s challenges, including, most recently, the best-selling Conquering Fear and Overcoming Life’s Disappointments.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
December 25, 2016
For anyone who has suffered a major life setback, lost a job, the house, gotten divorced after many years of marriage, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
I wish I could hail this book from the rooftops for the holiday season. It's like stardust to the woman who views her life as a disappointment in an empty nest or because she didn't live up to her potential in her life's pursuit; to the 40 or 50-something who feels he has failed at life, his hopes dashed because he didn't reach the top of the heap or all didn't work out in his own personal myth; or for anyone else who believes her or his envisioned road to money, love and/or glory has been forever blocked or decimated.
This isn't a "self-help" motivator, it's a life preserver, an opportunity to see the world with new eyes, to see that a failure in one's life is not the failure of one's life. For me, it was like manna, like grains of gratitude to see and grasp all that it good within my life, even when it seems that all has gone so wrong.
This is not a religious book. I'd describe it as a spiritual book, a positive book, that invokes for the sake of analogies, the life and failures of Moses.
I wish I could hail this book from the rooftops for the holiday season. It's like stardust to the woman who views her life as a disappointment in an empty nest or because she didn't live up to her potential in her life's pursuit; to the 40 or 50-something who feels he has failed at life, his hopes dashed because he didn't reach the top of the heap or all didn't work out in his own personal myth; or for anyone else who believes her or his envisioned road to money, love and/or glory has been forever blocked or decimated.
This isn't a "self-help" motivator, it's a life preserver, an opportunity to see the world with new eyes, to see that a failure in one's life is not the failure of one's life. For me, it was like manna, like grains of gratitude to see and grasp all that it good within my life, even when it seems that all has gone so wrong.
This is not a religious book. I'd describe it as a spiritual book, a positive book, that invokes for the sake of analogies, the life and failures of Moses.
February 13, 2024
My husband requested this book through interlibrary loan and after he read it, he recommended it to me. It is compassionate and wise.
Overcoming Life's Disappointments by Harold S. Kushner shows us how to be our best selves even when things don't turn out as we had hoped. Using the life of Moses and the example of Moses' resilience, we learn how to meet disappointments with faith in ourselves and the future and how to respond to heartbreak with understanding.
"We have learned over the years that there are several components to the fully lived life....Five elements of the complete life: family, friends, faith, work, and the satisfaction of making a difference. Most of us will agree on the need for all of them. Our biggest problem will be finding time in a twenty-four-hour day to do all five well."
The author frequently gives examples from books and movies to clarify some of his statements. This adds to my understanding as many of them are familiar to me.
After much research Dr. George Vaillant wrote Aging Well, where he identified two traits as keys to contentment late in life. One is having a growing circle of friendships, and the second key is nurturing our ability to forgive slights and injuries.
Thanks to my husband for requesting this book after hearing about it on CBC Radio. I am glad that I had the opportunity to read this inspiring book.
Overcoming Life's Disappointments by Harold S. Kushner shows us how to be our best selves even when things don't turn out as we had hoped. Using the life of Moses and the example of Moses' resilience, we learn how to meet disappointments with faith in ourselves and the future and how to respond to heartbreak with understanding.
"We have learned over the years that there are several components to the fully lived life....Five elements of the complete life: family, friends, faith, work, and the satisfaction of making a difference. Most of us will agree on the need for all of them. Our biggest problem will be finding time in a twenty-four-hour day to do all five well."
The author frequently gives examples from books and movies to clarify some of his statements. This adds to my understanding as many of them are familiar to me.
After much research Dr. George Vaillant wrote Aging Well, where he identified two traits as keys to contentment late in life. One is having a growing circle of friendships, and the second key is nurturing our ability to forgive slights and injuries.
Thanks to my husband for requesting this book after hearing about it on CBC Radio. I am glad that I had the opportunity to read this inspiring book.
February 23, 2011
This book did not disappoint, except maybe for its title. The austere observer might contend that the solution to “overcoming life’s disappointments” is no complicated matter. It can be adequately expressed in just as many words as the title: “Get over it.” But although the title is not very imaginative, the author’s approach is. He is a rabbi and invokes scripture on many occasions, using Moses as his primary exemplar. But the book has value even to the secular, even to someone like me who sees Moses as apocryphal and the bible as largely fictional. This is because Rabbi Kushner brings the reader wisdom, not religiosity. And the austere are taught that disappointment isn’t just wimpy self-indulgence. Disappointment is really just one in a panoply of human vexations that routinely crush the soul and leave one bitter and resentful. These include envy (which he believes is the real Original Sin, not Adam & Eve’s transgression), jealousy, scorn, frustration, and cynicism. He talks about unavoidable burdens: of leadership (like being criticized, ignored, or unappreciated by those you’re trying to help); of sacrifice (the purpose of which should be to divest us of things that we think we need so our true selves may emerge); of forgiveness (which is not exonerating people who hurt us but cleansing ourselves of the bitterness of failed expectations); of our vulnerability to our intolerance to the shortcomings of others (both those we despise and those we love); and how all this plays on our emotional state and sense of well-being. He explains that our response to these challenges defines our integrity and summons us to become more than we ever thought we could be. In “Man’s Search for Meaning” (see my review), Viktor Frankl tells us that such challenges are a rare opportunity to respond in a quietly heroic way, and not to behave like the masses who grab the low hanging fruit of hatred and apathy. Rabbi Kushner doesn’t offer a silver bullet. But he gave me a gift of awareness. I have probably failed to realize how much of a threat “disappointment” has been for me who in recent times has been subjected to the financial and career challenges a failing economy, waning youth, and the (blank) of a newly minted teenager afoot (further description withheld). This book gave me some new perspectives, which is the sign of a great book, and has improved my self awareness, for which I am indebted to the author.
May 17, 2019
I try not to purchase books (usually opting for the library, as with this one), but I will definitely be buying a copy of this book. I read it during a tough time, full of very difficult professional and personal choices, and it was both comforting and inspiring. Aside from the clear pastoral gifts Kushner has, his exegesis of the Moses story is insightful and (to me) fresh.
January 13, 2011
I have two enduring images of this book, both from midrash.
The first is from when Moses came down the mountain with the original tablets containing the Ten Commandments, the ones he smashed. Legend has it that he kept the shards in the Ark of the Covenant alongside the second, intact, set because they symbolized his broken dream. A dream that his people would unite under G-d's covenants and enjoy their freedom after the Exodus. Instead, they betrayed G-d by fashioning the golden calf in Moses's absence.
We all have broken dreams. We have no choice but to carry them with us. We can let them weigh us down and prevent us from achieving new dreams, or we can put them into the revised mosaic of our lives.
The second image is after Miriam died and the Hebrews needed water. Moses was supposed to speak to a rock and create a spring. Instead, Moses hit the rock twice. There is a reading of the text that says Moses did this because he was frustrated and angry that the people were so rebellious and ungrateful for all his effort that he took it out on the rock. I can buy that. I can identify with that.
There is another reading, also dealing with frustration and anger. It is that Moses was frustrated with G-d for putting him in that position. Rabbi Kushner has an excellent line for anybody who identifies with that statement: "The G-d I believe in is not so fragile that your anger will hurt Him, nor is He so petty that He will strike you a second time for speaking up to Him." So often we are angry and we vent our frustrations on objects or other people instead of taking them up with G-d (or whomever is the actual source of said anger).
The first is from when Moses came down the mountain with the original tablets containing the Ten Commandments, the ones he smashed. Legend has it that he kept the shards in the Ark of the Covenant alongside the second, intact, set because they symbolized his broken dream. A dream that his people would unite under G-d's covenants and enjoy their freedom after the Exodus. Instead, they betrayed G-d by fashioning the golden calf in Moses's absence.
We all have broken dreams. We have no choice but to carry them with us. We can let them weigh us down and prevent us from achieving new dreams, or we can put them into the revised mosaic of our lives.
The second image is after Miriam died and the Hebrews needed water. Moses was supposed to speak to a rock and create a spring. Instead, Moses hit the rock twice. There is a reading of the text that says Moses did this because he was frustrated and angry that the people were so rebellious and ungrateful for all his effort that he took it out on the rock. I can buy that. I can identify with that.
There is another reading, also dealing with frustration and anger. It is that Moses was frustrated with G-d for putting him in that position. Rabbi Kushner has an excellent line for anybody who identifies with that statement: "The G-d I believe in is not so fragile that your anger will hurt Him, nor is He so petty that He will strike you a second time for speaking up to Him." So often we are angry and we vent our frustrations on objects or other people instead of taking them up with G-d (or whomever is the actual source of said anger).
November 7, 2012
Written by Rabbi Harold Kushner, this book heavily relies on the Biblical figure of Moses and Judeo-Christian beliefs to offer comfort for those who are struggling with life's problems.
I often found the book difficult to relate to for two reasons: first, I didn't identify with its religious emphasis, but that is no fault of the author's - just "not for me." I think many faithful Jews and Christians alike could appreciate the lessons Kushner draws.
On the other hand, I did take issue with the author's constant reliance on traditional gender roles throughout the book, e.g., "For the most part, men's dreams center on success in business, women's dreams on fulfilling relationships" (2006, 71). From the examples he uses, Kushner seems to think that women's disappointments primarily stem from issues of love, marriage, or motherhood. Not only do these specifics not apply to me, I believe all women's lives are much fuller, more diverse, and more nuanced than Kushner appreciates.
To sum up: look elsewhere for comfort or advice.
I often found the book difficult to relate to for two reasons: first, I didn't identify with its religious emphasis, but that is no fault of the author's - just "not for me." I think many faithful Jews and Christians alike could appreciate the lessons Kushner draws.
On the other hand, I did take issue with the author's constant reliance on traditional gender roles throughout the book, e.g., "For the most part, men's dreams center on success in business, women's dreams on fulfilling relationships" (2006, 71). From the examples he uses, Kushner seems to think that women's disappointments primarily stem from issues of love, marriage, or motherhood. Not only do these specifics not apply to me, I believe all women's lives are much fuller, more diverse, and more nuanced than Kushner appreciates.
To sum up: look elsewhere for comfort or advice.
December 28, 2014
If I lived in Natick, Massachusetts, I would go to temple on Saturdays just to hear Rabbi Kushner, even though I am not Jewish and have no plans to convert. He is that good. Quotes: "Broken dreams, broken hearts, hopes unrealized should not be seen as emblems of shame, badges of failure. If anything, they are tokens of courage. We were brave enough to dream, brave enough to long for so much, and when we did not get it, we were brave enough to carry the fragments of those dashed hopes with us into the future..." "The blessing of completeness means a full life, not an easy life, a hard road, not a smooth one ..."
November 17, 2018
Some good points of wisdom along the way, definitely, but I didn't share the author's admiration (or interpretation) of Moses' life, which for me doesn't translate very well into a metaphor for the life of a normal person. Maybe it's the absence of much Jewish influence in my own childhood. Maybe it's my reliance on scholarly interpretations of such things. Whatever the reason, I found the book's gimmick difficult to connect with. I also found much of Kushner's viewpoint to be too dismissive of complex psychological realities. It's just not very useful to tell someone who's hurting that, essentially, they just need to grow up.
July 11, 2015
This book helps makes sense of "bad things" and other disappointments in your life instead of making you fear them. It gives you strategies for working through these setbacks, so that you can have a substantive positive attitude and not a shallow one. However, as anyone reading this book would have likely faced disappointment, it is a tough read. The chapters are long and it will be intense to get through them as it will likely bring up your "disappointing" circumstances.
I would say this book is targeted toward middle-age and/or the over-40 crowd.
What I liked best about this book is that it went beyond "believe in your dreams," and addressed what to do when it seems like you've worked toward your dreams in vain.
At age 42, I've learned that some dreams will never come true. But you don't have to live your life in despair. Instead, you can pick up the pieces of your old dream and create a new, more realistic one. That's the message of this book.
The book also uses the story of the Moses and how he never saw the Promised Land. Yet, God had a plan and destiny for him.
Finally, this book was a lot more realistic for me because I am a bit frustrated with the "think, focus, work hard and all your dreams will come true," philosophy. Sometimes, you have to face reality and this means accepting your disappointments and creating a new set of goals, with wisdom intact.
I would say this book is targeted toward middle-age and/or the over-40 crowd.
What I liked best about this book is that it went beyond "believe in your dreams," and addressed what to do when it seems like you've worked toward your dreams in vain.
At age 42, I've learned that some dreams will never come true. But you don't have to live your life in despair. Instead, you can pick up the pieces of your old dream and create a new, more realistic one. That's the message of this book.
The book also uses the story of the Moses and how he never saw the Promised Land. Yet, God had a plan and destiny for him.
Finally, this book was a lot more realistic for me because I am a bit frustrated with the "think, focus, work hard and all your dreams will come true," philosophy. Sometimes, you have to face reality and this means accepting your disappointments and creating a new set of goals, with wisdom intact.
January 3, 2010
Rabbi Kushner uses the story of Moses and his ability to overcome major life disappointments to help his readers see that they too can overcome disappointments in love, work, dreams, etc. I enjoyed his ability to incorporate the life of Moses as well as many present day examples and anecdotes, all with a friendly, conversational tone. Uplifting and encouraging.
March 7, 2016
Accessible exegesis, good scholarship and that inimitable Kushner style. Listened to parts of it with my children who were able to relate it to their own lives while learning previously too dense biblical passages. Found myself thinking of it often. Will need a paper copy to refer back to because parts of it are that good.
May 2, 2008
kind of like a jewish self-help book
May 13, 2020
I picked up this book at the biggest book festival in my country. I was healing, still am healing, from my past and present. I looked for prominent self-help books and the title of this book caught my eye. It really relates to my situation. Anyone who would see this cover would think so too if you are disappointed with whatever it is in your life.
I love the lessons the author gave me. What I could take out the most and relate the most was:
"Humility is the realization that not everything that happens in life is all about you."
"Humility means recognizing that you are not God and it is not your job or responsibility to run the world."
These are sayings people in my life have probably spoken aloud. I just didn't want to listen, or couldn't. Because I was so clouded with my own judgement about my life. I couldn't handle my situation. I wanted me being the one everyone had to pity at and I felt I was supposed to be special compared to everyone else. This book told me I was wrong, and gave really real examples from people's real experiences that went through similar things as I am.
"But the response of humility would lead one not to think, My misfortune makes me more pitiable than anyone else on earth, but, My misfortune gives me a sense of kinship with other suffering souls out there."
This particular quote also really got me. Maybe I had never looked for anyone who was going through the same thing as I am. That was why I felt so horrible in life, because I saw people around me seemed to be anything but I was, or am. That's the wrong mindset I have to change. But really, I do not really have a lot of people who want to open up about their life struggles, or if they want to, I do not think I can relate to them. Hence, despite how relatable some of the contents this book has, I still feel some parts of me aren't filled. However, this book greatly affects me to shift my mindset into a more a positive one.
I love the lessons the author gave me. What I could take out the most and relate the most was:
"Humility is the realization that not everything that happens in life is all about you."
"Humility means recognizing that you are not God and it is not your job or responsibility to run the world."
These are sayings people in my life have probably spoken aloud. I just didn't want to listen, or couldn't. Because I was so clouded with my own judgement about my life. I couldn't handle my situation. I wanted me being the one everyone had to pity at and I felt I was supposed to be special compared to everyone else. This book told me I was wrong, and gave really real examples from people's real experiences that went through similar things as I am.
"But the response of humility would lead one not to think, My misfortune makes me more pitiable than anyone else on earth, but, My misfortune gives me a sense of kinship with other suffering souls out there."
This particular quote also really got me. Maybe I had never looked for anyone who was going through the same thing as I am. That was why I felt so horrible in life, because I saw people around me seemed to be anything but I was, or am. That's the wrong mindset I have to change. But really, I do not really have a lot of people who want to open up about their life struggles, or if they want to, I do not think I can relate to them. Hence, despite how relatable some of the contents this book has, I still feel some parts of me aren't filled. However, this book greatly affects me to shift my mindset into a more a positive one.
April 18, 2019
The New York Times best-selling guide to being your best self, even when things don’t turn out as you’d hoped. There are so many tidbits in this book that I love that it's hard to single out one to share.
Everyone handles disappointment differently. Some end up feeling stuck in a rut. Many people choose disappointment as a way of motivating themselves to do something different next time. Through their disappointments, they have the strength to take stock of what has happened to them, learn from the incident, and move on. In other words, disappointment makes them become stronger; and they are, therefore, more likely to succeed in all aspects of life.
It is no doubt that disappointment is a part of life. And like all other parts of life, disappointment can help us grow if we know how to manage it effectively. Fortunately, the good news is we don't have to suffer from disappointment long term. We can learn how to meet all disappointments with faith in ourselves and the future from this book.
This book helps makes sense of "bad things" and other disappointments in your life instead of making you fear them. To effectively deal with disappointment, we need to first understand what has happened. As you know, disappointment is unavoidable and beyond our control. We need to recognize the difference between situations that fall within and beyond our control so that it can help us to deal with our disappointments more appropriately.
Disappointment is inevitable, natural and normal, and everyone will experience it to some extent in their life. Recommend "Overcoming Life's Disappointments” to people going through many of life's changes.
Everyone handles disappointment differently. Some end up feeling stuck in a rut. Many people choose disappointment as a way of motivating themselves to do something different next time. Through their disappointments, they have the strength to take stock of what has happened to them, learn from the incident, and move on. In other words, disappointment makes them become stronger; and they are, therefore, more likely to succeed in all aspects of life.
It is no doubt that disappointment is a part of life. And like all other parts of life, disappointment can help us grow if we know how to manage it effectively. Fortunately, the good news is we don't have to suffer from disappointment long term. We can learn how to meet all disappointments with faith in ourselves and the future from this book.
This book helps makes sense of "bad things" and other disappointments in your life instead of making you fear them. To effectively deal with disappointment, we need to first understand what has happened. As you know, disappointment is unavoidable and beyond our control. We need to recognize the difference between situations that fall within and beyond our control so that it can help us to deal with our disappointments more appropriately.
Disappointment is inevitable, natural and normal, and everyone will experience it to some extent in their life. Recommend "Overcoming Life's Disappointments” to people going through many of life's changes.
August 26, 2021
I liked his commentary on the life of Moses. Most particularly I was struck by his ability to sit in discomfort. It's a natural desire, when we hit a doubt, an issue, an illness, a disaster, a job loss, etc, to want to mitigate, explain away, or escape the uncomfortable feelings that accompany the event as quickly as possible. We've made good progress in the way we talk about processing grief and healing from trauma. We need, I think, to be willing to do the same for other disappointments in life. He makes good arguments to that effect. Perhaps uncomfortable, incongruous events, personalities, and facts will always exist and sometimes what needs to change is our expectations.
I disagree with some of his opinions in regards to divorce(especially when helping explain it to kids---you can say it's not their fault a million times but many won't believe it). But I think his tips on ways to respond to it are healthy. And it needs an index.
I disagree with some of his opinions in regards to divorce(especially when helping explain it to kids---you can say it's not their fault a million times but many won't believe it). But I think his tips on ways to respond to it are healthy. And it needs an index.
March 2, 2018
What an amazing book. I finished it on 28 February, on the eve of the one year since being invited to Canada. I was shocked to see on my timeline that I didn't announce it right away.
Anyway, it didn't happen and at this time it wasn't meant to be. Despite my anger with the money invested, I'm glad it didn't happen right now. Right now wasn't the time given money and my health. Maybe I will be invited again, maybe I'll end up elsewhere.
Regardless, I should be proud of how far I came, the tests I had to pass, and I saved a few thousand dollars by budgeting. It taught me an important lesson that will serve me for other things in life.
Rabbi Kushner is a light in a dark world. Life is not easy and it's a rocky journey. We can only move forward with forgiveness.
Anyway, it didn't happen and at this time it wasn't meant to be. Despite my anger with the money invested, I'm glad it didn't happen right now. Right now wasn't the time given money and my health. Maybe I will be invited again, maybe I'll end up elsewhere.
Regardless, I should be proud of how far I came, the tests I had to pass, and I saved a few thousand dollars by budgeting. It taught me an important lesson that will serve me for other things in life.
Rabbi Kushner is a light in a dark world. Life is not easy and it's a rocky journey. We can only move forward with forgiveness.
June 18, 2025
I loved reading this book. It provided such a different perspective on Moses and some of the things he has said and done, as well as what we can learn from him. I loved reading it and discussing it with my husband. Though I am not Jewish, this book was referenced by one of my religious leaders in our general conference recently. So I figured that it would be an interesting read since one of my other church leaders had read it. I loved all the psychology in it, as well as the surprising amount of movie references. This book has lots of short stories and parables that made me laugh and helped me to think deeply about things. I would recommend it as a good read to all, no matter what religion you are.
March 24, 2018
Moses showed up. Dream boldly and act not for gratitude but to move it forward. Use the broken pieces of the dream as stepping stones to the next place.
pg 63 " Instead of exhausting ourselves trying to reshape the world to fit our dreams, we are better off using our strength to comfort one another in a world that is almost certain to mock our dreams and break out hearts"
Loving others and being best self, not judging.
Resilience, keeping promises, humility, forgiveness.
pg 129 Mariana Caplan "If life obeyed our plans and expectations, then life would only be as wide as our undeveloped intelligence"
pg 63 " Instead of exhausting ourselves trying to reshape the world to fit our dreams, we are better off using our strength to comfort one another in a world that is almost certain to mock our dreams and break out hearts"
Loving others and being best self, not judging.
Resilience, keeping promises, humility, forgiveness.
pg 129 Mariana Caplan "If life obeyed our plans and expectations, then life would only be as wide as our undeveloped intelligence"
October 21, 2018
So much wisdom here. I began this book in 2008 and for some reason set it aside. A couple of weeks ago, I pulled it off the shelf while searching for something else. I saw the book mark. I looked at my marginalia. And then, I turned to the back inside cover and found a journal entry from 11-3-2008. It was like finding a little gift from my former self, a "letter to me" to quote Brad Paisley. So I started reading again and finished today. The 10 intervening years have brought wins and losses, bitter and sweet moments, many changes, more self-acceptance, and, I realize, more peace. I am grateful for this book, my note, my life...
September 19, 2024
I loved Rabbi Kushner's book, "When Bad Things Happen to Good People." This book is no different as far as wisdom and understanding. Although he shares the great teachings of Judaism, his style is universal and ecumenical and appropriate for all.
Basing the book on the life, victories and frustrations of Moses, Kushner helps one understand the sacrifices we make in life for the common good, and how often we are left disappointed in how others may not appreciate what we've done.
I also love the way he brings in other books as suggestions and his vignettes and stories really ring home as to what is important in life.
An excellent read!
Basing the book on the life, victories and frustrations of Moses, Kushner helps one understand the sacrifices we make in life for the common good, and how often we are left disappointed in how others may not appreciate what we've done.
I also love the way he brings in other books as suggestions and his vignettes and stories really ring home as to what is important in life.
An excellent read!
March 22, 2018
Regardless of your religion, this book provides an interesting viewpoint on struggle. This book dives into the disappointments of life and how to navigate forward. The author presents clear strategies and examples to rise above the fray. This book emphasizes a positive attitude and not a shallow one. This is not an easy read and many of these stories will open up old wounds. I look forward to reading more from Harold Kushner.
February 5, 2020
Nice little book. It was interesting reading about how he uses Moses to illustrate several points, even though I certainly don’t take the religion seriously. I particularly was intrigued by his discussion of humility & the comfort that should offer us — that we aren’t in control of everything that happens to us.
April 28, 2020
I read this book during an especially difficult time in my life. Looking back I tagged certain pages that I thought were of most importance. I had some difficulty understanding the many comparisons to Moses. Over all, Overcoming Life’s Disappointments, by Harold Kushner will not disappoint the reader. This book offers spiritual wisdom and comfort.
January 22, 2023
I'll always be a fan of Kushner for his sober and pragmatic assessments of a life well lived.
But this book, except for the very last chapter, is slow and plodding.
If you're into Moses and lessons from the Old Testament, it may resonate. For me, though, it was only the wisdom in the final chapter that made the book worth reading.
But this book, except for the very last chapter, is slow and plodding.
If you're into Moses and lessons from the Old Testament, it may resonate. For me, though, it was only the wisdom in the final chapter that made the book worth reading.
June 2, 2017
Living the life that one has versus living the life that we dream of is a very good perspective. This book is told from the angle of the Biblical figure, Moses. Disappoints, joys, and such all come in equal measures. We would be a lot happier if we simple accepted each as it came.
June 12, 2018
Harold Kushner's writing is timeless and always touches my heart and makes me think. Such a gift. This one ought to be required reading for everyone out there who expects too much of themselves and others (pretty much everyone then).
August 21, 2019
Very insightful book using Moses' experience with the complaining Israelites as they leave Egypt to go to God's promised land. He uses this to draw parallels to many disappointments experienced by modern people. Well written, very serious book.
January 12, 2023
This book highlights the journey of moses and how life isn't always perfect. It makes you think about how we perceive life and the things that happen to us on a daily basis. It makes you feel like life isn't that bad. Life is just doing what it's supposed to do.
July 7, 2017
Moses-related material aside (unless you don't mind it) there is great value in this book. Shalom.
September 15, 2017
A lot of wonderful insight (not sugar-coated) and a lot of references to other books that might be helpful if you or someone you love is experiencing disappointments with life.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews