This book recaps twenty one of Rob White's awakening moments in inspirational, warm, and entertaining stories. What's most important in each story is the unassuming, ordinary, everyday guru who popped into his life and offered the perfect life-lesson for the moment. Rob shares these very interesting life lessons, which helped him gain insights that proved to be superb starting points for a new life.
From humble beginnings, born on the poor side of a small Northeastern mill town, Rob White went on to get a college degree, become a school teacher for seventeen years, and then leave that profession to pursue his dream to be a millionaire. He accomplished that dream fifty-fold by jumping into the real estate, and then restaurant business.
Rob has created many interested epochs in his life, and today he is an author who is giving back by sharing what he has learned over the past seven decades of living.
If you ask me what genre is this book, I would say this book is a combination of inspirational and memoir. This book contains 21 chapters which ranging from about his life as a kid which is expected to work in a factory mill in future, as a high school graduate choosing the college route, as a school teacher, until about his life as a real estate developer and restaurateur.
What I have learnt the most from this book is to view life from the lens of endless transformational opportunities; to reinvent your life and there is no age limit to change.
This is an appropriate book to start reading with in embarking your new year journey if you have the "New Year, New Me" mentality.
I found And Then I Met Margaret to be an entertaining anthology about the author's life, and the tone was nicely consistent, which was a big plus. I didn't give it five stars because it just didn't wow me, and some of the stories fell short of being decidedly profound. Overall, this is the best nonfiction anthology I've picked up, and it's a sweet read if you're looking for something uplifting but not heavy.
And then I met Margaret is a collection of short stories where the author details how ordinary gurus changed his life.
The author takes you on a journey via his short stories of life lessons he has learned. He begins the book by citing the self-help gurus he has met and the valuable information they shared with him. The rest of the stories begin with a myth he once believed about life, and end with what he deems the actual truth about it. The stories range from his early years and follow his career path and family life.
I decided to read this as it was onlinebookclub’s book of the month and was up for discussion and I must say that it caused a heated debate. The first issue was that of a misleading title. Most of us believed it was a romance novel due to the title, font and background colours, and were then confused as Margaret had a tiny part to play in one story which certainly did not seem pivotal. I found that for every “good” lesson the author learned, someone had to be put in a bad light, and the author seemed to focus a lot on material gains. One of the stories had a scenario which has been used as a “life lesson” before and it got me wondering as to whether it had actually happened to the author or whether it was borrowed for emphasis. There were also a number of unnecessary grammatical errors.
Overall I didn’t really enjoy the book and found so many of the “lightbulb” moments just common sense. I also questioned as to why these people who had such an impact on him were named “ordinary gurus”. Firstly the use of ordinary was condescending and secondly because surely anyone who imparts any wisdom could then be called a guru? I don’t mind self-help books, but this was not my cup of tea.
Reading the introduction to Rob White’s And Then I Met Margaret, with its litany of internationally famous self-help gurus, like Ramm Dass, Deepak Chopra, and Werner Erhard, I steeled myself for something equivalent to Robert T. Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad, Poor Dad guides on how to flip real-estate to become rich. I anticipated, chapter after chapter, we would read of insights gleaned from that roster of fame, but left disappointed as most were never mentioned again.
However, reading through the neatly packaged lessons in each chapter, I found myself enjoying a sincere “rags to riches” memoir of working-class Massachusetts boy, which morphed into less-enthralling, folksy morality tales doled out by a caring grandfather -- all as the veil slowly slipped, revealing a sales pitch: the book ends with an invitation to continue one’s journey by visiting his company website. In the text. Not in a jacket blurb, author bio, or otherwise. As part of the book, proper.
The book, subtitled “Stories of Ordinary Gurus I’ve Met,” is comprised of 21 chapters, each containing a single life-lesson the author learned through interactions with people in his childhood, college years and professional life. He aims to convince us that these lessons enabled him to become a successful, fulfilled human being – and if we only follow his advice, we too can become multi-millionaire real-estate developers – or successful at whatever we want choose. The whiff of Kiyosaki remained strong.
My radar kicked in on two particular stories – one recommending giving more money than required, in order to receive higher returns (a classic Prosperity Gospel scheme); the other touting the value of being willing to pay more for something of high value, the Kiyosaki-esque message being that if you don’t lavish yourself with goods, it is a sign you don’t believe in yourself. This includes buying more Kiyosaki training materials. Hence the sales pitch feeling. The farther I got into the book, the less it felt “organic” or comprised of natural lessons; the more it felt manipulative.
The writing is not soaring, poetic, allegorical or deep, but it is good enough to hold a reader’s interest. White’s heart shines through in the memoir aspects of the first 10 chapters, focused on his early life. The memoir resonates in spite of the forced chapter structure. As a child who grew up in a mining town, with local attitudes eerily similar to those of White’s Massachusetts mill town, I felt deep kinship with his plight and escape to attend college and be more than the next generation of mill worker.
Each chapter is delivered with a hint at the beginning, the false belief that the author is about to shed. Take Chapter 10 as an example: Titled “I Decided I Was Smarter Than I Thought I Was,” with “The myth I believed: I know my limits; that’s just the way it is.”
This foreshadowing – or priming, to take Daniel Kahnemmann’s term for setting up someone you intend to persuade (see Thinking, Fast and Slow) -- were helpful in many cases, focusing the reader’s expectations. The chapters conclude with the original myth contrasted against new learning. Again, Chapter 10’s example: “The reality I discovered: My limits are of my own making and are there for the breaking.” The problem with this conceit, to my eye, is threefold: First, the didactic insistence on what lessons should be learned manipulates the reader and condescends. Second, some of the lessons learned were non-sequiturs to the chapter content and the myth; the message was not as clear as the author believed. Finally, and most important to me, occasionally the advice borders on “law of attraction” lessons conveyed by The Secret; the kind of thing that has sick people believing that their continued illness is their fault for not thinking positively enough. The final chapter revolves around an individual purportedly deciding not to die.
I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. Rob White’s And Then I Met Margaret is trapped between touching memoir, avuncular grandpa stories, and ancillary sales or advertising material promoting his motivational speaking business. He never falls into the saccharin traps and blatant salesmanship of Kiyosaki, but edges close. This book will probably disappoint a reader in search of a pure-hearted memoir, a narrative arc, or artistic prose. But there is enough good content and legitimate life lessons to recommend reading, and I will be the last person to dissuade any seeker from considering this book to see if they might find the lessons they need in their life.
This was a unique book rather like Aesop’s fable, we accompany the author from boyhood to a successful adulthood. The book is composed of a series of short stories from the author’s perspective that start with the ‘myths’ the author believed about the way the world works and the people on the way who turned his worldview on its head. The protagonist and author, Bob White comes off as very resourceful with the advice he receives and makes a point of paying it foreword.
The author starts by talking about his transition to becoming a business owner, how he grew up in a small town with its own traditions and go onwards into his adulthood. Each new chapter is another time-earned life lesson that has taught him something. He notices the little things, the everyday interactions and seemingly innocuous meeting and interactions that can help transform your life if you let them
An easy read that is intended to challenge what the author things might be our expectations of life. I was not the intended audience, but ultimately not a bad book. Just not a good one.
And Then I Met Margaret is a self-help and motivational book by Rob White. It follows Rob’s life starting from his childhood in a small town to being a successful real estate entrepreneur and restaurateur. Rob recounts his personal encounters with people and situations and the ways in which he learnt to better navigate through life.
The book follows the idea that we come across many unacknowledged teachers in daily life whose impact on our lives is manifold. We may all have come across such people, whom Rob refers to as “Gurus”, but we may not all recognize them. These gurus inspire you in the most unimaginable ways. Sometimes they show us the world from a different perspective and shatter our self-imposed limitations and sometimes they lead us to personal and spiritual revelations.
To keep in sync with this, the writer adopted a before-after story format. Each chapter starts with a myth that the author had always assumed to be true and ends with the reality which the author has realized upon his experience with the guru whose story has been shared in that particular chapter. This format of the book kept me apprised of what to expect and the belief that was being challenged.
Rob’s childhood narratives of growing up in a small town, of steering away from the traditional lifestyle and the college anecdotes resonated with me quite a lot. One such anecdote was depicted in the chapter named 'Shakespeare in My Left Pants Pocket'. It is a heart-warming story about how unexpected actions from people in grave situations can help change the very core of one’s behavior. Another such story is ‘I Decided I Was Smarter Than I Thought I Was’ where an encounter with a young student named Debbie inspired Rob to follow his dream. The 'reality' highlighted in this chapter is one I intend to apply in my own life. That said, I did think that some of the realities that the writer puts forth are quite ordinary and not as ground breaking as the writer made it out to be.
Despite not being a fan of self-help books, I decided to give And Then I Met Margaret a shot. The idea that we come across many unlikely gurus who help broaden our outlook on life seemed quite interesting to me. While some of the stories seem uninspiring and unimpressive,there are some personal anecdotes that keep the book fresh and provide insight. The casual tone of the writing and the short chapters make it an easy read.
This book is for anyone looking for an enjoyable and lighthearted read.
And Then I Met Margaret is an amazing book. I didn't quite know what to expect when I bought this book, but something about the title and the description made me want to read it. I was hooked from the first chapter.
The author takes you on a journey through his life, introducing you to some pretty amazing people along the way who guided him, mentored him and loved him along his path through this life so far.
Each chapter takes you through a part of his life, from his quiet beginnings in a working-class town, through his childhood, and his discovery that he was meant for a different path then his well-intentioned family thought he would follow.
Rob White's conversational tone made this reader feel as if she were sitting in his living room, cup of tea in hand, listening to an old friend speak of anecdotal memories that changed him into a better man who was able to pay it forward and help others in their struggles throughout this often difficult and challenging life.
What I absolutely loved about this book were the beginning and ending of each chapter, where Rob White would write a myth he'd believed to be true, write the chapter about the often inspirational and moving experience that led him to realize the truth, which he would then write at the end of the chapter.
One of my favorites was regarding Kindness. At the beginning of Chapter One, Rob White wrote, "The Myth I Believed: Kindness is an act of self-interest."
He proceeded throughout the chapter to tell the beautiful story of his Aunt Theresa when he was a child, who taught him the reality he discovered in time which he wrote at the end of the chapter:
"The Myth I Believed: Kindness is an act of self-interest."
"The Reality I Discovered: Kind acts demonstrate the height of love."
Each chapter contained a myth at the beginning and the reality in closing. What literary gems they are, because the author explains his insights into life through the lessons he learned. There are many good people put into our path along this life's journey to guide us, and Rob White experienced many wise souls along the way. The reference to souls is my viewpoint.
At no time during this book did the author become 'heavy-handed' in stating his viewpoint. He shared his experiences which were moving and remarkable and downright interesting, all the while reminding us that life's journey can be enriched if we take the time to listen and learn from those who have learned before us.
I'm sure I was like many readers, who couldn't wait to hear who "Margaret" was and how she changed his life. All I will say is that it wasn't what I expected, and yet it was profound and precious and beautiful.
What didn't I like about this book? Honestly, the only thing I didn't like about it, was the fact it ended. I was completely absorbed by the amazing stories, told with such a down-to-earth, entertaining narration. I couldn't wait to get to the end of each chapter, (although at the same time, I was in no hurry to rush through) just to read the "Reality" gem that was going to replace the "Myth" he'd once believed.
One of the most enjoyable parts of reading this book was the experience of hearing how Rob White took his experiences and the advice of his mentors (all extraordinary, yet ordinary people) and not only created a life of success and happiness for himself, but, paid it forward by giving other people the chances he'd once been given. Rob White has influenced other people's lives in such positive ways, and I believe he can do the same for yours too.
This refreshing story has none of the boring, droning-on of unimportant details that bogs down some non-fiction biographies. It swept me right in and held my interest until the very last page.
I rate this book 5 out of 5.
It is excellently presented. I found no errors in formatting or spelling. I highly recommend this book to any reader who would like to glimpse just how easy it can be to become a better person, by practicing the kindness and insights shared between these pages.
Are you tired of struggling in life? Do you wonder if you have made the correct choices? Then read this book, And Then I Met Margaret, by Rob White. This is a nonfiction, self-help book. The author's goal is to use real-life examples of mistakes to teach people how to improve their lives. In this book, the author shares personal stories of his own failures and accomplishments. Each chapter presents a lesson on life and discusses how to overcome any diversity blocking your path.
The author does not come off as egotistical because of what he has learned. Nor does he seem to be judging anyone. He really wants people to learn from his mistakes.
The author also writes about his childhood, growing up in a small town, the traditions of small towns, and becoming an adult. He shares that when he was in high school, it was assumed that he would follow in his father's steps and work at a factory. I thought this was the most pivotal point in the story and that it strengthens the relationship between author and reader. It shows the author's humble origins, a contrast to the person he is today. The author also displays real emotions when he explains how that affected him. He does not gloss over the difficult parts. This example and others show that the author truly cares and wants to help the people who inspired him. The author can also admit his mistakes, and that is a strong trait. Not many folks have this trait.
The author writes about his transition to becoming a business owner and the negative and positive parts of this journey in his life. The title of this book refers to a pivotal event for the author. One of the chapters in the book is about a particular lesson a woman named Margaret taught him. I thought this chapter would have been longer, and I was slightly disappointed that it was not. This is why I give this book four stars. However, despite its brevity, the author does explain why Margaret's life lesson was prudent, and it is an excellent story for the title of the book.
This book is for anyone who is looking to improve their life or has questions about why life has turned out as it has. This book is also for anyone graduating from high school or college. It reminds us that we can all make mistakes, no matter what stage we are at in life. The important thing the book shows us is how to learn from our mistakes and move on with our lives. Each chapter starts out with the myth the author believed, and each ends with the myth he believed and the reality he discovered. I think this was a good way to organize the chapters because it was a like a chapter review at the end. If anyone was taking notes, this would help with understanding. This is the sort of thing a teacher would do. The author mentions that he was a teacher before he started his own business. There are countless other hints in the book that he was a teacher. In my opinion, the author will always be a teacher— a teacher who cares if his student passes—despite that he is retired from the profession and now a business owner. While I highly recommend this book for the people I mentioned above, I also think that everyone should read it. When you have a good teacher, embrace it. This author has a wealth of knowledge to share. Read this book.
The lessons Rob White has learned throughout his life are the core of And Then I Met Margaret. Both people and experiences have influenced Mr. White's way of thinking and the book is an effort to pass on his newfound wisdom. His approach is to devote each chapter to a person or happening that exemplifies what he formerly believed, a "myth," as he calls it. Then, at the end of the chapter, he repeats the labeled myth he formerly believed before stating the new truth he has "discovered."
Having grown up in a small mill town where a college education was uncommon for everyone but the elites - and he was not an elite - he bucked the trend and, with a college degree, became a schoolteacher. That was only the beginning, however. He went on to become a successful real estate developer, an upscale restauranteur, and -- Ta Dah! -- a motivational speaker. Beyond that, he has traveled extensively and "gone for the gusto" in experiencing thrilling adventures.
For reasonable adults with normal intelligence, this book is a little too simple to be taken seriously. It may, however, offer hope to the unsophisticated, who are looking for a quick pick-me-up. Being that in some cases these "truths" are offered from the viewpoint of children, it may be that a younger group would benefit from reading it. That's not to say Mr. White's words have no value for the older set. In many cases they were right on. But then there were those instances where the reader may have felt insulted by the author's apparent assumption that he lacked plain old common sense.
One of the chapters that struck me as particularly absurd ended with, "The myth I believed: Magic happens randomly to me. The reality I discovered: Magic deliberately happens because of me." This statement is in itself a myth, a rosy conclusion drawn by someone who has likely never experienced untreatable disability or physical handicap. There is no magic to be conjured or created by simply thinking and acting positively in such cases. True, there may be some satisfaction in acting the brave martyr, but that is not "magic."
The funniest episode in the book is a scene on the stage in Las Vegas, where an embarrassing situation turns into something like a skit from "I Love Lucy." Reading this, I laughed with Mr. White as he laughed at himself. Self-deprecation seldom fails to please, and Mr. White uses it throughout the book, illustrating first the foolishness he formerly believed and then the truth he has since learned. Unfortunately, what he has learned is often simple common sense and the result of recurring and forced coincidences in which the author "proves" that what he has learned is gospel.
I liked the small town atmosphere at the beginning and the general upbeat attitude of And Then I Met Margaret, and I'm sure there are others who will find it inspirational.
The book could use some serious and insightful editing.
This book took me a lot longer to finish than it should have, given that each chapter is fairly short, but I just couldn't get into it! This book has generated a lot of online discussion, with some people loving it and some hating it. Unfortunately, I fall into the latter camp.
This book is made up of many short vignettes describing life lessons learned by the author. Each chapter begins with a statement that he believed to be true, such as: “Learn to fit in; play it safe—it’s right and proper” and “Only the few are selected to win.” Over the course of the chapter, White explains the mindset he had, and how his perceptions changed. He ends each chapter with the new, improved lesson that he learned, including “Stand for what I believe, and I have the power to persist,” and “How I respond to what happens in my world determines how I feel.”
Based on the title, And Then I Met Margaret, and the information given in the introduction to the book, I thought this book was going to include lessons from many different people—things that the author had heard and benefitted from. However, Rob White seems intent on making himself the centerpiece of every story, often playing the role of wise guru to other people. Almost every story ends with him wisely passing on a lesson that he has learned to a younger, or less fortunate, acquaintance. You can almost see him patting himself on the back as he walks away, proud of himself for imparting his great wisdom on another human being. Even when he is given the piece of advice by someone else, the story doesn’t end until he explains how he has very thoughtfully passed it on.
I was getting a bit tired of that attitude, but plugging along in the book, until I got to the chapter entitled “The Guru in the Red Dress” and figured out who Margaret was. Rarely have I been more disappointed by a revelation. Don’t get me wrong: I’m glad that the author has such an open mind and is willing to learn from anyone, because that’s certainly an admirable trait. But the words of wisdom that Margaret shared with him were so banal that I wondered if I had missed something. Alas, no.
There are definitely some morals worth dissecting in this book, and if you like motivational literature, this might be for you. However, due to the author’s tone and trite prose, I have to give this book only two out of five stars.
The book by Rob White became my favorite. It has short stories, I would rather say, some of the life events from Mr. Rob White’s life and the lessons he learned from them. This is very well written. Mr. White took events starting from his childhood and till recently. Each story is unique, the scenario is unique and the lesson learned is unique. I particularly liked the way Mr. White put each and every incident and narrated it in an amazing way. Reading the way he dealt with certain situations, how he fell and got back on his feet.. it felt amazing.
The pace is wonderful. It’s easy to understand. I could literally put myself in the shoes of the character. There were many stories where I could relate myself to the situation. My favorite story is the one at the airport where Mr. White meets a British woman and learns patience from her.
After reading the book, I felt there are plenty of stories around us, happening to us in our daily lives and we rarely take out some time to learn anything at all from them. If we look properly, we can see amazing teachers around us, not necessarily the one we see at school but janitors, strangers, second-grade kids, bulls, etc. Everyone and everything in this beautiful world always try to tell us something, if only, we pay proper attention.
Salute to Rob White for coming up with such a beautiful book. I read plenty of motivational books but this one is on the top of the list. This is nothing like those regular motivational books. The way storyteller is way unique and made this book unique, too! I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. This book is a fantastic read for all age groups. I really love the way Mr. Rob White succeeded in his life, how he took risks and how he learned from his mistakes. He didn’t keep those experiences to himself but he taught those lessons to the people he met and helped them make the most of their lives.
I look forward to reading more and more books by Rob White. Mr. White’s stories taught me that believing in yourself, taking risks, trusting your instincts and learning to stand up after falling, help us reach our goals and making the impossible, possible. I must say, the stories of personal transformation in this book are totally worth a read!
Rob White is a millionaire who was struggling to find satisfaction in his life. As a very wealthy man he initially told himself he would be happy after buying one more sports car or one more house but eventually he realised these material possessions weren’t making him happy. This led Rob to start his quest for self-fulfilment. He started out by seeking many famous “self-help” authors and speakers only to find the best “life gurus” were normal people you would met during your day to day life: you just need to know how to recognised them.
The initial listing of different famous self-help experts was quite repetitive. The structure was; this is who I spoke to but it didn’t work, then I spoke to this person but it didn’t work, and so on. However the layout of the chapters, whilst still repetitive, was really interesting: each one focused on busting a myth that White believed about the world. This fascinated me and I wanted to read the chapter to find out how this myth was proven wrong and what was the truth.
I have never read a self-help book before and “Then I Met Margaret” was an ideal introduction to this genre. The book wasn’t very long (only 196 pages) and the chapters are bite-sized so they are perfect if you’re in need of motivation but don’t have lots of time. The chapters all make sense as stories on their own so it would be possible to choose a myth you wanted to dispel and just read that chapter. I do need to say that because this is the first self-help book I’ve read I don’t have anything else to properly compare it to.
White has clearly had an amazing life and this showed in his writing. However, I never felt that he had any snobbery towards anyone. It had a really friendly tone; White didn’t talk down to the reader or use complicated jargon. He came across very normal, making the book relatable. The last chapter demonstrated this better than any other; he was able to be so wealthy and work with the best in the industry and still be friends with someone like Peter.
The chapter on Margaret was very small and seemed insignificant compared to others. This made me question why he dedicated the book to her instead of a more impactful “guru” that he met. Maybe a more suitable title would be about life’s gurus in general rather than one in particular.
I would rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I haven’t given this book a four because I didn’t enjoy reading this as much as I do fictional books as nothing really happened. It also was fairly repetitive in a few instances, which stopped it being very exciting. However, I did think it was a great self-help book and I enjoyed the tone of the writing hence why I didn’t give it a two.
And Then I Met Margaret is a non-fiction self-help book written by author Rob White. It was published in 2014. Rob is also a motivational coach and philosopher. Rob spends his time inspiring and helping others achieve success. If you enjoy spiritual path stories with a focus on life lessons and tips for success, then you’ll enjoy And Then I Met Margaret.
And Then I Met Margaret opens with some inspirational words that lead into the first story. Following the first are a series of stories accompanied with the myths Rob thought he believed and the realities that followed. Readers of spiritual books or anything that falls into this genre will find something to be inspired by. Rob takes from his experiences and brings to life the important aspects of each one. He digs deep for the lesson and the meaning behind it. Whether it’s good or bad, there is something to be learned. Rob is sure to include the mistakes he has made along the way alongside his stories of success, which is something to be appreciated, especially in a world where everyone parades facades of perfection.
What I enjoyed the most about this book was Rob’s way of looking at the world. It was refreshing to learn that there is still genuine kindness and positivity in the world. In a world that seems to constantly feed on negativity and hate, it was nice to read such beautiful stories that provide different perspectives on life.
There was one thing that bothered me about this book. It wasn’t a major issue, but more of personal taste and differing views colliding. While I think positivity can go a long way, and people all around the world have extraordinary true stories to tell, I felt that some of these lessons were forced. Not everyone has such good experiences stemming from bad, and I think it can be damaging to teach that positivity or good deeds can fix everything. However, I don’t want it to seem like I’m relaying a bad message here. I still genuinely believe that Rob has good intentions and only wishes to help others.
Every day is a new opportunity to learn something that you can apply to improve yourself as a person as well as your overall perspectives. At the end of it all, what really wins is being real, being honest, and being humble. Accompany Bob White as he encounters many people along his journey from a boy to a man, learning and sharing with others. One thing I like about Bob’s character is he’s very resourceful with the advice he receives from others and does his best to pay it forward by helping others. The best part about life is the ability to humbly know that you’ve helped push others along in their low moments while gaining something from them as well.
In “And Then I Met Margaret,” author Robert White demonstrates scenarios of encounters with various people character Bob met all over the world with an open mind. There were, of course, unfortunate moments when life hands you lemons and wanting to throw in the towel, but he soon prevailed because I wanted to fulfill his purpose. He’s very observant and paid close attention to the struggles of others, which taught him a lesson and as a kind payment offered telling them about an encounter that gave a lesson he can share. Extremely accomplished although, in the beginning, we as readers would assume he’d lead a cookie-cutter life as his generations before him. It’s wonderful to witness that he rose above what was assumed his fate and became his own man living in a large world, connecting with people without the restrictions of indifference.
I enjoyed reading this book and the beginning myth and learned quotes are things that would come in handy. It gave me a sense that we too can take what we learn from others, apply it to our lives and then turn around and give advice to others. Motivational speaking would be fitting due to the type of lessons he was able to learn through experience. I recommend everyone to read this book as you’ll be able to take a lot of great advice from it and share it with any and everyone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Author Rob White has compiled stories and life lessons in this book. He was a substitute teacher, a successful real estate entrepreneur and also invested in the restaurant business. Even though he was wealthy and appeared to have it all, he still desired something else in his life and he read self-help books and talked with many motivational people and gurus for answers. Growing up in a small mill town in Massachusetts, he learned many good lessons from his parents, his Aunt Theresa and his Uncle Fred. The story about his Aunt Theresa is very touching. She never got married due to a story of lost love and in their small town she became reclusive, except she would still visit Rob's family and play cards with him and his sister. She taught Rob the valuable lesson of kindness which is a recurring theme throughout most of these stories. There is a funny and cute story in Chapter three where Rob steals two pieces of candy from the local store and is so ridden with guilt that he is worried that he will go to jail! He understands that stealing is wrong and is determined to make things right. When Rob was in his Senior year of High School, he was one of only a handful of kids that decided to go to College. Most of the boys would work in the local factory after High School. His friends began to treat him differently that Senior year. They thought that Rob felt he was better than them because he was going to College. During the end of his Senior year, he felt like an outsider for going against the traditions of his small town. There are many fun and interesting stories about Rob's life and the many people that influenced him and changed his way of thinking. He has a very philosophical outlook on life and has compassion for others. The lessons he has learned throughout his life are inspiring and relatable.
And Then I Met Margaret by Rob White is an inspirational book filled with twenty stories that helped change his life. He chose to share these stories to help others see how encounters with unexpected teachers can dismiss the myths that keep us from realizing our dreams. He found some of his unexpected teachers in a young child named Margaret, strangers in the park, co-workers among many others. While their words were quite simple, they were life changing for the author. One such lesson was from a teacher who simply said “pay attention”. That one statement made a huge difference in how White learned to make wiser personal and business decisions.
As he shares these stories he also adds little nuggets of myth versus reality thoughts may that help transform your thinking. Believing in yourself is a major reference point in this book. The author advises readers to “...give the same energy to the truth that you gave to the myth.” The myth being negative thoughts we may have about ourselves when it comes to accomplishing our goals and reaching beyond our dreams. One myth he shares is, ”Only the few are selected to win.” The reality that he discovered is, “If it is to be, it is up to me”. This line of thought requires us to learn to believe in ourselves and of course paying attention to the words of unexpected teachers placed in our paths.
The stories in this book can be applied to people from all walks of life who dare to dream, but haven’t taken that first step. The author does a nice job to dispel the many life myths we come to believe perhaps due to our upbringing, poor judgment of ourselves or listening to the wrong people. I for one will keep myself open to receive what unexpected teachers I may encounter have to share with me.
Then I met Margaret is such a great book .From the introduction , the author starts by narrating how he grew from a poor town and tries to tell us that luck is not something that comes easily and freely .He states that luck happens through the individuals .
The book has stories that I can say they are Motivating and propelling us towards realisation of our dreams .
In the first story we see how aunt Theresa used to visit Bobby's home and had to play cards and the inly card game he knew by thag time was the old maid . He was at the age of 5 and each and everytime Bobby and Aunt Theresa remained on the game, Theresa used to pick old maid card which years later while on her sick bed before dying, Aunt Theresa explained to Bobby that she did all that intentionally to avoid him the insults from his sisters.she also requested bobby to keep the cards and remember the goodtimes they had.
Later on Bobby's mum explained to him how aunt Theresa used to indure the insults of being laughed at and that impacted a positive way of life and led him to be generous even when he was at his work place.
There are many stories in the book that brings humor and at the end of each stiry we get to learn something out of it. For instance , the uncle Fred story who used to pay them a visit and do some magic for him alongside his friend steve. After two decades when Bobby became a teacher , he started using the virtues he learnt from the tricks to improve self esteem of the low students. And I like the say " A happy Successful life comes with a right thoughts and the right feeling" This story has more to learn about and all the stories are equally important and motivating.
Half memoir, half motivational text, And Then I Met Margaret is a fun, inspirational, and quick read.
The book follows White's life, from childhood and adulthood, running down the lessons he's learned and passed on to others. White has been a schoolteacher, a real estate developer, a restaurateur, and a motivational speaker, and he has also had many other unique experiences, especially through his travel. These experiences make the book unique, but White also seems very down-to-earth and does not gloat about these experiences.
One of my only criticisms is that I was taken out of the book about 3/4 of the way through, because there were chapters about flying a plane, Formula One racing, and running with the bulls all in a row. Although I'm sure that these experiences were formative for the writer, I didn't find them very engaging, and I think they were the least unique parts of the book, especially when placed back to back. In addition, the chapter The Maasai Mother also sort of rubbed me the wrong way. I think this is because the other experiences in And Then I Met Margaret are all White's own, but this one seems to use another persons narrative and personal trauma in a way that I found uncomfortable.
This book is just a cheerful, uncomplicated motivational blast, like morning coffee. I would recommend this book to someone who's looking for a pick me up, and who is feeling unfulfilled or that their life is on the wrong track. I think it could be even more impactful to younger people who are in high school or college.
Some of the greatest learning opportunities in my lifetime have been treasured gifts, sometimes coming from the most unexpected places.
Rob White shares a collection of personal stories, starting in childhood, that shaped his life. One story that touched my heart is the lesson he learned from Rose Kennedy when he was a student working at a lavish party: "If it is to be, it's up to me." Each of us has the choice to defy the odds and reach for our dream. But, you need to first have faith in yourself.
Mr. White grew up in a small town in Massachusettes. One of his stories, about his Aunt Theresa, reminded me of all the comments I heard about "Old Maids" in my own hometown in the midwest. What we learn about love and compassion from those we love and those who are scorned is priceless. Rob White deftly teaches us we need to decide in favor of ourselves because there's more to us than we currently believe.
As you read the stories, you quickly realize that traditions and expectations are community and family-based. What someone else has planned for your life isn't necessarily what's best for you. White's stories give you a glimpse into the decisions and future you truly want to pursue.
You will learn that winning without integrity is not a win. I love how Mr. White impresses the reader to rejoice in each accomplishment, to never get trapped into doing something you don't want to do, to use your power to direct your destiny, and that age, race, and gender simply don't matter when it comes to success.
It is normal, and reasonable, for a person to read, or listen to, self help gurus like Stephen Covey, Marianne Williamson or Tony Robbins. However, it would be a big mistake to ignore life lessons that happen every day, taught by average people.
The author grew up in small-town Massachusetts. In his tweens, one winter, he found a deer with its foot stuck in the ice. He did his best to reassure the deer that he was only there to help. He intentionally stood between the deer and a policeman who was about to shoot it. The deer eventually got free. Soon afterwards, his father wanted to introduce him to the tradition of deer hunting. After his encounter with the deer, White refused to take part.
Another tradition, right after high school, is to get a job in either of the two factories in town. White decided that he would rather go to college. He was caught cheating on an English Literature final exam. Did the teacher blow the whistle, or did White get a second chance? After a number of years as a teacher, a job that he enjoyed, he gave it up to enter the world of buying and selling real estate. Like anything else, there were days when he felt on top of the world, and days when he wondered how he ever thought he could be a success in real estate. Meantime, the life lessons continued, from the most unlikely sources.
This is an excellent book, almost reaching the level of being a wonderful book. The stories are very easy to understand, and they are only a few pages each. The life lessons here are applicable to anyone in any stage of life. It is very highly recommended.
This book was very easy to read and at times I had “Aha” moments. The strong message I was getting is that for life to be rich and successful, you have to have faith in yourself and realize that for life to be full and rich you have to have kindness and love in your heart for yourself as much as others. I was expecting a memoir of sorts and maybe extremely religious, but I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t. I like that it wasn’t written from the perspective of my beliefs are more important than yours therefore you need to change yours. This was written from the perspective of these are my beliefs and I just want to tell you about them. I was very impressed by that and it made this very pleasant reading. Rob White did some name dropping and I have read or seen work by them. While they are very good writers and seem very humble for being such important people, I was very entertained by his “everyday” gurus. I loved the stories about his aunt and the candy shop owner the best. Those showed me how everyday people work hard to make extraordinary changes in some people’s lives. The smallest things can make the biggest impacts sometime. I am a big believer in paying it forward and how it can make a difference in lives. When life brings you lemons, make lemonade and it can bring about a change that we may never see but others do benefit from them. I truly enjoyed reading this book and I will keep it to read when I feel like my life is on a Hamster Wheel and unable to get off of it.
And then I Met Margaret - a review by Rosemary Kenny
This interesting rites-of-passage book is a (slightly) 'rambling' one, as it's autobiographical in nature, rather than coming across as a business presentation. The author leads the reader in a literate and well-expounded inspirational journey, from his younger tomboyish phase of general mischief, (including petty thievery [shoplifting]) and on into the realising what Life's all about/'road to Damascus'-type revelations, that only hard work and application will get him where he wants to be - a 'proper' grown-up. Thus with inspiration and good example from mentors such as the eponymous Margaret, he attains the [previously unknown in his local area], Nirvana of College and from there, there is no stopping our hero. His seemingly unattainable goals and dreams are gradually realised and the author is scrupulous in complimenting and thanking them individually, making it clear what part each played on his road to success as a wealthy entrepreneur. He is also happy to pass on his wealth of knowledge and life-experience to those acolytes seeking to follow in his footsteps.
I enjoyed this book as it was not written in the manner of 'holier-than-thou' preaching or critical and patronising to those who have yet to 'make it', but in an engaging and down-to-earth, realistic way that showed he appreciates he couldn't have done it alone!
The book entitled, "And Then I Met Margaret" written by Rob White is about how to live your life to its fullest potential. Most people have to learn how to change their way of thinking and to stop self limiting excuses and believe in themselves.
Rob writes about his inspiration to look outside of the factory life he is destined for as a teenager and pursue a different life that includes college. He graduates from college and becomes a school teacher and then pursues a career in real estate and the restaurant business. However, after material wealth leaves him unsatisfied spiritually, he seeks answers to find peace and happiness from others living around the world. He travels and observes people mostly in the United States and in Africa and he finds the answers he is looking for from those who have successfully found happiness and spirituality in their lives including: Ram Dass; Marianne Williamson; Tony Robbins; Zig Ziglar; Deepak Chopra; Louise Hay; Brian Tracy and many others.
He writes of the best lesson learned from each person he has met including Margaret, a grade school student after which he has entitled this book.
We can all learn from this book which will only enhance all of our lives for the better and help us all to learn how to live fuller, more enriching lives.
You deserve to be happy and successful in your own unique way. Read this book and become inspired to change your life!
From humble beginnings, Rob White went on to become very successful in the real estate and restaurant business. At the same time that he began enjoying material wealth, he experienced a deepening feeling of inner emptiness. So he sought out world-class Guru's to help him understand better how to live a full, rich life. However, he eventually discovered that the most helpful authors, world-famous keynote speakers, or famous workshop leaders- they're unassuming guru's that everyone encounters on their journey throughout life. These "every day" teachers awakened Rob to powerful insights and life lessons that are superb starting points for a new life.
Rob White's insights for seeing that people we encounter every day can teach us something about ourselves and the world around us shows that sometimes the world famous people do not have all the answers. I enjoyed his book and his stories were similar to the Chicken Soup for the Soul Series. I found that a lot of his advice was simple in understanding but very profound. He has a clear understanding that we go through life and we can learn from everyone even if we do not speak to them, but by observing they way they live. His courage to be his own man and not the man that others expect you to be.
I normally do not read self help,motivational books especially those based on true life experiences, however this particular book " And Then I Met Margaret" by Rob White changed my point of view.
I gave this book 4 stars because it was honestly written with any elaborate exaggerations. It was an honest exploration of his life and the many people that changed his original view of life from his childhood to an adult.
It spoke to me because I read many a few of the motivational books which he had also and agreed with the final summation of these books, hence his personal quest to inspiration within his everyday life.
This book to me was an honest, exploration of a man's search for meaning in a world in in which he has achieved everything physically to achieve financial security, but no spiritual meaning.
In his search he found his spirituality the everyday interaction he had with normal,everyday people both young and old.
It is an inspirational, well written, straightforward book which I would highly recommend to any one looking for a motivational book to read.
And Then I Met Margaret is an inspirational read. Author Rob White shares several life-changing experiences that leaves the reader inspired and motivated. Rob White came from humble beginnings and quickly began living a life of material wealth after becoming successful in the real estate and restaurant business. This left him feeling empty, and in search of filling that void he sought out many world-class gurus and self-help books. He soon realized that these were not the most helpful forms of inspiration but found that lessons can be learned from simple everyday life happenings. These ordinary teachers can vary in age and maturity. From the words of a child to the changes inspired by a walking buddy, Rob shares several insightful lessons that I found easy to adapt to my own life.
This book is an easy 5-star book, and I highly recommend it. The author quickly caught my attention, and I loved every chapter of this book. This book was filled with great lessons, many that I needed right now. This book is something I will easily be able to look back in to apply to life as I continue to grow older. I feel that after reading his work, I have a different outlook on life.
Absolutely competently written - this combo memoir/inspirational "lessons learned from the everyday" reads like a series of bite-sized admissions essays. They're compact, they're often somewhat funny, they have a distinct narrative arc, they start with a misaprehension of the world, how White learned something different through an encounter with a person or with his own circumstances, how he passed on the knowledge to someone else and what the results were, and ends with a snappy recap of the lesson learned (sometimes in rhyming form!).
It's also pretty bootstrappy, but nonetheless the focus on maintaining a positive perspective - and how sometimes a change in circumstances necessitates a change in your entire previous patterns of thought - I did find useful.
Also there's a story in here that I think went around tumblr, maybe, a few years ago? About being an absolutely rude american in an airport, sharing a table with a British woman, and stealing her hostess cupcakes (while thinking they were yours). (unless this is an eddie izzard joke) (it's driving me bonkers trying to place it)
Begin Living As Rob White began achieving success in the real estate and restaurant business, he also started feeling an inner emptiness. That is when he sought out the best gurus to help him learn how to live a full, rich life. However he found out that the most helpful gurus weren’t the famous authors, seminar leaders and such but the unassuming teachers that each of encounter everyday on their journey through life. With the powerful insights and life lessons that he learned Rob tells of his awakening moments in inspirational, warm, and entertaining stories. Thanks to this great storyteller these stories will helped me gain a deeper understanding of the true meaning of life just like they did the author. Written to alert you to the many unexpected teachers who can help you experience life to the fullest. And Then I Met Margaret shows how life helps you achieve your dreams and goals by sending the right at the right time. If you look around you will find unexpected teachers who can help you succeed. You just have to dispel the myths and believe in truths and life.
This books teaches you alot about how you must look at life from other peoples point of view. It is inspirational, it makes you think about all the good and bad things happening on one's life at the very moment. It makes you pause and think about yourself and what you can do make it even better. It had some great quotes that inspire you to try to succeed than fail to try. I liked it words of wisdom, The examples, the personal feeling you get from reading this book like if the author was talking about you/me in general.
I would recommend.
But, before I go I must say I was bit confused while reading the book. I believe honesty is the best policy and I maybe wrong. But during the course of the book I was bit confused because we started addressing the main characters as "Bob White or Bobby" and then from Chapter 12 the named changed to Rob and I had to pause and go back from the beginning to see if i made the mistake or was it an error. Either way the book was great.
And Then I Met Margaret (And Then) is an incredible book for those who are spiritually inclined. A bit verbose. But, very good. It's also good for those who are not spiritually inclined.
The book is a bit older than we normally review. However, this is a solid read. If you were to Google the reviews, you wouldn't know what to expect. What we can state is that the book is divided into those for whom White has deemed as being a, "Guru," in some manner. These are people whose lives have been changed because of his advice, which come from other, "Gurus."
Others have considered And Then a somewhat egotistical piece. We don't get that. No.
What other reviewers did not mention, well, we didn't read all of those reviews.
But, on the whole. The African chapter was absolutely and profoundly wild. It stunned. We won't spoil that for you, though.
Seriously, this is one of the best books read for past two years.