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Fail Better
In our rush to succeed, few of us see the merit in failure. This little gem of a book helps introduce perspective in our lives by reminding us that unaccepted failure is just a step toward success. Motivational quotes that inspire readers toward action are paired with real life tales of failure followed by persistence and eventual triumph. Did you Michael Jordan failed to make his high school varsity basketball team. Albert Einstein's teacher described him as "mentally slow, unsociable, and adrift forever in his foolish dreams." An MGM executive described Fred Astaire as, "Can't act. Can't sing. Slightly bald." Winston Churchill lost every election for public office until he became Prime Minister of England at the age of 62. Walt Disney went bankrupt several times. Fail Better is the perfect antidote to the disappointment that follows our failures. It gives graduates a healthy dose of post-graduate perspective; provides a pick-me-up for workers who feel a little low on the totem pole; and comforts aspiring artists who, like Vincent Van Gogh, might have only sold one painting in their lifetime.
72 pages, Paperback
First published April 3, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 11, 2019
My brother Tom gave me this book for my 80th birthday in November of last year. He knows I love baseball and that he and I practiced a lot many years ago, as he was growing up.
If you decide to read it, do not let the author’s love affair with the Toronto Blue Jays deter or distract you. This is far more than a Blue Jay baseball book..
Initially as I read it, it looked like this would be focused on the game of baseball only. And it was for a god portion of the beginning. But it quickly went far beyond that – philosophically.
The title might be a bit misleading, but when you think about it, there is a lot of “failure” in baseball. Getting a hit 3 out of 10 times is considered pretty good and commands a big major league salary. There are seemingly, no end of the statistics kept in the game. Many of them are familiar, but this book revealed a lot more. Some of them are extremely obscure and leaves one wondering why they are kept. Perhaps it is because some of those keeping them have nothing else to do, or should have been actuarial accountants.
The author is able to create such things as philosophy, sports writing, a lot facts, and humor. It is clear from the outset that he loves the game.
The game carries with it a certain civility, with some exceptions of personal ill-behavior. There are many “unwritten rules” in baseball. Flipping the bat after hitting a home run, watching the ball leave the stadium, smiling at the pitcher, etc.
It is a very entertaining book. For me it is the kind of book that one takes time to read and savor. There was no rush to finish the book.
There is is even some controversy over where it was invented – Canada of t he U.S. Will we ever really know? What we do know is that it has been played in the U.S. since the 1850’s and was a popular sport during the civil war. There are records of – during lulls in combat during the civil war – that union and confederate soldiers played one another during an agreed on truce.
The sounds wooden bats hitting the ball, call hitting leather. I can hear it all now. I lived it, as have a lot of men – and yes women. Have you ever watched collegiate women’s softball? They are incredible players, though the bat is not wood. That for someone like me is a bit distracting, be it little league or women’s softball.
The author did a good job of remind me – and likely you – that as a spectator, there is a lot of time to talk and think. There is lots of time to talk to fellow fans. Most of the time, it is a gentleman’s game. Not always though. There are hit batters, spiking of infielders and a lot of literally ballet type plays. As a player you are required to totally focus on the game on every pitch, except for the intentional walk. Which as far as am concerned, they could do away with. Just give the batter the base! Though there was one time when they were intentionally walking Pete Rose and he reached out and hit the intentional ball – for a single.
As a fan, you have time to talk to companions, get another beer, buy a hot dog or use the rest room and return to the game and not have missed much, if anything.
The book is pretty funny in many places and still the focus is on the grace of the game. The game is played to a conclusion – one team wins and the other loses. Pure and simple. Yes, there are some fans that drink too much (far fewer than football or hockey) and use foul language. But not all that many, really.
I grew up in the Midwest and played a lot of organized and not so organized baseball. From very organized little league, pony league, and so forth to the endless summers of sandlot baseball. High school and college baseball does a grand job of winnowing out those with grand expectations and finding reality as the level stepped up. The inability to successfully hit a curve ball was ultimately my undoing.
The book brought back a whole slew of memories. Like taking three strikes without swinging in a high school game (mentally talked myself out of being properly aggressive – then the LONG walk to the dugout (must have been a mile) and the walk down those steps past the players sitting or standing and in absolute frustration taking out the water cooler at the other end of the dugout. That brought an early shower! There are a lot of other good memories. I loved watching and tried to pattern myself after Jackie Robinson. Of watching a game in St. Louis many years ago – when they were playing the Dodgers. The game went 13 innings and was capped off by Lou Brock stealing home from third (I termed it a naked steal as he did it on the pitcher). An incredible thing to see and wonder if I will ever see such a thing again.
If you like baseball – get this book – you will enjoy it.
If you decide to read it, do not let the author’s love affair with the Toronto Blue Jays deter or distract you. This is far more than a Blue Jay baseball book..
Initially as I read it, it looked like this would be focused on the game of baseball only. And it was for a god portion of the beginning. But it quickly went far beyond that – philosophically.
The title might be a bit misleading, but when you think about it, there is a lot of “failure” in baseball. Getting a hit 3 out of 10 times is considered pretty good and commands a big major league salary. There are seemingly, no end of the statistics kept in the game. Many of them are familiar, but this book revealed a lot more. Some of them are extremely obscure and leaves one wondering why they are kept. Perhaps it is because some of those keeping them have nothing else to do, or should have been actuarial accountants.
The author is able to create such things as philosophy, sports writing, a lot facts, and humor. It is clear from the outset that he loves the game.
The game carries with it a certain civility, with some exceptions of personal ill-behavior. There are many “unwritten rules” in baseball. Flipping the bat after hitting a home run, watching the ball leave the stadium, smiling at the pitcher, etc.
It is a very entertaining book. For me it is the kind of book that one takes time to read and savor. There was no rush to finish the book.
There is is even some controversy over where it was invented – Canada of t he U.S. Will we ever really know? What we do know is that it has been played in the U.S. since the 1850’s and was a popular sport during the civil war. There are records of – during lulls in combat during the civil war – that union and confederate soldiers played one another during an agreed on truce.
The sounds wooden bats hitting the ball, call hitting leather. I can hear it all now. I lived it, as have a lot of men – and yes women. Have you ever watched collegiate women’s softball? They are incredible players, though the bat is not wood. That for someone like me is a bit distracting, be it little league or women’s softball.
The author did a good job of remind me – and likely you – that as a spectator, there is a lot of time to talk and think. There is lots of time to talk to fellow fans. Most of the time, it is a gentleman’s game. Not always though. There are hit batters, spiking of infielders and a lot of literally ballet type plays. As a player you are required to totally focus on the game on every pitch, except for the intentional walk. Which as far as am concerned, they could do away with. Just give the batter the base! Though there was one time when they were intentionally walking Pete Rose and he reached out and hit the intentional ball – for a single.
As a fan, you have time to talk to companions, get another beer, buy a hot dog or use the rest room and return to the game and not have missed much, if anything.
The book is pretty funny in many places and still the focus is on the grace of the game. The game is played to a conclusion – one team wins and the other loses. Pure and simple. Yes, there are some fans that drink too much (far fewer than football or hockey) and use foul language. But not all that many, really.
I grew up in the Midwest and played a lot of organized and not so organized baseball. From very organized little league, pony league, and so forth to the endless summers of sandlot baseball. High school and college baseball does a grand job of winnowing out those with grand expectations and finding reality as the level stepped up. The inability to successfully hit a curve ball was ultimately my undoing.
The book brought back a whole slew of memories. Like taking three strikes without swinging in a high school game (mentally talked myself out of being properly aggressive – then the LONG walk to the dugout (must have been a mile) and the walk down those steps past the players sitting or standing and in absolute frustration taking out the water cooler at the other end of the dugout. That brought an early shower! There are a lot of other good memories. I loved watching and tried to pattern myself after Jackie Robinson. Of watching a game in St. Louis many years ago – when they were playing the Dodgers. The game went 13 innings and was capped off by Lou Brock stealing home from third (I termed it a naked steal as he did it on the pitcher). An incredible thing to see and wonder if I will ever see such a thing again.
If you like baseball – get this book – you will enjoy it.
July 18, 2018
It’s a quote book about not letting failure, mistakes, loss or anything stop you from living a full and joyful life. Also has wonderful stories about people who were deemed failures and found a way.
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again, fail again. Fail better. - Samuel Beckett
The tennis player Stan Wawrinka had this quote tattooed on his arm a few years ago. Since then he’s won three Grand Slams. Fail better.
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again, fail again. Fail better. - Samuel Beckett
The tennis player Stan Wawrinka had this quote tattooed on his arm a few years ago. Since then he’s won three Grand Slams. Fail better.
April 28, 2017
A great, quick read! Inspiring quotes on what success is, and how to overcome failure. I really liked the little stories (1/2 page or less) of real life examples of people we now consider successful and the failure they encountered before they became successful.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews