One Good Life: My Tips, My Wisdom, My Story

by Jill Nystul

Called “special, amazing” and “very moving” by Ree Drummond, One Good Life shares the never-before-told story of the blogger behind One Good Thing by Jillee, alongside the tips and wisdom that have earned her millions of devoted followers.     Jill Nystul started her blog, One Good Thing by Jillee, as a means to take steps forward after emerging from rehabilitation from alcohol dependence and battling a slew of equally tough issues that tested her confidence as a wife and mother. Her goal was to pursue her passion and help others along the way—one day at a time and one step at a time—by writing about one good thing each day.   It is clear that Nystul’s ability to appreciate the little things has resonated with readers everywhere. Fans have fallen in love with her crafty household endeavors, delicious recipes, and words of wisdom. One Good Life presents 75 Good Things by Jillee, fifty of which have never before been published, intertwined with Nystul’s personal story, revealed in this book for the first time. Drawing from her own experiences, Nystul shows how she has overcome tremendous hardship to finally re-embrace her faith and appreciate, each day, one good thing.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Inspirational

338 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 5, 2015

About the author

Jill Nystul's memoir, One Good Life, was published by Putnam Books in May 2015. Her popular blog One Good Thing by Jillee was a 2013 Parent's Magazine Blog Award Winner, and has been featured on The OWN Show, Mother Earth Living Magazine, First for Women Magazine, All You Magazine, and elsewhere. She holds a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism from Brigham Young University, and won a regional Emmy award in 2004 for her work as a producer of the daytime lifestyle show "Good Things Utah." Nystul currently lives near Park City, Utah with her husband and children.

Reviews

[Lauren Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

First thing first, I would love to thank penguin books Canada for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.
"Now, all fairy tales have some hidden meaning, and here it's definitely that love conquers all- but you have to believe." (255) When I first received this book I was a little apprehensive to open the spine, as the book looked more geared towards an older generation or in a later stage of life then I am in. Turns out there was a little bit of everything in there for women of all ages. This book was a fast read as I read in one day, and there was a lot of pictures to keep it interesting. When I first read the idea of an autobiography, life tips and motherly wisdom in one book I felt like it would be very choppy, but to my surprise it flowed very well. I learned quite a bit from this book that I plan to use in my future. I really liked for the author really put herself out there and showed the world that it was okay to struggle. Warning to all readers: this book will make you clean like there's no tomorrow and want to buy a bigger freezer. I would highly recommend this book!

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping to read her story and find organized tips from her website. This was very disorganized and hard for me to read but once I concentrated on reading her story and then going back to the tips I was glad I stuck with it. If you are interested in her tips and wisdom, search the website.

[Dolores · Rating 4 out of 5]

The founder of the very popular website One Good Thing by Jillee shares the story of her life....including her struggle with alcohol addiction, along with an abundance of recipes, tips, and wisdom. There are lots of photographs too.

She gives very good advice, such as saving a lot of frustration by not expecting too much from marriage....trying to see things from your spouse's point of view. Just a few of my favorite tips include how to boost your energy, how to hit your daily water quota, some natural remedies for anxiety, and recipes for great smoothies.

I really enjoyed Jill's inspiring story and will keep "One Good Life" handy for future reference. And I'll certainly make that yummy recipe for Mom's Pineapple Dessert! Thanks to Goodreads for my free copy of this information-packed book.

[Sheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to good fortune of winning this book from Goodreads first reads. It's a must read for everyone. I highly recommend it.

[Amber Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Expected to skim through most of this book, instead I read the whole thing in less than 24 hours. An inspiring story.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Penguin Canada for providing me with an Advanced Reading Copy through goodreads. I am very grateful for the opportunity to read this book. I do like reading self-help books, and the connection between the written world and cyberspace (Jill's blog), was very interesting. I like how this was a self-help book, blended with autobiography, life tips and many recipes. I finished reading the book in two days.

You can tell from my updates, that I was excited to read this book. I felt inspired reading it. I loved the colours on the cover. Reminded me of Oprah somehow.

Jill takes you through her life: her blissful childhood, her husband Dave, the births of her children, sickness, her addiction to alcohol, rehabilitation at The Ark, and the creation of her blog, One Good Thing. Jill is a very entrepreneurial woman. She has made a business from her blog. I am glad she was able to save her marriage despite the separation during her alcoholism.

This book is a gentle guide for life. It's not a how-to book, but it's something you might turn to when you feel overwhelmed. Jill provides helpful and creative solutions to removing stains from clothing and other pickles around the home.

The photographs helped the text flow, however I found them to be pixelated and a bit grainy. I'm not sure if it's because I had an ARC version. I also found a lot of the book to be self-explanatory. I skimmed through some sections. I would underline in pencil information that stood out, and towards the end of the book, I had only a few lines underlined.

The book could have been edited more rigorously. The reason why I say this is to be honest, rather than harsh. I would not have bought this book. I might not even have taken it out from the library. The truth is, if I hadn't received a free copy, I probably would not have read this book. I've been reading so much lately, and there just isn't enough time in the day to read all the books I would like. Some constructive criticism I have for Jill is that if you're writing a self-help book, do something that we haven't seen before. Something that will make your book really 'stand out'. Because, the way it is right now...it's for sure an interesting book. But it's not a book I would feel compelled to buy. It felt like a long magazine article. I could probably learn all the information from reading her website. I am sure most of the stuff in this book the majority of people are already aware of - for example, drinking soda is bad, leaving a job without giving notice is bad, there are drawbacks to dating someone from work. I liked the tone of the writing - but I didn't really see why the book had to be published.

Nevertheless, I treasure this book. It is a gentle companion that will provide me with reassurance in my attempt to live "one good life".

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It was a great story and we'll written. I liked that the author was honest about her circumstances and not preachy about her religion. I loved the wisdom and tips part as well as the story. A job well done Jill! Thanks for the advanced copy!

[Cathi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I discovered Nystul's One Good Thing blog by accident a few months ago, and I really enjoy reading it nearly every day. It's fun, well-written, visually pleasing, and just one of those fun things to read (or skim) every morning. And occasionally I even print something which I want to try. Anyway, after finding out that Jill Nystul lives in my hometown (although she moved there about a decade after I moved away) and that we attended the same university and are very close in age, I guess I wanted to learn more about her. Curiosity, for sure! This book was fun and frothy in some ways and gut-wrenching in others, so it made for a very quick read. I appreciate Jill's openness about her alcohol addiction and the battle she went through to overcome that challenge. I'm sure that her frankness in sharing such a horrible part of her life has helped other addicts.

I didn't really like the format of the book (mixing the regular story with tips and suggestions, similar to her blog entries) and would have enjoyed it more if all of the household tips, recipes, life hacks, etc. had been saved until the end of the book, where I could have browsed the entries more easily. Not a big deal, though.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part memoir, part "how to do almost anything household", and family recipes. I could hear honest voice throughout, she seems like someone I would have liked to hang out with when kids were similarly aged, post her rehab. There is an element of love and support felt and a lovely tribute to her family, as well as practicality. A book to share with someone of the LDS church (or former) who finds themselves mired in addiction or helpful hints in managing a household. Unhuh..yes, odd but it worked. Hopeful and certainly different than most memoirs.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't normally read a lot of nonfiction, but I have followed One Good Thing by Jillee for years. Therefore, I picked up her book. At first the juxtaposition of her autobiographical sketches with her trademark "good things," seemed a bit jarring, but the longer I read, the more I enjoyed this strategy. I highly recommend this title to Jillee fans and women who are struggling to break out of addiction to anything.

[Kathy Gossen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this book on a library display and was immediately drawn to it. The story is primarily a biography about Jill’s life and her recovery from addiction as an LDS believer, but it did provide a lot of interesting tips for making life better. In fact, I really liked how she organized everything—interspersing pictures, tips, and recipes throughout her life story for practical application. I could see me using this format one day when I create my own life story for my kids.

[Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

She has some good stories and fun ideas and recipes. I didn't get to finish the last few chapters of this book but overall it is worth the read especially if you are a struggling mom or a recovering addict (of which I am neither...I didn't realize that was going to be the theme of the book when I picked it up. Oh well).

[Terryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the tips and tricks of running a household. I thought the story writing could've been more developed, because I love good stories. I love this book enough to want to own it though, for the random encouragement about the small acts of a great mom.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring story, very good read

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Jackie Shane · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would rate this as the worst book I have ever read. Found it in a little free library and was curious. Absolute dribble throughout. Wow, it is amazing insight to see how some women think. I found the author to be way too traditional for my taste. Her recipes for food and household mixes were decades out of date. Some of her recommendations are outright toxic. Her food recipes almost as lethal. I found the author's life to be pathetically obsessed with her physical appearance. Yeesh. No wonder she hit the bottle now and then.

[Penny McGill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grabbed this one to fill one of my BINGO squares and didn't love the book but still found it to be a worthwhile read. It wasn't the tips & tricks that grabbed me (and for someone who runs such a beautiful website I think they might have given her a more beautiful book) it was her story and determination that made the book a worthwhile read.

It's not an unusual story and perhaps that is what made it so readable (?). It is about a woman who really did have all her ducks in a row - or it seemed that way - and then alcohol and depression combined in a powerful force to take everything away from her. The author's slow descent into hurting herself and her family is very sad to read and likely took a great deal for her to choose to share with anyone but it is clearly written and easy to follow. It's not fascinating or powerful reading but I think anyone could find something to relate to in this woman's book and if you have a patron who is in the mood for a diverting read then this is the case.

[Lisa Urso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Jillee's blog, One Good Thing By Jillee. It's filled with so many little household tips and tricks. I knew a little bit about Jillee's backstory, but not enough. This book is a clever mix of her most popular tips, integrated with her life's tales. It's all told in Jillee's simple, no-nonsense style--and her gratitude towards life shines throughout.

[Wanda Burquest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great tips and a heartfelt story.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed in with the memoir was tips and recipes. Interesting, but didn't pull me in.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gives a ton of household tips while telling the story of how the author fell into and recovered from alcoholism.

[Laurie · Rating 1 out of 5]

to be fair, I didn't read most of it. I got bored quickly and it was different than I thought it'd be.