Way More Than Luck (Sneak Preview): Commencement Speeches on Living with Bravery, Empathy, and Other Existential Skills

by Chronicle Books

Want a sneak peek? Download this free sample of Way More Than Luck compiled by Chronicle Books. The commencement speech is the most popular public address of our time, shared every spring and remembered for years. Here, in an anthology of some of the finest of the genre, brilliant creative minds in every sector offer their wisdom: David Foster Wallace on living a compassionate life, Debbie Millman on the importance of taking risks, Michael Lewis on the responsibility that good fortune merits—and so many other greats. Some of this advice is grand (believe in the impossible), and some of it is granular enough to check off a life list (donate five percent of your money or your time). All of it is universally uplifting. Handsomely packaged with a silkscreened cloth spine and energetic typography throughout, this book is a smart, special gift for graduates and anyone embarking on a new adventure.

Includes speeches from: Dick Costolo, Nora Ephron, Ira Glass, Khaled Hosseini, Barbara Kingsolver, Madeleine L’Engle, Michael Lewis, Debbie Millman, Eileen Myles, Jonathan Safran Foer, Michael Uslan, David Foster Wallace, Bradley Whitford, and Tom Wolfe.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Reference, Essays, Anthologies

Kindle Edition

First published February 10, 2015

Reviews

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maria Popova from the blog Brain Pickings calls it the reinvention of the secular sermon. The title is taken from the final exhortation of David Foster Wallace’s speech to Kenyon College, included within, that is often referred to as “This is Water” That, along with the beautiful design of the book, is worth the price of admission. I’m just sad it doesn’t have my second favourite commencement address. It’s George Saunders address to Syracuse University in 2013 on the power of kindness.

[L · Rating 3 out of 5]

While beautifully produced with colorful pages highlighting important quotes, all the commencement speeches are available online. Though it does make a thoughtful gift.

Some of the highlights:

Michael Lewis - On luck role and the importance of emphasizing with the less fortunate

Michael Uslan - On perseverance

Bradley Whitford - On writing your own story

[siso.sofy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A set of good and bad advice in one book. Give you chance to think and reflect back about life before graduation and after graduation. How far you have come in this life. The effort you made is way more than luck.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a nice, quick read that fills you with all the pump up and perspective you need for moving along in life. Some really stayed with me, Debbie Millman and Michael Uslan and Michael Lewis' speeches were absolutely lovely.

[Charlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a mixed bag in quality and persuasiveness but s fun read and plenty to think about.

[Kritin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some good commencement speeches, some not-so-good. Nevertheless, absolutely loved Michael Lewis' commencement speech, especially the following lines:

"Don't be deceived by life's outcomes. Life's outcomes, while not entirely random, have a huge amount of luck baked into them. Above all, recognize that if you have had success, you have also had luck - and with luck comes obligation. You owe a debt, and not just to your gods. You owe a debt to the unlucky."

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a beautifully designed little book, so it looked like a good gift for young people but it is an unfortunately uneven collection. I liked Bradley Whitford, Michael Uslan, Michael Lewis, and Barbara Kingsolver. Bu the others were boring, inarticulate, sexist or just plain bad advice along the lines of "you can do anything!" It's also just very weird including advice from David Foster Wallace about how to avoid committing suicide, given that he committed suicide.

[Victor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some graduation speeches are good and some are bad and it's the same with this book. The good ones talk about being deliberate and making decisions intentionally while the bad ones are very forgettable because they're boring. It's the same with life: if you're bored and boring you'll probably be forgotten real soon.

[Shilpa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's also a reminder that you need Way More Than Luck to succeed. You need talent and a perseverance to go the course. Which is why this book piqued my interest. I've always wanted to learn how to write an amazing speech. I am speechless when I hear the inspiring words come out of some of the world's greatest leaders.

Review: http://sukasareads.blogspot.ca/2015/0...

[Burky Ford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not much new.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few really solid speeches, buried in between some less interesting or inspiring ones.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helped me write my own speech while making me think about what exactly I am going going to be doing for the next four years.

[Rodrigo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Os discursos costumam se repetir e, ironicamente, há um padrão na tentativa da não repetição. Mas o saldo é positivo. Um pouco de motivação não faz mal a ninguém.

[Michelle Leduc Catlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first essay and the last were the best. The ones in between varied in quality, and really weren't as inspiring as I'd hoped.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several of the speeches in here are 5-star...most are really just 3-star...Kind of hit and miss, but I really enjoyed the "Hits".

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book.

[Yuliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring and insightful.