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The Book of Qualities
From Beauty to Compassion, from Pleasure to Terror, from Resignation to Joy -- here is an insightful exploration of the rich diversity of human qualities. J. Ruth Gendler's evocative book has as its cast of familiar characters our own emotions, brought to life with a poet's wisdom and an artist's perceptive eye. In The Book of Qualities' magical community, Excitement wears orange socks, Faith lives in the same apartment building as Doubt, and Worry makes lists of everything that could go wrong while she is waiting for the train. In portraying the complexities of the psyche, Gendler uses the Qualities to bridge the distinctions between literature and psychology, and has created an original work that challenges us to look at our emotions in new and inspiring ways.
100 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
41 people are currently reading
1527 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
March 1, 2013
My children grew up with alphabet books and counting books and color books and animal books. But how do children learn Pleasure, Patience, Clarity, Wisdom, Compassion, Honesty, Joy and all the other positive qualities? How do children learn Worry, Despair, Doubt, Defeat, Anger, Panic, Suffering and all the other negative qualities? Is it possible that I and the world taught them all of those and more?
Author Gendler gives us some words in The Book of Qualities to put a human face on many of the experiences and feelings of our lives. She shared a phrase that might say best what this book is: “the ways words dance.” The book is filled with confirmations and revelations.
When the book is working for me, it will make me quizzical, introspective and pleased.
On her website Ruth Gendler says:
From the book:
This is a book of poetry and philosophy. It is from the 1970s and 1980s, a time that I look back on fondly. Another GR reviewer said it is “weaving/potting/Birkenstocks/wholegrain bread.” A person I know would call it “crunchy granola.” I think they are right. Five stars from a throwback.
Author Gendler gives us some words in The Book of Qualities to put a human face on many of the experiences and feelings of our lives. She shared a phrase that might say best what this book is: “the ways words dance.” The book is filled with confirmations and revelations.
When the book is working for me, it will make me quizzical, introspective and pleased.
On her website Ruth Gendler says:
During the process of writing The Book of Qualities I felt like an explorer trying to penetrate underneath the layers and stereotypes to experience the Qualities more directly. I was turning my skills in investigation and observation inward, focusing on the textures and colors of the emotional landscape, calling on my training as both a journalist and an artist.
Source: http://www.ruthgendler.com/books_qual...
From the book:
Joy
Joy drinks pure water. She has sat with the dying and attended many births. She denies nothing. She is in love with life, all of it, the sun and the rain and the rainbow. She rides horses at Half Moon Bay under the October moon. She climbs mountains. She sings in the hills. She jumps from the hot spring to the cold stream without hesitation.
Although Joy is spontaneous, she is immensely patient. She does not need to rush. She knows that there are obstacles on every path and that every moment is the perfect moment. She is not concerned with success or failure or how to make things permanent.
At times Joy is elusive – she seems to disappear even as we approach her. I see her standing on a ridge covered with oak trees, and suddenly the distance between us feels enormous. I am overwhelmed and wonder if the effort to catch her is worth it. Yet, she waits for us. Her desire to walk with us is as great as our longing to accompany her.
This is a book of poetry and philosophy. It is from the 1970s and 1980s, a time that I look back on fondly. Another GR reviewer said it is “weaving/potting/Birkenstocks/wholegrain bread.” A person I know would call it “crunchy granola.” I think they are right. Five stars from a throwback.
May 19, 2008
This has always been my favorite "gift" book to give. The author could not find a publisher willing to print it, so she started Turquoise Mountain Press and published it herself. TMP is no longer in existence and the book was eventually picked up by a large publishing house. Each quality is depicted as an individual and they are related to one another as are families and friends. I read one of the qualities in my son's dedication when he was 6 month's old, but I'd have to search back for that program to determine which one I read... it has been several years! My mother met the author, J. Ruth Gendler, when this book was presented on the stage in Omaha, where I grew up. I think "Qualities" is a very creative way of looking at our emotions. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
November 6, 2012
My favourite aunt gave me this book about 30 years ago and I've finally finished it. It contains short pieces on 100 "qualities" such as Happiness, Anger, Jealousy, etc., accompanied by lovely whimsical drawings. It's somewhat engaging, but very 70s/80s Berkeley weaving/potting/Birkenstocks/wholegrain bread.
May 9, 2008
My life coach recommended this book. It's very sweet, and short! Each quality is described as if it were a person, one per page. For a busy, working, single mom like myself, it was perfect. I kept it in my nightstand and read a few pages at bedtime when I had time. I still keep it there and re-read pages from it occasionally. I also use it as a coaster. ;-)
June 10, 2023
So beautiful! If you enjoy poetry it is a must read. Each poem is about a Quality, but described as a human with particular relationships/patterns/actions/physical descriptors. A book to be savored, re-read, and reflected on. Some of the poems really resonated with me, while others I had a hard time switching between the metaphors and understanding what she was getting at. Some favorites include Pleasure, Sensuality, Honesty, Faith, Resignation, and Ambivalence. Definitely will return to it again in the future.
January 11, 2011
I loved this book. Very short and a simple concept: what if people's qualities were people themselves? How would they act? What would they like to do? It is more poetry to me than anything else--and I thoroughly enjoyed it. One to come back to over and over.
December 22, 2022
I loved this concept!! Personification of each quality makes them personal and relatable. Loved it
December 16, 2025
This book was so cute and whimsical. A coworker lent it to me and I read it right up in one day. It really made me think about the qualities I have, the qualities I'm drawn to, and how they play together. I really liked the author's style which included a lot of color and references to nature, sun, moon, and stars.
May 18, 2022
This is an absolutely splendid book, with the mix of poetry, whimsy, art, and truth I love about The Little Prince or Invisible Cities. Highly, highly recommend and will reread often.
December 31, 2024
A beautiful book of prose that personifies many aspects of each of our personalities. Anxiety, courage, pleasure, joy, shock, and so many more. Beautiful point of view from the author; enjoyable and quick read.
March 20, 2022
A poetic and personal book that beautifully humanised each emotion with eloquent grace. I saw a little bit of everyone I have met, including myself in these pages. Highly recommend if you enjoy writing that fuses literature with the inner workings of the human psyche.
January 23, 2008
This book was very interesting. Some qualities in the book I enjoyed and appreciated more than others. Ambivalence was my favorite. The qualities are people and when she writes about what they do and don't do it helps you see and understand the quality better. This book is very different from what you'd think by the title. Here's a short quality description for an example - "Inspiration - Inspiration is disturbing. She does not believe in guarantees or insurance or strict schedules. She is not interested in how well you write your grant proposal or what you do for a living or why you are too busy to see her. She will be there when you need her but you have to take it on trust. Surrender. She knows when you need her better than you do." I like to think about the qualities after I read about them. She has interesting drawings for some of them. I met the author at a book reading in Vancouver. She is very interesting to listen to. She travels where invited to talk about her books. She lives in Berkeley, California. It was fun to listen to her and now read her book.
February 10, 2009
We had to read this for a theatre class in college and then preform 'monologues' choosing two qualities. I think it is one of the most beautiful books. I give it as a gift to almost everyone i know and had a a very good friend of mine read a passage out if it at our wedding.
October 13, 2015
one of my all time favorite books to refer to. I just read it again.
Read
August 7, 2011Jane is Whimsy!
March 29, 2020
Dễ đọc. Hầu như không gây ấn tượng mạnh với mình nhưng mỗi khi cần một quyển để thổ lộ, illustare tâm tư thì đây sẽ là sự lựa chọn không hề tồi...
Want to read
February 2, 2021The Book of Qualities fits in my library the way Lynne Truss's "Eats Shoots and Leaves" does: not quite necessary, but oh-so-delightful. (I periodically pick up the grammar text above and spend some time reviewing how to use commas ... and erupting in laughter!).
J. Ruth Gendler's "The Book of Qualities" holds a similar place: it's a distraction and an opportunity for thought, witty at times and poignant at others, and it's all in tiny snippets. I can see using the author's illustrative definitions of Complacency, Depression, Pleasure, Longing, Ecstacy, Shock as springboards for thought or when writing a longer piece on such topics. I think Ms. Gendler covers 77 qualities, although I noted that gratitude didn't make it.
If I were to describe myself in the style of these descriptive explanations, I might say that Stephanie has little regard for fashion; her wardbrobe ranges from mild slob to milder diva. She loves to play with her beads and curl up with her books, and when not booking or beading, you might find her working on a serious career portfolio-building resume and biography, editing someone's writing, or researching a workshop (on gratitude, for example). Stephanie eats yogurt with maple syrup and walnuts and walks to the forest in sensible footwear to hug a tree or two. Her pockets often hold a rock or two. She learns melodies after one or two listens but cannot learn technology, except to post reviews.
J. Ruth Gendler's "The Book of Qualities" holds a similar place: it's a distraction and an opportunity for thought, witty at times and poignant at others, and it's all in tiny snippets. I can see using the author's illustrative definitions of Complacency, Depression, Pleasure, Longing, Ecstacy, Shock as springboards for thought or when writing a longer piece on such topics. I think Ms. Gendler covers 77 qualities, although I noted that gratitude didn't make it.
If I were to describe myself in the style of these descriptive explanations, I might say that Stephanie has little regard for fashion; her wardbrobe ranges from mild slob to milder diva. She loves to play with her beads and curl up with her books, and when not booking or beading, you might find her working on a serious career portfolio-building resume and biography, editing someone's writing, or researching a workshop (on gratitude, for example). Stephanie eats yogurt with maple syrup and walnuts and walks to the forest in sensible footwear to hug a tree or two. Her pockets often hold a rock or two. She learns melodies after one or two listens but cannot learn technology, except to post reviews.
February 22, 2021
This book is incredibly evocative and intuitive. I love the stories for each attribute/emotion, or I should say, quality. It was really interesting how she combined some attributes/qualities together to reveal a sense of chaos and some social potency.
This book helps me feel deeply, almost organizing the intricate qualities I feel within me, and helping me make sense of them. It also helped me see the beauty in what I perceived as negative qualities such as jealousy, ugliness, and anger.
Throughout the book, I couldn’t help be engrossed, fascinated, and utterly attuned with my emotions. I have never seen a book that separates each quality, and giving a personality of its own!! This book is also artistic, the drawings are also explanatory, intense despite its lack of color.
Gendler does an amazing job showcasing what it truly means to be human and have these various qualities, and shows that if we attend to them, we can become more present and calm. Her perspective throughout each quality was not only eye-opening but also immensely inspiring as she reinforced how ambiguous human emotion can be—and how it is okay, to feel even the qualities we find difficult to experience. Emotions/qualities, shouldn’t be a state we should try to escape, the point of life and living in the moment, according to Gendler is what makes the human experience so rewarding and joyful.
I enjoyed this book SO much!!
This book helps me feel deeply, almost organizing the intricate qualities I feel within me, and helping me make sense of them. It also helped me see the beauty in what I perceived as negative qualities such as jealousy, ugliness, and anger.
Throughout the book, I couldn’t help be engrossed, fascinated, and utterly attuned with my emotions. I have never seen a book that separates each quality, and giving a personality of its own!! This book is also artistic, the drawings are also explanatory, intense despite its lack of color.
Gendler does an amazing job showcasing what it truly means to be human and have these various qualities, and shows that if we attend to them, we can become more present and calm. Her perspective throughout each quality was not only eye-opening but also immensely inspiring as she reinforced how ambiguous human emotion can be—and how it is okay, to feel even the qualities we find difficult to experience. Emotions/qualities, shouldn’t be a state we should try to escape, the point of life and living in the moment, according to Gendler is what makes the human experience so rewarding and joyful.
I enjoyed this book SO much!!
February 24, 2020
Từ Xinh Đẹp đến Trắc Ẩn, từ Hoan Lạc đến Kính Sợ, từ Buông Xuôi đến Vui Vẻ - một hành trình khám phá sâu sắc về sự đa dạng của những phẩm chất con người. Tác giả mang những nhân vật hóa trang thành chính những cảm xúc của chúng ta, sống dậy với trí tuệ của một nhà thơ và con mắt tinh tường của một nghệ sĩ.
Trong thế giới ma thuật của CUỘC SỐNG TRONG NỘI TÂM, Phấn Khích đi đôi tất màu cam, Đức Tin sống cùng tòa nhà với Ngờ Vực, và Lo Lắng liệt kê mọi viễn cảnh tồi tệ khi nàng đang đợi tàu. Bằng cách nhân hóa mọi thứ cảm xúc, cả cuộc sống trong nội tâm được phân loại theo giới tính, tuổi tác, nghề nghiệp, khi đọc, bạn sẽ nhận ra tác giả đưa cả cuộc đời mình vào đó, những giai đoạn trong cuộc sống, những cảm xúc trong lúc bão giông hay những ngày nắng đẹp.
Đây không hẳn là một quyển sách dễ đọc, nhưng là một quyển sách kỳ lạ, bạn cần đọc nhiều lần, lần đầu đọc 1 lượt từ đầu đến cuối (vì xét cho cùng nó cũng mỏng dính, chữ to và đầy hình ảnh ^^), sau đó bạn có thể lật ra bất kì một trang sách với bất kì cảm xúc và đọc đi đọc lại. Bạn sẽ nhận ra rằng: à, thì ra cảm xúc này là như thế, mình đã trãi qua như thế nhiều lần rồi mà :)
Trong thế giới ma thuật của CUỘC SỐNG TRONG NỘI TÂM, Phấn Khích đi đôi tất màu cam, Đức Tin sống cùng tòa nhà với Ngờ Vực, và Lo Lắng liệt kê mọi viễn cảnh tồi tệ khi nàng đang đợi tàu. Bằng cách nhân hóa mọi thứ cảm xúc, cả cuộc sống trong nội tâm được phân loại theo giới tính, tuổi tác, nghề nghiệp, khi đọc, bạn sẽ nhận ra tác giả đưa cả cuộc đời mình vào đó, những giai đoạn trong cuộc sống, những cảm xúc trong lúc bão giông hay những ngày nắng đẹp.
Đây không hẳn là một quyển sách dễ đọc, nhưng là một quyển sách kỳ lạ, bạn cần đọc nhiều lần, lần đầu đọc 1 lượt từ đầu đến cuối (vì xét cho cùng nó cũng mỏng dính, chữ to và đầy hình ảnh ^^), sau đó bạn có thể lật ra bất kì một trang sách với bất kì cảm xúc và đọc đi đọc lại. Bạn sẽ nhận ra rằng: à, thì ra cảm xúc này là như thế, mình đã trãi qua như thế nhiều lần rồi mà :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2018
This little book came into my life on a whim. I saw it, and bought it, and am delighted I did so. Gendler talks about the Qualities in our lives—both the good ones, and the not-so-good ones; and how to live with them, or show them the door, whichever is needed.
Her first Quality is Pleasure—wild and sweet. Her line drawings are delightful (dare I say, pleasurable?). She gives us Competition and Defeat and ends with Harmony and Joy. These are mini biographies of all the Qualities we have and or will encounter at some time in our lives. Heartily recommend.
A most positive book, and as the Whole Life Times writes: A wry and whimsical mirror in which we catch an unexpected look at ourselves.
Her first Quality is Pleasure—wild and sweet. Her line drawings are delightful (dare I say, pleasurable?). She gives us Competition and Defeat and ends with Harmony and Joy. These are mini biographies of all the Qualities we have and or will encounter at some time in our lives. Heartily recommend.
A most positive book, and as the Whole Life Times writes: A wry and whimsical mirror in which we catch an unexpected look at ourselves.
October 22, 2018
A lyrical homage to our emotions and personality traits as personified characters, this thin volume was a joy to read. I want to own this to have on hand to read again and muse over the descriptions, consider them in relation to my own moods and invite them over for tea to get to know them better. Highly original, it feels like its been awhile since I was so immediately taken with a book and settled down to read it all in a day and think through who I related to as the hours shifted. The line drawings were wonderful additions and represented just as well the feeling evoked by each quality. Highly recommend this one if you have any cause to write or work in the field of emotion and feeling.
November 13, 2018
There's a section on my bookshelves, reserved for books that I go to when I'm feeling out of sorts, and that's where my copy of "The Book of Qualities" can be found. The book was a gift from a friend years ago, and when I took it down again today I remembered how much I've enjoyed it through the years.
Unique in its design, the author gives personalizes to emotions, reminding me to befriend my desirable feelings ("JOY's desire to walk with us is as great as our longing to accompany her...") and rid myself of the undesirable ones. ("I want to write CRITICISM a letter and tell him to leave me alone...")
I love the whimsy of it all, because I tend to take myself a bit too seriously at times!
Unique in its design, the author gives personalizes to emotions, reminding me to befriend my desirable feelings ("JOY's desire to walk with us is as great as our longing to accompany her...") and rid myself of the undesirable ones. ("I want to write CRITICISM a letter and tell him to leave me alone...")
I love the whimsy of it all, because I tend to take myself a bit too seriously at times!
October 5, 2025
I first came across an excerpt about Courage personified so tenderly it felt like poetry and I knew I had to read more. This book is pure wonder. Gendler takes human qualities and gives them life: Excitement wears orange socks; Devotion “moves with an unstudied grace, sensitive to the edge where her body meets the air”; Sensuality “likes to make love at the border where time and space change places.”
It’s whimsical, wise, and imaginative. Think “Inside Out,” but written as prose for grown-ups. I read it in one day, and every page offered new insight into these qualities that makes us human.
I’ll keep this book by my side not just as a reader, but as a writer. It’s a masterclass in storytelling.💖
It’s whimsical, wise, and imaginative. Think “Inside Out,” but written as prose for grown-ups. I read it in one day, and every page offered new insight into these qualities that makes us human.
I’ll keep this book by my side not just as a reader, but as a writer. It’s a masterclass in storytelling.💖
March 2, 2018
I read this book in one sitting on a rainy night. It is one of the most imaginative books I've ever read, and I only wish I had the mind to create something so beautiful. In the book, J. Ruth Gendler creates the backstory of 100 human qualities including Worry, Despair, Honor, Devotion, Stillness and Joy, to name a few. I was moved by this book and often found myself crying while reading some of the stories. If you are looking for inspiration, or have an interest in personality, or you like to read or are a human dealing with human things, then I 100% guarantee you will not be able to put this book down once you start reading it. This is a book I will come back to for a long time.
February 21, 2020
I felt that the idea behind this book was clever. Meta-definitions of traits via personification... deep, man. I just could not get into this author’s style. One third of me felt like it was way too deep and the other third of me felt like she was bs-ing her way through writing this book. The final third thinks it reads almost like some college dorm room rap session where undergraduates who’ve been taking a lot of recreational drugs riff on “personifying qualities, man.” Not my cup of tea, but a short enough book that it was over before it wasted too much of my time.
March 18, 2018
What a wonderful, clever, lyrical, and thoughtful collection of stories? poems? something inbetween?
Gendler used her understanding of emotions and human qualities, and personifies the quality by showing what he or she does every day. But the way that each quality reacts to the world is interesting and funny and thought-provoking. I've encouraged writing friends to do similar passages to really get into a feeling related to their stories or articles, which has been very successful.
Gendler used her understanding of emotions and human qualities, and personifies the quality by showing what he or she does every day. But the way that each quality reacts to the world is interesting and funny and thought-provoking. I've encouraged writing friends to do similar passages to really get into a feeling related to their stories or articles, which has been very successful.
July 18, 2018
A wonderful surprise — found while clearing out books from the past. Gendler not only personifies human Qualities — really human emotions — a neat idea but also shows how they are related like a family — “Faith is comfortable with Doubt because she grew up with him. Their mothers are cousins.” — just like emotions we all carry within ourselves. A true gem of prose-poetry.
February 1, 2019
I found this on a book list and bought it for my daughter for Christmas.... but she cannot have it back. I LOVE IT SO MUCH! I might have to carry it with me so I can peer in for a little check every now and then. So awesome and I so fortunate to have stumbled onto this book and reccomend it to everyone!
January 6, 2020
My ultimate favourite book. Gendler gives us the freedom to experience the range of human emotion, and permission to accept each quality for what it truly is. This book has the ineffable nature of being beautifully simplistic without sacrificing an inch of depth.
Void of cliche, reduction or pretentiousness, this little book encapsulates exactly what it is to be human.
Void of cliche, reduction or pretentiousness, this little book encapsulates exactly what it is to be human.
January 7, 2020
A most peculiar, hippie-ish rumination on the emotions that make us human. I found the text a bit unsettling, but definitely worth reading and enjoying. Very humorous on some level. Each emotion is assigned a human character. It might evoke the ways in which we have spoken of qualities in the past (e.g. Sloth has taken over...) but Gendler does it in a more contemporary way.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews