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Smile: The Astonishing Powers of a Simple Act
Ron Gutman embarks on a fascinating global expedition while reviewing a raft of studies about smiling, which reveal some surprising results. Did you know your smile can be a predictor of how long you'll live — and that a simple smile has a measurable effect on your overall well-being and the quality of life of people around you? Prepare to flex a few facial muscles as you learn more about this evolutionarily contagious behavior. “Ron Gutman has written a supremely optimistic treatment of the smile. He has linked the far reaches of human existence to a common facial gesture that we all respond to without really knowing why. His book invited me to look beyond common boundaries, which is what a smile does in the first place, and which our eyes do, also. (The two are fused in a phrase “Her eyes smiled at me.”) If it turns out, after all our worry and disorder, that we do live in a universe that smiles on us, it will come as an immense relief. We have had a reason to smile all along, and reflecting on that truth will bring yet another smile to our faces.” —Deepak Chopra, MD
48 pages, ebook
First published December 5, 2011
30 people are currently reading
518 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
November 13, 2017
The book Smile by Ron Gutman, is a short nonfiction read about the “astonishing powers of a simple act”- smiling. Overall the book was satisfactory; I wouldn’t say that it was wonderful, but it was not a terrible book either. In this short novel, Gutman combines personal experiences from his world travel, and extensive research to support his idea that a simple smile can change your life. I thoroughly enjoyed reading his experiences from other countries. It was interesting to see what smiling meant, and how it was done in different cultures around the world. For example, Ron writes this to describe the smile of a Burmese man “seemed to have been emphasizing a wide opening of the eyes rather than a broad open mouth”; unlike in the United States the people of Myanmar smile with their eyes more than they show with their lips. I feel that the cultural aspect of Gutmans writing was very interested and well done; I am afraid I cannot say the same about the rest of the book.
I felt that overall, the book was repetitive, and just not interesting. He was constantly repeating the same ide throughout every chapter. This definitely proved his point, but he did not expand on his thoughts as much as he could have. Gutman decided to add many photographs throughout his book. Few of these were from his personal travels or research, and most were just taken off of the internet. I felt that these pictures distracted from the purpose of the writing, and created an immature feel. I felt as though I was reading a picture book intended for a 5 year old, and not a thesis with information and supporting research.
I would not recommend this book to many people. It is a perfect choice for people who need a quick read, and want to gain a different perspective on life. Anybody from 15 years and older would be able to get through this easily, any younger may have a difficult time because of some of the author’s word choices. Overall it was an interesting and quick read, and I learned about the importance of smiling, but It was not worth the short time I spent reading it.
I felt that overall, the book was repetitive, and just not interesting. He was constantly repeating the same ide throughout every chapter. This definitely proved his point, but he did not expand on his thoughts as much as he could have. Gutman decided to add many photographs throughout his book. Few of these were from his personal travels or research, and most were just taken off of the internet. I felt that these pictures distracted from the purpose of the writing, and created an immature feel. I felt as though I was reading a picture book intended for a 5 year old, and not a thesis with information and supporting research.
I would not recommend this book to many people. It is a perfect choice for people who need a quick read, and want to gain a different perspective on life. Anybody from 15 years and older would be able to get through this easily, any younger may have a difficult time because of some of the author’s word choices. Overall it was an interesting and quick read, and I learned about the importance of smiling, but It was not worth the short time I spent reading it.
December 23, 2020
"For example, the Islamic prophet Muhammad taught his followers that even a smile is real charity: “Your smile for your brother is charity” (Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Vol. 3, No. 98). Important to both Christianity and Judaism, the Book of Proverbs teaches that “a friendly smile makes you happy, and goodnews makes you strong” (Proverbs 15:30)."
This is a good book in the sense that it is very well rounded and gives you a good picture of what a smile entails. However, there was very poor editing and also some typos. There were huge gaps in-between pages, and I really feel that the book can be halved in size and it would have no effect whatsoever on what one learns from it. However, it was still definitely beneficial. Something I found very interesting and unique was:
While traveling in the northern part of Asia, I discovered that in Japan and Korea and in some other Asian countries, people also smile more with their eyes than with their mouths. That is why Nancy’s host-mother in Japan may have covered her mouth; she,instead, was smiling with her eyes. In fact, research from Hokkaido University in Japan, as well as from Northwestern University in the United States and the University of Alberta in Canada, has shown that when someone smiles with the mouth only—and not with the eyes—the smile is not commonly recognized by the Japanese as a “real” smile. On the other hand, when people smile with their eyes but not with their mouths, Americans often don’t recognize these as a “real” smiles.
This explains the difference in smiley emoticons in America :-), which use neutral eyes and smiling mouth, and those in Japan ^_^, which use neutral mouth and smiling eyes.
This is a very interesting cultural observation.
This is a good book in the sense that it is very well rounded and gives you a good picture of what a smile entails. However, there was very poor editing and also some typos. There were huge gaps in-between pages, and I really feel that the book can be halved in size and it would have no effect whatsoever on what one learns from it. However, it was still definitely beneficial. Something I found very interesting and unique was:
While traveling in the northern part of Asia, I discovered that in Japan and Korea and in some other Asian countries, people also smile more with their eyes than with their mouths. That is why Nancy’s host-mother in Japan may have covered her mouth; she,instead, was smiling with her eyes. In fact, research from Hokkaido University in Japan, as well as from Northwestern University in the United States and the University of Alberta in Canada, has shown that when someone smiles with the mouth only—and not with the eyes—the smile is not commonly recognized by the Japanese as a “real” smile. On the other hand, when people smile with their eyes but not with their mouths, Americans often don’t recognize these as a “real” smiles.
This explains the difference in smiley emoticons in America :-), which use neutral eyes and smiling mouth, and those in Japan ^_^, which use neutral mouth and smiling eyes.
This is a very interesting cultural observation.
April 12, 2014
Worthy premise and documentation, but weakened by poor editing and coherency.
November 11, 2021
The book keeps talking about smiling and the power of a smile over and over again till it kills the happiness inside you.
Mr. Gutman was encouraged to write this book after this TED talk became viral (which I haven't watched) and it speaks of basic things such as:
1. Your smile is universal and transferrable
2. Sometimes forcing the physical action of smiling can make you happy
3. A genuine smile involves the eyes as well as the cheek muscles
If the repetition and name dropping of research studies were kept to a minimum the size of the book would be reduced to 1/10th of the current one. It's an article masquerading as a book and 48 pages took me 5 days on account of the repetitive content.
Highly skippable!
Mr. Gutman was encouraged to write this book after this TED talk became viral (which I haven't watched) and it speaks of basic things such as:
1. Your smile is universal and transferrable
2. Sometimes forcing the physical action of smiling can make you happy
3. A genuine smile involves the eyes as well as the cheek muscles
If the repetition and name dropping of research studies were kept to a minimum the size of the book would be reduced to 1/10th of the current one. It's an article masquerading as a book and 48 pages took me 5 days on account of the repetitive content.
Highly skippable!
January 7, 2018
Even if you ignore the lousy and repetetive pase of the book, or the pedestrian language, the book fails to impress. The book is a dreary read which can be summarised in one page. The only key takeaway from the book are the 10-12 research studies quoted in the book.
Average writing and narration by the author leaves me wondering in this often directionless book. The only positive is that it is a small book, and hence I only wasted an hour or so on it.
Skip this one, let me summarise it for you in 4 words - 'You should smile often'
Average writing and narration by the author leaves me wondering in this often directionless book. The only positive is that it is a small book, and hence I only wasted an hour or so on it.
Skip this one, let me summarise it for you in 4 words - 'You should smile often'
June 17, 2022
“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy”
Really good book. Lots of cool facts.
A little redundant and you honestly can just watch the TED talk that this guy did and get all the same facts, but this was good. Could’ve been shorter 😂
Makes you happy just reading it. I’ve always been a smiler, and reading this just confirms how great that is!
Awesome book. Smile more!💜
Really good book. Lots of cool facts.
A little redundant and you honestly can just watch the TED talk that this guy did and get all the same facts, but this was good. Could’ve been shorter 😂
Makes you happy just reading it. I’ve always been a smiler, and reading this just confirms how great that is!
Awesome book. Smile more!💜
November 18, 2017
I️ already was aware of much of the research discussed in this short book/essay but it was a nice read that made me feel happy on a windy afternoon. I️ think the power of smiling is true when genuine, a sympathetic smile goes a long way. Just never tell someone to smile.
December 30, 2019
A few good insights but I think the book could have been a lot shorter as there was a lot of repetitive points.
Read
September 14, 2023الملخص على الرابط
https://youtu.be/QwF7_wQEFkE
https://youtu.be/QwF7_wQEFkE
November 15, 2017
Smiles come and go everyday. Often times the simple act of smiling is not considered to have monumental impacts on the lives of people smiling as well as people being smiled at. Author, Ron Gutman challenges this thought in his book, “Smile: The Astonishing Powers of a Simple Act.” Gutman explores the power of a simple smile through personal anecdotes, appeal to logic, and surprising statistics.
Gutman opens strongly with an unexpected story of his own experience on a bus in Africa. He embarked on a year long journey around the world to experience different cultures. In one particular instance, Gutman was travelling on a bus in rural Zambia when he was met with hostility and distrust. With a bump in the road and a flat tire, Gutman quickly found himself spending even more time with people that seemingly shared no commonalities with him. He then decided to try something simple: smiling. His experiment was met with hesitation and then returned grins. The smiles began to travel through the whole bus and soon everyone was engaging in “smile-driven conversations” (Gutman 13). This astounding story led into an exploration of how smiles really can affect people. Smiles are not always simply the result of a feeling, but sometimes they can be the initiation of a feeling. Smiles actually create reactions within a person and present numerous health benefits (Gutman 33). Gutman most successfully paints his view through an anecdote involving a young American woman and her Japanese host family. In Japanese culture, it is uncommon for women to smile widely and frequently. The young woman could not find many similarities to bond with, but by the end of the trip her host mother explained that she learned “smile is beautiful” (Gutman 37). This genuine moment in the book offers a lovely insight into the connection and unity a smile can bring between humans.
Overall, Gutman translates his point, but he lacks engagement and dynamics within his work. I enjoyed the book as a whole, but it left me searching for more concrete data and validation to his claims. However, I concluded feeling inspired and encouraged by the ripple effect one act can have. Ron Gutman offers ideas that smiles can bridge cultures, increase success, provide health benefits, and create an overall more positive being. He portrays his intriguing findings and offers hope of that smiling is a gift to the receiver as well as the giver. I would recommend this book for a simple encouragement but not for an overwhelming amount of knowledge.
Gutman opens strongly with an unexpected story of his own experience on a bus in Africa. He embarked on a year long journey around the world to experience different cultures. In one particular instance, Gutman was travelling on a bus in rural Zambia when he was met with hostility and distrust. With a bump in the road and a flat tire, Gutman quickly found himself spending even more time with people that seemingly shared no commonalities with him. He then decided to try something simple: smiling. His experiment was met with hesitation and then returned grins. The smiles began to travel through the whole bus and soon everyone was engaging in “smile-driven conversations” (Gutman 13). This astounding story led into an exploration of how smiles really can affect people. Smiles are not always simply the result of a feeling, but sometimes they can be the initiation of a feeling. Smiles actually create reactions within a person and present numerous health benefits (Gutman 33). Gutman most successfully paints his view through an anecdote involving a young American woman and her Japanese host family. In Japanese culture, it is uncommon for women to smile widely and frequently. The young woman could not find many similarities to bond with, but by the end of the trip her host mother explained that she learned “smile is beautiful” (Gutman 37). This genuine moment in the book offers a lovely insight into the connection and unity a smile can bring between humans.
Overall, Gutman translates his point, but he lacks engagement and dynamics within his work. I enjoyed the book as a whole, but it left me searching for more concrete data and validation to his claims. However, I concluded feeling inspired and encouraged by the ripple effect one act can have. Ron Gutman offers ideas that smiles can bridge cultures, increase success, provide health benefits, and create an overall more positive being. He portrays his intriguing findings and offers hope of that smiling is a gift to the receiver as well as the giver. I would recommend this book for a simple encouragement but not for an overwhelming amount of knowledge.
April 29, 2023
Μικρό βιβλίο σχετικά με την επίδραση του χαμόγελου στην ζωή μας. Παρότι δεν γράφει κάτι καινοτόμο ή κάτι το οποίο δεν ξέραμε, θα έλεγα οτι είναι ευχάριστο ανάγνωσμα ημέρας αν ψάχνεις κάτι χαλαρό.
Με λίγα λόγια ο συγγραφέας λέει οτι το χαμόγελο δεν έχει χώρα και σύνορα και είναι κάτι παγκόσμιο, επίσης το χαμόγελο βοηθάει στο να σπάσει ο πάγος και να γίνει καλύτερη σύνδεση μεταξύ ατόμων. Το χαμόγελο και το γέλιο έχει σημαντική επίπτωση στην διάθεση ενός ατόμου. Τέλος το χαμόγελο μπορεί να σε βγάλει απο μια δύσκολη θέση καθώς πολύ πιο δύσκολα θα γίνει επιθετικός κάποιος σε κάποιον που χαμογελάει. Για να ισχύουν όλα τα προηγούμενα βέβαια το χαμόγελο πρέπει να είναι αυθόρμητο και πηγαίο.
3.5/5 αστέρια
Με λίγα λόγια ο συγγραφέας λέει οτι το χαμόγελο δεν έχει χώρα και σύνορα και είναι κάτι παγκόσμιο, επίσης το χαμόγελο βοηθάει στο να σπάσει ο πάγος και να γίνει καλύτερη σύνδεση μεταξύ ατόμων. Το χαμόγελο και το γέλιο έχει σημαντική επίπτωση στην διάθεση ενός ατόμου. Τέλος το χαμόγελο μπορεί να σε βγάλει απο μια δύσκολη θέση καθώς πολύ πιο δύσκολα θα γίνει επιθετικός κάποιος σε κάποιον που χαμογελάει. Για να ισχύουν όλα τα προηγούμενα βέβαια το χαμόγελο πρέπει να είναι αυθόρμητο και πηγαίο.
3.5/5 αστέρια
December 27, 2011
Once past the cheesing intro, the research was fun and interesting. I especially loved the parts on the differences of smiles in different cultures. Asian emoticons have taken on a whole new light! ^_^
February 7, 2012
What does it say about me that I like the Kindle short about lying much better. This didn't have anything too interesting or too novel to interest me. I agree with what the author says, but just not as interesting on the philosophical ethics of lying.
December 20, 2024
Smile is a simple but powerful endowment of human species. The only language transcending the time-space as well as developmental stages. The message is clear. Smile! Smile! Smile! Let us make the world a happier place to live.
January 4, 2012
Short read and inspiring!
January 25, 2012
I felt that the book was more about the author's travels. The more I read the more bored I became, so I stopped reading it.
May 7, 2012
Long winded and repetitive. But inspiring enough :)
August 6, 2012
It makes me rethink the old rule for teachers of never smiling before Christmas!
August 19, 2012
A great perspective from something so simple. A lite read and a powerful reminder of what a simple smile can do...
December 21, 2012
just awesome. his arguments are convincing. i love the opening quote by Mother Theresa with her picture
April 28, 2013
Very interesting to learn the positive and powerful effects of smiling...
September 11, 2013
Aftur er það innihaldið frekar en snilldarleg skrif sem fær stjörnur hjá mér.
April 22, 2015
Just simply amazing
September 11, 2014
Interesting research on the power of something as simple as a smile. My takeaway? Smile the second you wake up
May 29, 2016
It's short. Perhaps that's why I liked it for a weekend. But I didn't think it particularly interesting or insightful. Go figure.
February 21, 2017
Nice to read but nothing life changing
May 10, 2014
It was like reading a book written by Chris Traeger.
October 31, 2016
Smile: The Astonishing Power of a Simple Act by Ron Gutman, is an insightful novel about the science behind smiling. Apart from just a kind gesture, we learn that smiling actually has physical effects on the human brain, and is a universal symbol. This novel would’ve been more powerful if more relevant statistics were presented. Having more science and actual numbers behind his arguments would’ve strengthened Gutman’s premise. On the other hand, the personal experiences and connections between everyday life that are applied throughout the novel made it more interesting. I enjoyed the short stories and case studies placed within the chapters. Hearing about how one woman made more money by just smiling made me want to smile more. Overall, this novel is a short, but inspiring read that will make you want to smile on more than one occasion.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews