Your One Wild and Precious Life: An Inspiring Guide to Becoming Your Best Self At Any Age

by Maureen Gaffney

Middle-age is cross-roadsy - having arrived, you're looking back in wonder about how you got here, and also looking ahead, where to next? The realisation that neither time nor choices are limitless is both daunting and exciting - this is the moment to take stock and figure out how to make the best of every precious moment of your second act.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Self Help

480 pages, Paperback

Published April 18, 2024

Reviews

[EmG ReadsDaily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting exploration of the psychology and human behaviour within each stage of life. This book was surprisingly reassuring, offering insights into how we become who we are.

[Anne Walsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doesn't really deliver on title

I really wanted to like this book but it felt like a thesis to me. Lots of research eferences and what felt like way too many references to attachment styles eg Secure/Avoidant/Anxious. I felt that it offered little guidance/no reflection questions and felt curiously impersonal.

[Han Whiteoak · Rating 2 out of 5]

tl;dr - if you didn't develop a secure attachment style in childhood, your life is going to suck.

I think I was expecting more guidance and/or exploration of the options for living better. This is more of a report on how people develop during the various stages of life. It's heavy on statistics and maybe useful if you want an overview of psychology but not that interesting to read.

[Mary Hennessy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Encourages reflection on life and how you are living, have lived, will live. Helps understanding of why you feel or think or perceive life in a certain way

[Bernie O Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book very comforting. I like the way that Maureen Gaffney condenses lots of research and statistics and uses them informatively. We don’t do ageing well in Ireland, I think, and we are quite ageist . I think a lot of people will find this a useful book for their own life , and also in understanding the stages that others are at .

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the title of this book which made me want to buy it. Plus I heard the author speaking about her book and liked her common sense wisdom. It is a well researched book with a good structure from youth to old age. Many good insights provided. Sometimes I felt that the content was over structured and forced. Enjoyable nonetheless- so 4 stars from me.

[Lina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gerokai per skambus pavadinimas knygai, kuri geriausiu atveju pretenduoja net ne į psichologinės raidos vadovėlį, o apžvalgą. Užsimota gerokai per plačiai - autorė pažeria patarimų nuo ankstyvosios raidos iki komandos formavimo (⊙_⊙')
Vis galvojau, ar man neįdomu, nes plius minus kone viskas girdėta ar skaityta kituose šaltiniuose, ar dėl to, kad rašoma nuobodžiai. Tada pasiekiau dviejų trečdalių puslapio "skyrelį" apie vienišumą (tiek autorei "pakanka" apžvelgti konceptą), kuriame autorė rėžia, kad jei jaučiatės vienišas, tai galbūt jūs keistokas žmogus ir greičiausiai nemokat pradėt pokalbio. Ta-dam, vienišumo problema išspręsta - išmokit arba nepasakoti apie save per daug vos pravėrus burną, arba geriau palaikyti pokalbį. Po šito nusprendžiau, kad tai - tiesiog blogai parašyta knyga. Tad, jei domina psichologinė žmogaus raida, rekomenduoju geriau griebtis bet kokios kitos knygos. Aš susiviliojau ir pasimoviau, nes ši knyga žadėjo daugiau dėmesio suaugusio žmogaus raidai ir papildomai išskirtiems tarpsniams bei plačiau aptariamam vyresniam amžiui. Galiu pasakyti, kad knyga tiesiog ne'deliver'ino šiomis temomis, nes viskas tikrai gan paviršutiniška.

[Lily-Belle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was…interesting. Not too sure why I read it. I don’t think it’s an inspiring guide I think it is just an explanation for the different stages of life

[Aulbright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a gift for my 18th birthday and have just finished it before my 21st! When starting the book, I initially thought it was boring as it started with the “prime of your life” being described for those in their 50-60s. I soon realised that the interpretations, descriptions and ideas I was reading directly related to my father who mirrored the words in the book.

I throughly enjoyed the infancy chapters on attachment style. The media portrays attachment styles as something inherent to you and it filled me with hope that attachment is fluid and specific to every relationship in your life. The chapters on the busy working period of your life (20-30s), relationships, marriages etc really articulated ideas that I have thought about and planted new ideas for me to think about too.

I enjoyed the references in this book and it gives you the power to go an explore an idea that resonated with you in more depth. In short, this book filled me with hope! I will definitely be keeping this book for the duration of my life.

[Mr Allan Goldie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book. It took me on a life journey from being an infant right up to my “senior” age of nearly 70 years. It also gave me a glimpse of hopefully the next 20 years. (When I reach that stage I will retire completely and take things easier).
The book is based on psychology and human behaviours…..how we develop into each stage from infancy right up to very old age….and what can make changes in this development.
It was so meaningful to me….I saw it reflecting me at each stage from happy infancy, to playing happily as a child, to those teenage stages, wrong decisions made after school, a successful career path, a positive retirement plan, setting challenges and being productive. Above all looking after myself in fitness, health and progressing towards old age.
In life I often wondered why I was so unhappy with the relationship I had with my parents….i know that sounds sad….but it is a reality. The book talked about the various parent relationships that can change and why. Again it was meaningful and answered those questions I never could get answered. I won’t go fully into details but having read this book it gave me clear insight into why I am the person I am today (nothing bad…but a result of what I experienced and what affect it had).
It is worth reading if you are interested in human development from infancy to old age.

[Gemma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't relate to most of the book because only my section for my age group really applied. I didn't like the early childhood section because a lot of it implied every little thing that happens when you are a child affects who you are now and you can't change that. I don't like how it encompasses everyone's life into one as if they're all the same. Felt like a lecture at some parts and vague wish wash in others. Just wasn't my cup of tea and took me a year to finish it.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I’d expected, this book explores how your early attachment type affects each subsequent stage of life and ultimately death. Although some bits were interesting I didn’t find it particularly inspiring.

[Danial Hasan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a read! It's one of those books that makes you reflect on your life and gives you the tools to make a positive change. I often had to stop while reading and take a minute to think deeply. One of the best psychology books I've read so far!

[Edel Ní · Rating 5 out of 5]

Explains the different stages of life and the human behaviour in each very well and with great empathy.

[Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's 2.5* more accurately. I think you need to manage your expectations of what this book offers. I found it very general and repetitive, but it had some nice ideas.

[Ciara · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a woman who is both single and child free, I felt completely excluded by this book - minimal recognition that many of us are not following the partner/marriage/parenting path.

[Margaret Mary Lynch]

I started reading this 2 years ago but put it aside in favour of some novels. However I decided to start again in August 2024

[Anton Forte · Rating 4 out of 5]

A life's journey, broken down into stages and goals. Relaxing and cathartic.

[Elisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Greatly enjoyed this overview of the human experience (in the Western world mostly). A very plain speaking way it encapsulates the peaks and pitfalls of each life stage.

[Phoenix1000]

Audiobook

[Caroline Croezen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 3.5 for me. Very interesting BUT the comparison of an anxious mother to a neglectful mother was something I could not get my head around. Found that really negative to anxious mums who adore their children. Overall an interesting read.

[Tan Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

You have only one life, but it's never too late to build up your psychological security to live!

[Bree · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. I didn’t even make it to the end of chapter one. I found it dry and dull, and couldn’t get into it. Perhaps it had something to do with the narration by Niamh Daly.