I’m not a great reader of self-help books but I understand the merit of them and I think there is always validity in seeking out ways to improve oneself, whatever that may represent. I don’t like them too preachy nor too bombastic so Garai’s approach was a welcome read as he advocates a way for you to make your way through life and all that it may present.
He does this by bringing together a number of ideas and methods and amalgamating them into a gentle guide to get you, the reader, to think about your well-being, how to define it and how to maintain it.
There is discussion firstly on what this could mean to the individual and Garai proffers his idea of accordance, which is about self-awareness and things being in balance. He discusses traditional medicines and alternative philosophies that talk of “humor” and there is what I would call a “New Age” feel to this that maybe some readers will feel unorthodox. I urge you to read this book with an open mind as there is a lot of good advice and guidance contained therein and its influences are far-reaching from eastern wisdom to Ancient Greek to modern psychology.
It’s not all history and theories though as Garai roots his advice in the real world by presenting cases from people from all walks of life and showing how his interactions with them and discussion of their situation gives them an avenue to follow. He also returns to them to show how they have changed or how they have managed in light of their interactions.
I liked this book. Whilst there are some ideas here which I would not follow, I liked what it set out to offer and I especially liked the inclusion of the practical application for real people. I found this of special interest as I am always intrigued by individual perspectives and how they may differ to that of the outside observer. The discussion of motives and feelings in relationships was enlightening and I liked the way that alternative viewpoints were suggested in order for control to be regained.
As self-help books go, it was accessible and easy to read as well as being, as you would hope, helpful.
Rachel Rating:
Scuffed Granny 