(Reviewed by Pat Luboff)
I must admit I almost didn’t review this book. I was reading it and put it aside. Ironically, because it espouses tossing out the old Moses tablet-engraved rules, I thought at first that it was a bit preachy for my taste. I left the book sitting on my dining room table and my brother-in-law, who was visiting from England, picked it up and read it. I value his opinion very highly and he told me about what was turning him on about this book. So, I gave it a second look and I’m glad I did!
James Miller starts each chapter with quotations that illustrate the point of the “better” commandment. For example, the first better commandment is “Be the best version of thyself.” That one is headed by quotations from Mahatma Gandhi, Bill Gates, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and Ernest Hemmingway. I love the variety of people and timelines represented here, from thousands of years ago to today! Nearly 2,000 years ago, Marcus Aurelius wrote, “Look within, for within is the wellspring of virtue, which will not cease flowing, if you do not cease from digging.”
My brother-in-law thought the book was worth reading just for the quotations at the beginning of the chapters!
But there is more than the quotations. Miller then looks at the idea of each better commandment from every possible angle. Why it works, what are the exceptions to the rule, where are the pitfalls, who are the inspirations. He is very detailed and specific about refining the idea he is putting forth.
I don’t want to give it all away, but here is a sample of some of the better commandments: Love Selflessly; Be Grateful; Choose Growth; Find Balance. Well, you can’t argue with that!
On second look, I think I need a third look. These are good ideas that deserve deep consideration.
