About this title: People everywhere are looking for a reason to believe--in themselves, in their world--and Learned Optimism offered enough answers to vault it onto bestseller lists everywhere. An even larger audience of pessimists who need to change their lives awaits this trade paperback edition.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Pocket
Date Published: 1992
ISBN-13:9780671741587ISBN:0671741586
Description: Good. Used item may show library stamps, stickers and marks. Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Free Press
Date Published: 1998-03-01
ISBN-13:9780671019112ISBN:0671019112
Description: Very Good. Like new softcover in excellent condition, prior owner's name inside cover, no other writing, non-smoking home, clean text, binding tight, Christian business. read more
Edition: 21st Printing
Binding: Trade Paperback
Publisher: Free Pr, Old Tappan, New Jersey, U.S.A.
Date Published: 1998
ISBN-13:9780671019112ISBN:0671019112
Description: Near Fine. 5.5 x 8.5 trade paperback book. Blue, black, and red lettering on the light blue spine and cover. In this groundbreaking book, Martin E.P. Seligman shows you how to chart a new approach to living with "flexible optimism. " 319 pages. 21st printing. Tight binding. Light wear. Near Fine condition. read more
"Just read this for a psych class but it's actually pretty interesting. The author is a well-respected psychologist and has done a lot of research on learned helplessness as well as pessimism and optimism. Learn how to be more optimistic through your 'explanatory style' ..."
"Read this book at BYU for my recreational therapy program. It was a helpful book that paralleled the theories of rec therapy to help clients develop a higher quality of life. It takes a really good look at optimism, pessimism and the effects of both in our life."
"A thoughtful and yes, upbeat book. Worth it for the self-help style quiz at the beginning, which for me gave me a bit of a boost, because I could see how my biking & weight loss experiences, along with my work with CBT, have actually changed how I think about things. Although I gotta say my natural inclinations are still pretty damn pessimistic. It's gonna have to go back to the library shortly, although I still haven't finished all the exercises.
There's a thought log technique that's similar to the main one in Feeling Good, and interestingly enough, I'm finding that just approaching it with a slightly different method has helped me through a few rough moments (nothing huge, really) just this week. There's a special chapter on optimism at work, with a slightly different take on the exercise from the earlier chapter, which I'm looking forward to taking on soon.
The most thought-provoking aspect of the book, for someone with my history, is the very deliberate examination about flexible optimism. He recognizes that there are times where pessimism is actually a realistic and even useful stance, and outlines a few of the differences in the situations. But then he goes on to really promote the idea of mindful pessimism and optimism, rather than just blindly following your unconscious tendencies.
Two drawbacks for me personally: a big focus on kids and schooling, which I get is part of his mission to improve society in general, but which don't mean much for me; and the dated edition. I got the '98 edition, which didn't have a lot of changes from the '91 edition. The historical bits are entertaining, with the USSR & Dukakis and all. On the other hand, there were a few sections where I think the scientific understanding/consensus has changed, especially around how the brain actually works. (Nothing jumps out at the moment.) If I were to get my own copy, I'd be looking for the most up to date version, which looks to be a 2006 edition."
"The first half of this book was a 5 and the second half was more of a three. The first half had really interesting (albeit slightly outdates) accounts of the research that has been done on learned helplessness and optimism. The second half was very repeititive and basically talked about how to apply the same concept into different areas of your life. The first half was much more intellectual; the second more like a self-help book. But the concepts and ideas were great, so I would definitely recommend it."
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