Review: Very Good Lives by J.K. Rowling

Hi Munchworms!

Since I am and always will be a huge Potterhead – Gryffindor for life – and I saw this little book at the bookstore, I couldn’t possibly leave it there!

Seriously, am I the only one here that would’ve loved for J.K. Rowling to give a speech at graduation? Not that I ever got a proper one being Belgium and all, but hey, a girl can dream.

In 2008, J.K. Rowling delivered a deeply affecting commencement speech at Harvard University. Now published for the first time in book form, Very Good Lives offers J.K. Rowling’s words of wisdom for anyone at a turning point in life, asking the profound and provocative questions: How can we embrace failure? And how can we use our imagination to better both ourselves and others?

Drawing from stories of her own post-graduate years, the world-famous author addresses some of life’s most important issues with acuity and emotional force.

This whole book is so inspirational and beautiful. It’s short and I read it in no-time, yet it had me laughing, thinking and even tearing up a bit.

And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.

I usually write down some quotes while I’m reading a book – quotes I want to write down in my quotebook – and with this one? Honestly, after writing down three quotes I just gave up or I’d be writing the whole book down.

Indeed, your conception of failure might not be too far removed from the average person’s idea of succcess.

If you ever need inspiration, or a peptalk – definitely when you need a peptalk – pick this one up. It’ll help. I’m sure of it.

It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.

Short book, short review. And an obvious 5 / 5.

I would never find munches to go with this that deserve this book, so I’m going with a little ode to Rowling and Harry Potter on this one.
Hope you enjoy looking at it as much as I will enjoy eating it, haha!

On a side note, I’m on my way back home from my road trip and, guess what?! Today’s my birthday! Again, no pressure, mister boyfriend.
So I thought it would be the best way to celebrate while honoring J.K. Rowling once more. God knows my past birthdays wouldn’t have been as fun as they have without some Harry Potter-theme once in a while!

See you soon, lovelies!

Kathy