A book about suffering seems right up my alley! ;)

As a full-fledged pessimist and someone who is often in a mood, the title of this book really jumped out to me. It's an engaging read that breaks down what is suffering and why do we seem to get stuck in it so often. There are also some suggestions on how to deal with your own suffering. I have to admit that some of this stuff went over my head (it felt like it was either kinda philosophical or metaphysical in different areas). But the parts that I could track were interesting and made me think about my own habit of getting stuck in a pattern of suffering.

Although this book wasn't very long, I'm not sure this was the best format to get this information across. It could have been a really great series of articles perhaps. Overall, I'll probably relay some of the points made to other people, but I'm not likely to recommend the book as a whole. Just a bit too esoteric for me.

This book is incredibly enjoyable! It is witty and intelligent. William Arntz has written a book full of engaging information and has creatively displayed it in this book to make any reader glad they picked it up!

I loved the personal stories woven through the book.

Based on the title I was expecting to learn from this book but not love it. William took a difficult topic and wrote a book that will make you laugh, cry and want to read it again!

The publisher provided an ARC through Netgalley. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

Interesting read about how we deal / cope with our suffering... and how important the suffering actually can be.

DNF at 10%. I have tried to read this about 3 times but I can't get into at the moment. I don't think anything is wrong with what I read so far in the book, but nothing has captured my interest enough to keep reading at the moment.

So far my favorite quote is, "To live is to suffer. To survive is to find some meaning in the suffering."




*Rating is based on what I've read so far.

How to Suffer… in 10 Easy Steps by William Arntz is a not your typical self-help book. While most within the genre essentially promise a way to eliminate suffering by following whatever path the book lays out, Arntz reminds us early on that according to most schools of thought, suffering is a hazard of living, and that perhaps we should stop resisting and learn how to suffer.

While Arntz keeps a light and satirical tone throughout the book, it is obvious that he's done his research and provides much insight into what Eastern philosophy, religions, and psychology have to say on the matter of suffering. His 10 Easy Steps on how to suffer, may just be insight for people to transform their suffering by adjusting their mindset, attachments, and expectations to a more reasonable level. Since understandably the natural reaction to suffering is an emotional one, it can often lead to more suffering, but working to have a higher level response can make all the difference.

I give this book four stars for being a great starting point to turn how we often see things relating to our situations and suffering on their heads. It's filled with a ton of different ideas and approaches, and could be useful for anyone wishing to examine their relationship with suffering and wanting to learn how to do so in a more constructive manner.


Many Thanks to NetGalley and Watkins Publishing for the Advance Copy.

I was attracted to this book because of the title and the front cover, which suggested a different style in the self-help genre. Overall I enjoyed reading it. The premise is that suffering is part of life, and we should embrace this, not send our lives trying to avoid suffering. I liked the “how to” angle which encourages us to face the inevitable in life, but to take a new perspective. T

The book is entertaining, educational and thought-provoking in places. There is a mix of personal experiences and theories from the writer, a quirky sense of humour, plus more factual references from psychology, philosophy, science, and modern day anxieties such as “technostress.” The only downside for me is I would have preferred more consistency with the style as I felt it jumped around too much.

William Arntz has a unique voice and style and his take on the human condition of suffering is well worth a read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my personal review. #HowToSufferIn10easySteps #NetGalley

Everyone should read this book! Great for giving context for how we view and deal with our suffering and how without suffering there'd be no happiness. What I love most about this book is the wry and self-deprecating humour. It's a keeper!

A great book, I think most nowadays could do with reading this and keeping it on them, great practical advice, a little handy book of help for the modern age.

I really enjoyed this book and I think it's great for everyone to have in their back pocket because suffering is a natural part of human life and we all could be better at it.. I'm a stickler for design and the font style on the cover and the fonts that were used for titles made this book seem very dated. A more modern design will improve this book greatly.