Just delightful. While some observation or advice is very particular to the time, most of it is timeless. The passages worth remembering or referencing later filled three typed pages. Fear -- the Great Enemy; The Uses of Time; The Art of Maturity; Readjustment is Endless; The right to BE an Individual were chapters I found ripe with wisdom.

"I never can understand why so many people are afraid to live their own lives as they themselves think is right. You can get rid of your neighbors but you cannot get rid of yourself, so you are the person to be satisfied." (125)

This time through I read a library copy. I know I need one of my own. ( )

Timeless advice. ( )

If you have anxiety, do yourself a favor and read this book.

I was deathly bored at a job once and found this YouTube channel (do yourself a favor and check it out sometime). On that channel I found this video . It was fascinating to watch this legendary woman-- the woman who, from all I had read, reinvented the role of first lady (Dolley Madison seemed to focus more on entertaining than charitable and other causes). She was poised, perfectly calm in front of the camera, and seemed to be full of wisdom.

I found this book to reflect the same. There are a couple of phrases that reveal the gap in years and customs--- in-house help and some words used to define some roles. But, nevertheless, she writes with experience and sense. The entire book is, in a way, an answer to Roosevelt's own life and growth. To summarize her own account, she struggled greatly with fear and uncertainty. But she conquered it and the entire book is a brief account of her victories. Again, to return to the woman in front of the camera, she is relaxed, genuine, and confident--- a perfect example of her own example. ( )

A nonfiction piece by the former First Lady. I love the point she makes about learning through every thing you do, but much of what she says feels dated and elitist. She talks about how to train your servants and things like that, which obviously is not applicable to most people. Good to read, but take it with a grain of salt. ( )

I didn't enjoy this as much as I expected to, as I do somewhat consider myself an Eleanor Roosevelt fan. The book occupies some sort of space between a collection of personal essays and a self-help/self-improving book, and that in-betweenery didn't really work for me. Also, while I can certainly deploy my brain in one of its many intended uses and filter out what is good and useful here from what no longer feels relevant and/or now smacks of hurtfulness (teach children to cry to themselves in the bath so as not to bother others with their personal upsets?!), there was just a little too much I had to filter out for this to be a fully enjoyable read. Still, some good stuff here. Worth the read, if not as great a read as I'd hoped. ( )