BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Buddhism 10% Happier - Book by Nightline anchor Dan Harris

Lisa -

I read this and enjoyed probably the last third of the book. I found the beginning of the too book far too much about him and the famous people he'd met. I wasn't interested in reading about all of that. I'm not sure it had me appreciate his journey or meditation any more. To me, it made him less likable and had me care less about what happened to him. One could say "it shows how he went from being a jerk to being a nicer guy" but I didn't need to wallow in the jerk stage for so long .

I'd have liked it much better if it trimmed down the beginning. I enjoyed the retreat section near the end, for example.

Hi Lisa, I think it's also partly a matter of his target audience. My husband really loved his book, and so did my father-in-law, and I think it was partly that they responded to that - either as guys or as people who work in corporate environments or both. I also think the book appeals more to people who know very little about meditation, and/or that have the same dismissive attitude towards it that he initially had. I enjoyed the same parts you did - mostly the retreat section- but to non-meditators who I have recommended this book too, especially those skeptical, it has been a big hit, much more than I expected. So I think he does speak very well to his target audience, which is really non-meditators and those skeptical about it.
Thanks for reading and commenting about it!