November 4, 2010

Half Empty: The Power of Negative Thinking

I try to be an optimistic, enthusiastic, "glass is half full" kind of guy. I really do. And I pull it off most of the time. But truth is, my inner pilot is a "glass is half empty and evaporating quickly" kind of dude; every headache is a tumor, every bad day at work is the end of my career, every time the dog pukes it is some hideous canine disease. Yep, I am that guy.

Turns out I am not alone. I just had an emotional and intimate experience with an electronic device, my Kindle, because with its assistance I just read Half Empty by David Rakoff.

Rakoff's books are tales from his life and the world around him. And this is his best so far. And be warned, "no inspirational life lessons will be found in these pages". In Rakoff's world, justice will not necessarily win out, your dreams won't come true, and that nagging pain in your shoulder may really be cancer. He embraces the positive power of negative thinking.

Half Empty has dark funny stuff like Rakoff's battle with cancer, touching funny stuff like being a gay Jew touring Germany, wacky funny stuff like the love affair between Jews and pork, and light funny stuff like his disastrous acting gig in The First Wives Club, a film he talks about and doesn't actually name because they would absolutely sue his ass for what he says here.

I can relate to this dude - he is smart, sarcastic, opinionated, Jewish, Canadian, gay, liberal, neurotic, self-aware, successful. I am at least eight of those ten things. Maybe nine...

8 comments:

yona c. riel said...

Thanks brahm for admitting such things... It is what makes writers like David sedarius so successful, admission of ones humanity...

Fragrant Liar said...

Well, there are advantages to being such an "all around" kind of guy, n'est-ce pas?

Tricia McWhorter said...

This is pretty funny. I just wrote a piece for "CoffeeOnThePatio.com" from the other side of the aisle titled "Don't Worry, Be Hopeful". I'm so-so smart, sometimes sarcastic, often snarky, Unitarian Universalist, from the States, straight (but championing gay rights), liberal, pretty grounded, painfully self-aware and absurdly successful in my dreams. I guess we have a couple of overlaps there.

bmat10 said...

I'm not sure if I a pessimist or an optimist. I don't live in a world of doom and gloom. If I get a headache it is only a headache. If I have a bad day at work...well that is only normal I worry if I have a good day at work. But I do see my glass as half empty and there is hole in the bottom and it is on fire! What I try to be is positive. But I have to admit it is really, really hard. And that bugs me.

ruz said...

Thanks for sharing! I haven't read this but with your opinion, I would surely love to. You did a great review on this one.


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Annie (Lady M) x said...

Hiya, was the book a novel or a lifestyle book? I wasn't sure

Brahm (alfred lives here) said...

Hey Annie --- is not a novel, is his own experiences and opinions, so more of a memoir or lifestyle book. Look for it.

Brian - I like the glass with the hole on the bottom and on fire, great visual!

Tricia --- sounds interesting, am gonna look for your post now!

meleah rebeccah said...

Wow. I think I would LIKE to read that book.

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