You might like this book if....
582420
If you are interested in learning about the science of human longevity, as I was, you will be disappointed in this book. If you are more interested in reading about some colorful characters, the travels of the author, and his meditations on the history (including the poetry and mythology) of the human desire to be immortal, then maybe you will like this book.

I finally gave up on this book in the chapter where he drags his colorful scientist, Aubrey de Grey, back to Ravenna where he had one of his best ideas. The author wants to make a connection between the ancient history of human thoughts on mortality and de Grey's new insight. The idea involves a new way to completely cure cancer. A fascinating approach, and I would have loved to learn more about it. Sadly, the author describes the science behind the idea only briefly before devoting pages to their walk around Ravenna. He prattles on at great length, describing the Basilica of San Vitale, discussing Dante's Divine Comedy, alluding to Yeats poem "Sailing to Byzantium", etc, etc. He also describes how bored and impatient de Grey becomes. The scientist doesn't care about the history. He cares that we're really figuring it out now. And so do I!
275894
An interesting book,, but I would not consider it a classic. A bit of history and a little self-promotion. Good if ytou have nothing better to read..
3719418
This is interesting, but I'm not sure what direction the authors are taking this book.  You might find the text interesting.
4835768
If you are a fan of Nathan Lowell's Share Series, you'll probably like this book.  You may also be struck by the thematic similarities.
429940
The book may be fantastic. I'll find out when I read the library copy I have reserved. Go ahead publishers. Screw over your best customers (Kindle Owners). There's plenty of other things we can read.
684921
Not for me.  I suppose if you agree that everything boils down to cognitive science, you will love this book.  Of course the author has his own agenda (I mean what author doesn't?), but if, like me, you feel morality DOES have to do with the "God within our souls" (read p. 189 of the Vine version), you will take the author's dismissive viewpoint with a grain of salt.  Three stars for all his effort.
1051077
I generally think the sentiment of this short book is on track, but the substance is weak.

This book is taken from a tv series which I did not see.  I suspect I would have seen the book differently had I see the show...perhaps something was "Lost in Translation"...

The first criticism I have comes from the title itself, we can break that down:  five SECRETS you must discover BEFORE YOU DIE.

Well, let me assure you, it's not very likely you will discover them unless you do it BEFORE YOU DIE.  (I.e., "dying" is, in a sense, "the end of discovery")  So, in a sense, "BEFORE YOU DIE" is extraneous information...unless he means "RIGHT BEFORE YOU DIE".  Which would also be a waste.  There is a reason we send kids to school not old people.  Preparation for life comes at the start, not at the end, where the bulk of life would then be wasted.  (That's not to say old people should stop learning...)

Sure, I want to be happy when I die...but I don't want to wait till then...because after that point, it really doesn't matter if I was happy or miserable suffering in pain, when it's over, it's over, period.

SECRETS -- well, hmm...nothing I read in this book sounded much like a secret.  All 5 "secrets" sounded a bit like common knowledge.  And perhaps not always correct.

1. Be true to yourself - take heart, pedophiles and hedonists, if that's who you are...you are on track!  Apparently being true to what you like is what's best.  To me, this is the most over-simplified idea...most folks' problem isn't being true to themselves so much as deciding who "themselves" are... Do you really know?  The ability to experiment and try on different "selves" is a great way to find out.

2. Live no regrets - this sounds like a good idea.

3. Become love - i agree with the sentiment so long as we aren't talking co-dependence.

4. Live the moment - I suggest balance the present and the future, which the author would probably agree, but the "secret" doesn't reveal that.

5. Give more than you take - I think this depends on your needs.  That little girl in the cancer ward doesn't have much to give.

Contrast this book with M Scott Peck's "The Road Less Travelled" which says that discipline is essential for emotional, spiritual and psychological health and that the elements of discipline include the ability to delay gratification (see also Goldman's "Emotional Intelligence"), accepting responsibility for oneself and one's actions, a dedication to truth and balancing.

Or on the lighter side, contrast with the life advice given in the film Little Miss Sunshine by Alan Arkin's character (the grandfather)...I won't repeat it here as some might find it vulgar.

The book has some interesting one-liners in the end.  But a lot of them are cliche and common ideas.

That this book is based on research also is good...but nothing really tells me that the research was looked at in any objective way, just to support some pre-ordained ideas?
597326
If this book doesn't scare the bejesus out of you, then perhaps might want to check yourself in for evaluation.
1532763
A fun read if you've got nothing else, but there is much better out there.
527621
A few good points, but the fact that a book is written from this perspective is almost more interesting than the book itself. Please see my more detailed review here: [...]
3500489
Selected this book to read based on a somewhat inaccurate review I had read of it. Found quickly author's device of not letting his protagonist/narrator begin any sentence with the word "I" cloying (although use of "I" in the body of a sentence was allowed--perhaps because it was unavoidable). Became disaffected with book's paranoidish view of big pharma (an industry with which I have a tangential knowledge). Considered giving up on book about a third of the way through, but at that point, the world and plot it had created was beginning to be at least mildly interesting. Stuck with it to the end, even though I could sense about two-thirds of the way through what its "surprise" ending would be. I hope by now, at this point in my review, you will conclude that you should read this book only if you think you might be able to put up with its drawbacks.
3560032
The other, more negative, reviewer is a little harsh but I can see his point. This isn't a book that you become enamored with necessarily the minute you pick it up. It seems to be a bit more basic, less comprehensive or "professional" than something you might want for the genre. STILL...if you read through it's first half and haven't found yourself engaged or smiling regularly - then I think there might be something wrong with you.

Major folk tale, legends, or "weird short stories" fans may really be able to get something out of it. That's why I bought it - because I like the much shorter, more unpredictable stories out there of all kinds. They're all just so fun and easy to read. Whether it's Brothers Grimm or old American scary stories - these kinds of legends and fairy tales (well-known or not) - always seem to rise above with a certain charm.

That being said, I'll admit to only liking about half of the "tales" included within this title. Some seem pointless. However, some of the ones I did like are real gems that I'd be happy to re-read down the line. I would try this book because, at the end of the day, the authors have done a neat job of laying out these pieces while including some good ones that you might not be able to find in-print anywhere else.
4785681
... then you might like this book.

The premise is initially interesting enough, but the plot then quickly degenerates into what is is basically a simple murder mystery. It reads easily enough (the only reason I give it 2 stars instead of 1), but otherwise neither the character development nor dialogue are especially realistic.

It should be advertised as more of a "Christian" book than what it is, as the reader is in for plenty of proselytizing.

I'm glad it was free on Kindle, otherwise I would have wasted not only my time but also my money.
2558790
I kinda liked this book but may need some improvement on wording, overall it is not so bad, in my opinion.
257398
If you are into animals, especially dogs, you will probably enjoy this book. It is a collection of stories about dogs and their owners. A few of the stories are interesting, inspiring, and worth reading. The rest are a little blah. I guess it depends on just how crazy you are about dogs.
3315369
It's a good book.  Like any book of this genre, not everything will be applicable to you, but pull the right samples out of enough books and you may be able to make your life easier!
844175
Maybe this is a good book if you don't have access to the internet or you just like the idea of having an actual book. The information isn't exactly ground breaking or interesting. I have an app that I use weekly for updates and I just found that way more useful.