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Nine Essential Things I've Learned About Life

By: Harold S. Kushner
Narrated by: Harold S. Kushner
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Publisher's summary

From the beloved author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People, deeply moving and illuminating reflections on what it means to live a good life.

As a congregational rabbi for half a century and the best-selling author of 12 books on faith, ethics, and how to apply the timeless wisdom of religious thought to everyday challenges, Rabbi Harold S. Kushner has demonstrated time and again his understanding of the human spirit. In this compassionate new work, his most personal since When Bad Things Happen to Good People, Kushner relates how his time as a 21st-century rabbi has shaped his senses of religion and morality. He elicits nine essential lessons from the sum of his teaching, study, and experience, offering a lifetime's worth of spiritual food for thought, pragmatic advice, inspiration for a more fulfilling life, and strength for trying times.

With fresh, vital insight into belief ("there is no commandment in Judaism to believe in God"), conscience (the Garden of Eden story as you've never heard it), and mercy (forgiveness is "a favor you do yourself, not an undeserved gesture to the person who hurt you"), grounded in Kushner's brilliant readings of Scripture, history, and popular culture, Nine Essential Things I've Learned About Life is compulsory listening from one of modern Judaism's foremost sages.

Distilling the wisdom of an extraordinary career, this profoundly inspiring yet practical guide to well-being is truly the capstone to Kushner's luminous oeuvre.

©2015 Harold S. Kushner (P)2015 Random House Audio
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Critic reviews

"In this book, Harold Kushner both wrestles with and celebrates the capacity of faith and community to re-affirm life's purpose and generate joy and meaning in the 21st century." (Dr. Erica Brown, author of Happier Endings: A Meditation on Life and Death)

What listeners say about Nine Essential Things I've Learned About Life

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THERE IS A JEWISH FUTURE.

An awakening for the future of American Judaism. When conceptualized will open a door to the melinials in search of meaning in their culture.

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2 people found this helpful

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What a wonderful read!

I enjoyed and learned and started applying some of the ideas on this book.
Thank you very much for sharing your learning.

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Reminds your heart that life just is

One of those books that should listen to/read once every one to two years...you have new experiences each day and the frame of mind this book will give you will allow you to reframe your experiences into lessons that allow you to breathe deeper and love harder.

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An excellent human being

I love everything the Rabbits produces since teach us much and guide us through difficult times and situations.

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MUST READ

This book I picked up because of something my Rabbi said in our Rosh HaShanah services. I never thought that I would learn how to be a better mother, wife, worker, and build my faith. I am going to buy the hard copy for my teenagers to read before leaving for college. I think everyone, regardless of religious background, should read this. There is something for everybody to get from here.

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Another thought provoking and inspiring book by Rabbi Kushner.

As an agnostic, I find it difficult to find books that address the spirituality of human beings that I can relate to. The Rabbi ‘s theology is never off-putting. His wisdom shines through in this book.

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Nine Essential Things I’ve Learned About Life

I believe this book will forever change the way I look at my life. Rabbi Kushner has brought a new prospective to me. I’m looking forward to reading another of his books. This book is for anyone, agnostic, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, it doesn’t matter. Let it sink in and hear the Word.

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Enlightenment

Thank you Rabbi for these 9 important lessons. I will try to remember what you’ve taught me in these hours of listening and live my life accordingly. There were wise words for those who doubt and those with faith. Those who despair and they who are happy. As aren’t we all these at one time or another?

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Man's definition of God

I gave this a star because there are a few nuggets of truth. Otherwise, I basically learned that this is a Jewish Rabbi who doesn't like the God of the Torah. He, instead, has decided he would like to define God for himself and goes on and on about why the God of scriptures shouldn't be a god. So far the only essential lesson I have gotten from him is, "Harold Kushner doesn't like the God of scripture"- which doesn't really help me. I wish I had spent my money on another book.

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