Jay Allison

I received this book as a college graduation present from my beloved English department, and they each signed my copy with a personal note. Now that I've finally gotten to it on my shelf, I have to admit I like the *idea* of a "This I Believe" essay more than the actual style of the essay. Personally, I would have liked a word count of about 1000, to further develop the story or ideas present in the essay. And when it comes to credo-type or advice-giving essays, there is no comparison to the show more raw honesty and radical empathy of Dear Sugar. But I did really like "Always go to the funeral" by Deidre Sullivan. show less

What a mixed bag this was! With contributors like Albert Einstein, Anthony Fauci (before he became the face of COVID-19), and Bill Gates, I expected a lot of insightful and thought-provoking content—and the book delivered, but not always consistently.

Let's start with the highlights. My favorite essay, "Be Cool to the Pizza Dude" by Sarah Adams, set the bar high. It was witty, relatable, and genuinely laugh-out-loud funny. Other gems included "There Is No Such Thing As Too Much Barbecue" by show more Jason Sheehan, which made me smile, and "The Power of Love To Transform And Heal" by Jackie Lantry, which made me tear up.

One of the best things about this book is its format. Each essay is just 1-2 pages long, making it easy to read "just one more" before bed or during a quick break. The essays are short enough to pick up the book, read a couple, and put it down without feeling like you're losing continuity.

However, not all essays hit the mark. Some felt over the top, others were overly religious, and a few were exceedingly patriotic. I found myself rolling my eyes at the overly dramatic ones and skimming through the more banal, cookie-cutter essays. It's clear that even when given the chance to share their deepest beliefs, not all contributors had something truly profound or original to say.

Despite these inconsistencies, every essay managed to be thought-provoking in its own way. I appreciated the variety of voices and the glimpses into different worldviews, even if some were a bit basic. The book did start to feel repetitive after a while, so I recommend spacing out your reading over a period of time to avoid getting bored.

Overall, this is an intriguing collection of personal philosophies that range from deeply moving to just plain ordinary. It's perfect for dipping in and out of, with enough standout essays to make it worth the read. Just be prepared for a few duds along the way. show less

I'm going to give myself this one because I read 63 of the essays at work in order to write short summaries. Pretty fun and interesting, especially the contrast between the values of the 50s and those of the early/mid naughts, but I have to agree with Publishers Weekly that the best, most enjoyable essays were by the relative unknowns. (Though I got a chill when I realized that one of the most inspiring of those "unknowns" is now...the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.)

I love This I Believe. I first heard the radio show on NPR and then went out and bought the book when it came out. A lot of the statements are memorable, but the one that sticks out for me is by a woman who earned advanced degrees and then decided what she really wanted to do with her life was to be a personal assistant. People at parties treated her like she was dumb or unimportant when they found out what she did, but she learned not to let it bother her. She chose a job she liked over a show more job that would impress people, even though she could've easily found a job that impressed people. show less