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Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life | 
 enlarge | Author: Martin E. P. Seligman
Publisher: Vintage
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
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Rating:  36 reviews
Sales Rank: 1659
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 336
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.2 x 0.5
ISBN: 1400078393
Dewey Decimal Number: 155.232
EAN: 9781400078394
ASIN: 1400078393
Publication Date: January 3, 2006
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Product Description
Known as the father of the new science of positive psychology, Martin E.P. Seligman draws on more than twenty years of clinical research to demonstrate how optimism enchances the quality of life, and how anyone can learn to practice it. Offering many simple techniques, Dr. Seligman explains how to break an “I—give-up” habit, develop a more constructive explanatory style for interpreting your behavior, and experience the benefits of a more positive interior dialogue. These skills can help break up depression, boost your immune system, better develop your potential, and make you happier..
With generous additional advice on how to encourage optimistic behavior at school, at work and in children, Learned Optimism is both profound and practical–and valuable for every phase of life.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 31 more reviews...
 Interesting read! November 22, 2008
I'm not a person who reads self help books. A professor who i respect mentioned the book in a social psych class. I like the idea of positive psychology, so I decided to look at the book more. I almost didn't get it because it was listed as self help, lol. But I did, and I loved the book. Everything is based on research, which sets it apart from the vast majority of self help books. I'd say that my optimism was a healthy level before beginning the book, and it was even more so afterward, and I was skeptical about applying it to myself.
It's a learning experience, and I enjoyed it.
Plus it's an easy and pleasant read.
BTW, if you are interested in the author's work, try browsing:
[...]
You can set up your own account to take tests that determine different strengths and compare them to your area, and other demographics. Also on the main penn state site you can also volunteer to participate in online research, which I love doing.
Powerful, Informative and Accessible November 17, 2008
After reading this book, I can't NOT hear the 3 Ps that mark a pessimistic reaction to misfortune. And once you can hear them, you can change them. This has helped me reverse my own reactions to bad events as well as helped me shift the thinking of others at critical times.
As a management consultant, I appreciate every new tool that I can use to help others improve their performance. This book's concrete, specific steps are so much more valuable than all the sweet talking platitude preaching that quickly melts away like cotton candy when it rains.
This book also discusses the benefits of optimism, the important role of pessimism even for eternal optimists, and more. Informative, fascinating and accessible - I highly recommend Learned Optimism to anyone interested in helping themselves or others have more control over their reactions to the vicissitudes of life.
Must Read October 20, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Great introduction to positive psycholgy. Also, this book has stoked my interest in cognitive therapy. Seligman writes in an accessible style and lays out the compelling scientific evidence for his theory. He brings credibility as the former president of the American Psychological Association and years of research. This book has made me look at some of my errors in thought and improved the quality of my life. I highly recommend this book to anyone dealing with their own emotional issues or helping others with their own.
 Is Learned Optimism Worth It??? October 17, 2008
I purchased this book to add to my collection of "self help" materials. I thought it was going to be just another "rah rah Anthony Robbins" type book. I came to find out this is serious stuff based on empirical evidence. The first few chapters are a little too scientific for someone like me, it took actually deep reading and putting the theories together. But then again, I am more of an Arts and Humanities than a Science Guy. Once you get past the scientific stuff (involves dogs), there is some mind bending life changing stuff to read. This book is more of a clinical research based book on "positive" psychology with concrete steps to take to turn negative thinking around. If you are looking for get happy cheerleading fluff, you can safely pass by this book!
 Learned Optimism August 17, 2008
1 out of 5 found this review helpful
Dr. Seligman tries to convince us that pessimism is the source of all our problems and optimism is the panacea in this book. It's basically divided into three parts: the first part deals with research in learned helplessness, the second about the advantages of optimism, and the third about how to change from pessimism to optimism.
Seligman defines optimism as not letting negative thoughts distort reality. But what if negative thoughts are reality and positive thoughts are distortions? When I realized that was true and I've been distorting reality with optimism (after I had read the book and had been applying the refutations for a couple weeks), I realized that the book had been inapplicable. He then says that even if the negative thoughts are true, what are the implications of them? He seems to think the only implications are minor things not worth bothering yourself with, but that hasn't been my experience.
To put it succinctly, it's a nice book, well-written and well-researched, but it fails by presenting depression and pessimism as not only the same thing, but something that can be cured in a one-size-fits-all kind of way that just didn't work for me.
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