Very Good Lives on Goodreads
BOOK SUMMARY:
In 2008, J.K. Rowling delivered a deeply affecting commencement speech at Harvard University. Now published for the first time in book form, Very Good Lives offers J.K. Rowling’s words of wisdom for anyone at a turning point in life, asking the profound and provocative questions: How can we embrace failure? And how can we use our imagination to better both ourselves and others?
Drawing from stories of her own post-graduate years, the world-famous author addresses some of life’s most important issues with acuity and emotional force.
BOOK SUMMARY:
In 2008, J.K. Rowling delivered a deeply affecting commencement speech at Harvard University. Now published for the first time in book form, Very Good Lives offers J.K. Rowling’s words of wisdom for anyone at a turning point in life, asking the profound and provocative questions: How can we embrace failure? And how can we use our imagination to better both ourselves and others?
Drawing from stories of her own post-graduate years, the world-famous author addresses some of life’s most important issues with acuity and emotional force.
Release date: April 14th 2015
Published by: Little, Brown and Company
Page numbers: 80
REVIEW:
Before I begin writing about Very Good Lives, I just wanted to point out that I read this book on an epic day in magical history, and that's 31st July, 2016 which aside from marking the birthdays of my hero Harry Potter and my Queen J. K. Rowling, also happened to be the release of the most awaited book that had Potterheads all over the world go mad, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Well, I read it more in honour of the Queen's birthday, but it was a special day overall.
I have never reviewed a J.K. Rowling book before, and frankly, I don't need to; because no matter what she writes, it's gold, it's always going to remain etched in my heart and it's going to get five out of five bright and shining stars. Nonetheless, I decided to write something about Very Good Lives because I honestly feel that this book deserves to be read as much as Harry Potter, because it is very important. I don't know how she does it, but JKR makes me cry every time with her powerful writing, that conveys so much.
Very Good Lives is barely a half an hour read, which gives us the opportunity to read the speech JKR delivered at the Harvard 2008 graduation. I so wish I had graduated from Harvard in 2008, but that's when I got done with school, so I feel it's easy to pretend this was written for me. Anyway, the speech is packed with so much power and influence that it really touched me and had me thinking how is it that we Potterheads haven't made a big deal out of this beautiful piece of art? Because it certainly deserves that.
There's not much I want to say aside from the fact that JKR knows how to tell stories AND influence people better than anyone else. She keeps saying that all the magic we need is within us, but really, she is magic. Everything she does is wonderful. I don't care when everyone reads this book, but I sure hope they do, because they might not know this, but they need it. Read this book. Please.
Great review. I watched a video of this speech on YouTube, but I also want to get the book.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
Didn't know about this and would love to read it!
ReplyDeleteJen @ YA Romantics
Oh I wish I had graduated from Harvard in 2008 as well!! haha. I have only watched her speech of this one, but reading your review for the book form now has convinced me that I need to have this precious on my shelf as well <3
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