Received this book as part of an "inherited library." A friend of a friend moved away, left the friend their books, and this was one of the books my friend didn't want, so he offered it and others to me. Since I'll read anything, and I have a Little Free Library to keep stocked, I took whatever he offered.

I enjoy these short-essay style bits of wisdom. In the same vein as Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, Livingston gives some quality bits of life advice. In some instances, his words helped me clarify some things I personally believed and was relieved to hear from another source.

This is definitely one I'll go back to when I need a little help working things out. ( )

Using the same short-essay approach that made Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart such a interesting and insightful read, And Never Stop Dancing collects 30 observations about how we live and relate to one another, distilling the wisdom of Dr. Livingston's experiences as a psychiatrist and a student of the human condition.

I am not usually a fan of self-help books. What makes this one stand out is its clear-eyed outlook and direct, unadorned style. Livingston does not hold to simple remedies to complex problems, but he does simplify our understanding of the forces at work within us all. If you're looking for the kind of inspiring, feel-good anecdotes that have sold millions of Chicken Soup for the Soul books, then go back to that series and its imitators. Livingston frankly admits that life is not easy, and his solution for our difficulties is not simply to "have faith." Nor does he follow the trends of the psychiatric profession in general and prescribe medication for every ill. Rather, he encourages us to engage with the problems that are at the root of our symptoms of loneliness, depression, and dissatisfaction. This is a less popular approach than the alternatives he avoids, but that is in part why his advice seems so full of wisdom. The more arduous path in these cases is the one more likely to have a real and lasting effect. ( )

Reading Dec 08