For April the book I’ve decided to read is John Goblikon’s Guide To Living Your Best Life. This is kind of a joke book, but I assigned it on April Fool’s Day so why not? This should be a fun read.
First impressions
John Goblikon is the mascot for an American metal band called Nekrogoblikon. As you can guess this book might be a bit vulgar and humorous I am not sure yet. I wouldn’t guess that it is going to take on a serious tone, but let’s see what it has in store for us!
Okay I read the front and back cover. This book is definitely going to be vulgar and might not always give the best advice, but if anything it might be good for a laugh or actually have some hidden knowledge to it. You decide if you really want to read it or not.
This quote stood out to me already, “Where do goblins come from? Some say space some say middle earth. John Goblikon says, from within. For in us all, lies a little green goblin and only you can decide if that goblin will be used to help you live your best life.”
That seems like some helpful knowledge to me. I can’t wait to read more. Let’s enjoy this book together!
Summary
This book is mainly a comedy but, I found that it actually says some things of value and makes you think. There are parts that are parody and if you look at what the book is saying in creative ways you can start to see value in what the author is saying. I have a lot of quotes and main points down so I’ll share the best of them for you to get a taste of the book.
- Treat everyone with love and respect
- Don’t care about too many things, but care deeply when you do
- Feel your emotions, be optimistic
- Do what makes you happy
“Everyone’s best life is relative because whats best for you might be different for someone else.”
“Make every moment count”
- Pay your due, work, maintain relationships, pursue passions, workout and take care of your body
- Don’t be afraid to live or afraid of knowledge
- Don’t worry
- Prioritize
- Separate work from personal life
“Life is not always a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a hand well.” – Jack London
There is a lot of extra just kind of general life advice that is illustrated in the book. Most of them are communicated through funny stories or parody.
These included advice such as:
- Don’t be vague and confusing
- No one can tell you how to live your life
- “Every hour is happy hour”
- Don’t waste time
- Find creative ways to exercise
- Don’t be overly positive, as this is annoying to people
- Everyone is different and that’s okay
- Death is not to be afraid of
The book really critiques false positivity and self-help. This whole book is basically a parody of self-help.
Here are a couple quotes that the book mentioned from other people that I liked:
“Cowards die many times, before their dreams; the valiant never taste death but once.” – William Shakespeare
“Death is not the greatest loss in life, the greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.” – Norman Cousins
“Life is what you make it, but you have to earn it. You deservc it, but no one owes you anything. You have to make it happen for yourself. And you can. You will. Because you are Goblin.
Review:
Difficulty: 3/10 – This book is short, filled with pictures & pages with lots of white (green) space. This book is a quick, easy, & enjoyable read.
Clarity: 5/10 – This book comes right out and says some of it’s main points, but others are concealed behind parody & sarcasm and are up to the reader to unveil/interpret the real meanings behind them.
Usefulness: 6/10 – A large percentage of content in this book is surface level. However, there are some useful (and detrimental) tips.
Entertainment: 9/10 – A very entertaining, visually appealing book with pictures, quotes & funny stories.
Overall: 7.5/10 – A funny & entertaining little book with some good, albeit, general life tips.
I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to read a self-help parody, fans of the band Nekrogoblikon, or anyone who just likes goblins.
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