I was really scared while starting this review since I haven?t written for almost a month now and was worried that I may have lost my touch. And to increase my frustration the product on which I wanted to write wasn?t available. A mixture of frustration and fear can be really very fatal for health unlike the chicken soup which works like a nectar for your body. And that?s the main reason chicken soup is recommended to the patients by the doctors since it helps them to regain their good health.
A wounded body doesn?t hurt as much as a wounded heart, a wounded mind or a wounded soul! Thus, some chicken soup was urgently needed by the society not only to heal the body but to heal the soul too. And hats off to Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Kimberly Kirberger who started this series called Chicken Soup For The Soul for this very purpose. Jack and Mark are the co-authors while Kimberly who is the managing editor of this organization decided to join them for this collection named Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul.
As the name of the book suggests, it is written specifically for the teenagers. Teenage years are one of the most exciting and difficult years of one?s life. Exciting because these are the years when you can really enjoy life carefree. And difficult because you have to deal with many problems too ? identity crisis, adolescence, peer pressures, parental pressures and so on. These are the years when your parents can seem to be your worst enemies. These are the years when you will have a new infatuation every second week.
These are the years when sometimes all of a sudden life may seem very gloomy to you. You may have a feeling of wretchedness that you are the most unfortunate soul on the whole planet. And it?s at this time when you need a true friend, who not only guides you towards the right path but also strengthens your character to such an extent that you develop an altogether new positive attitude towards life. And that?s just what this book does. Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul is really a boon for all the teenagers who are struggling to find some answers but can?t get them.
I recommend it to all the parents of the teenagers. Do get a copy for your child soon if he/she is 13+. And also by no means it?s a book just for the teenagers. It?s a must read for the parents too, so that they can understand the feelings of their child in a proper way and become better parents.
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The book contains 101 short stories of Life, Love and Learning. The stories have been divided under eight different categories ?
(1) On Relationships
Relationships ? of all kinds ? are like sand held in your hand. Held loosely, with an open hand, the sand remains where it is. The minute you close your hand and squeeze tightly to hold on, the sand trickles through your fingers. You may hold on to some of it, but most will be spilled. A relationship is like that. Held loosely with respect and freedom for the other person, it is likely to remain intact. But hold too tightly, too possessively, and the relationship slips away and is lost.
(2) On Friendship
Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same.
(3) On Family
The family ? that dear octopus from whose tentacles we never quite escape nor, in our inmost hearts, ever quite wish to.
(4) On Love and Kindness
Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.
(5) On Learning
School has taught me not only how to learn in the classroom, but outside the classroom as well. Where do you think I learned how to climb, swing and skip? Where do you think I learned how to meet my best friend?
(6) Tough Stuff
You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience by which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself ?I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.?
(7) Making A Difference
Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day.
(8) Going For It!
Having a dream isn?t stupid, Norm. It?s not having a dream that?s stupid.
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This book isn?t written just for commercial purpose and the organization is deeply concerned about the welfare of the teenagers too. As can be seen by the fact that they have decided to donate a part of the profit that is generated from the sale of this book to the following organizations -
(1) Challenge Days - A program committed to making our schools and the world a better place to live in.
(2) The Yellow Ribbon Project - A nonprofit organization that helps to prevent teen suicides.
(3) Motivational Media Assemblies (MMA)- A non-profit educational company serving schools in the United States, Canada, Australia and Taiwan.
Thus, by purchasing this book you are not only adding a gem to your collection but indirectly also helping these institutes. So my advice to you is, that go for it without thinking twice! I can assure you, that you won?t be disappointed. And if my assurance isn?t enough, to conclude, let?s have a look at what a few others have to say about this book!
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?I?m proud to be a part of a book that inspires and obviously really cares about teenagers. No preaching, no telling teens what to do. Everyone should read this book.?
Jennifer Love Hewitt - singer and actress, Party of Five
?What a wonderful gift this book is for teenagers. These stories will make you laugh, make you cry, and inspire you to feel better about life, love and learning.?
Barbara DeAngelis - bestselling author, Real Moments
?I love this book. It picks you up and shows you how to get the most out of life through the stories of other people.?
Janet, age 15
?I will read this book over and over again. It does more than just entertain you, it actually changes the way you feel inside?in a good way.?
Jennifer, age 16
?I like reading about how girls feel in relationship to guys. That was the best part.?
Michael, age 16
?I realized after reading this that I can do more than I thought. I play sports and sometimes, if I have a bad game, I think I?m finished. After reading these stories, I feel differently.?
Daniel, age 15
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© Tanmay Singh, 2005
