Reviews
“The best teen leadership book of its time”
5.0 out of 5 stars
February 23, 2011
By Oggie
This review is from: Feeling Lucky? (Paperback) on Amazon
“Feeling Lucky” is about a struggling teen who lives in a violent and frustrating world. He is angry over the hand that life has dealt him. Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, his estranged and mysterious Granddaddy appears. On this one stormy and magical afternoon in the park, this former WWII fighter-pilot plants a seed that forever changes the way his grandson looks at family, relationships and success. The once angry boy departs finally understanding what it really means to feel lucky! Do you feel it? Will you do what it takes to succeed in this imperfect world? Will people be better or worse off because they met you?
“Mesmerizing and Empowering, A Must Read!”
5.0 out of 5 stars
April 14, 2011
By Mihir Shah
This review is from: Feeling Lucky? (Paperback) on Amazon
Daniel Blanchard’s two decades of teaching and coaching teenagers is on full display in his empowering teen-leadership novel, Feeling Lucky? Providing the blueprint for a “peaceful, self-assured and confident” individual, Blanchard delves into the secrets of success, being lucky, weathering storms and visualizing the future.
Divided into seven chapters, Feeling Lucky? is a reservoir of practical advice designed to help teenagers face the challenges that they will encounter on the road to adulthood. The majority of the plot revolves around conversations between the main character–the frustrated teenager–and his estranged grandfather, fondly called “Granddaddy.” Although he is an exceptional athlete–participating in three different sports–this teen is quite mediocre when it comes to academics, that is until certain interactions with Granddaddy bring about a marked improvement in his grades. The discouraged teen in this story feels as though he has been cheated by life, and interestingly, the brunt of his frustration is a byproduct of his father’s “meanness” toward him and his brother.
Though Feeling Lucky? is essentially a self-help book, readers will be mesmerized by the powerful character of Granddaddy. One of the most fascinating concepts that Granddaddy preaches is the notion that everyone, throughout history, are old friends. More specifically, Granddaddy advises the teenager, “Remember, everything you want to know has already been written down by someone. All you have to do is venture out and find it.” In other words, take charge of your life by consulting the wise men of the past–people like Mahatma Gandhi–who knew the secrets of success.
More than anything else, Feeling Lucky? teaches the individual to evolve from being a spectator of life to being a part of the action in a positive way. If one thing can be taken from this book, it’s the idea of hope, and for a teenager, being able to cling to that hope means everything.
Feeling Lucky ultimately, using methods of Kaizen and visualization, allows the individual to control his emotions and regain control and authority over his/her own life. The book culminates with “Granddaddy’s Secrets: The Perfect 100,” a list of one hundred ingredients in the recipe of success. Examples include, “Planning ahead makes you a superstar,” “the root of all unhappiness comes from wanting more and not being happy with what you have,” and “you have to fail your way to success.”
Daniel Blanchard’s Feeling Lucky is a must-read page-turner that has the potential to recondition the way one perceives him/herself and others.
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