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Maggie's Reviews > The War of Art
The War of Art
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This book is lightweight, derivative crap, written in the style of a self-hating self-help guru with blame the victim issues eighteen ways from Sunday. I tore out the two good pages, one of which was a quotation from W.H. Murray and the other of which quoted King Leonidas, and burned the book in the fireplace. That's how angry it made me. Horrible waste of paper and time.
Really, you want more details? Okay. The author personifies Resistance and then writes a tiny little snippet about it, one per page, stretching a teaspoonful of insight out for seventy pages or so. Sure, we come up against resistance in every area of our lives. This isn't news to anyone. But the ways he personifies it contradict each other, or simply don't make any sense, or come across as pure page-filling psychobabble.
Worst of all, he manages to blame the reader for everything. You feel resistance because it's easier! If you don't feel it, you're going the wrong way! If you don't feel it, you're making a step down in life. Sex is resistance! Food is resistance! Exercise is resistance! Everything good is resistance! Unless it isn't!
Save yourself some pain and brain cells and avoid this book. It's condescending incoherent nonsense argued on the level of a Sunday school comic strip. I wish I could give it less than one star.
Really, you want more details? Okay. The author personifies Resistance and then writes a tiny little snippet about it, one per page, stretching a teaspoonful of insight out for seventy pages or so. Sure, we come up against resistance in every area of our lives. This isn't news to anyone. But the ways he personifies it contradict each other, or simply don't make any sense, or come across as pure page-filling psychobabble.
Worst of all, he manages to blame the reader for everything. You feel resistance because it's easier! If you don't feel it, you're going the wrong way! If you don't feel it, you're making a step down in life. Sex is resistance! Food is resistance! Exercise is resistance! Everything good is resistance! Unless it isn't!
Save yourself some pain and brain cells and avoid this book. It's condescending incoherent nonsense argued on the level of a Sunday school comic strip. I wish I could give it less than one star.
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Reading Progress
Started Reading
May 11, 2009
– Shelved
May 11, 2009
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-24 of 24 (24 new)
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by
Marshall
(new)
Feb 19, 2015 12:13AM
Tell us how you really feel.... lol.
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But the truth is the reader IS to blame. It's harsh and painful, but true. That's the beauty of this book, it doesn't lie to you like the World will by saying "Nothing is your fault, if things were different you'd get things done!" WE get in our own way. Then we blame everything we can. This book calls out that BS, and does not baby the artist reading. It's brash and pulls no punches. Of course, as a result, it won't be for everyone. :)
I agree with JK. If you fail to show up and take action, nothing happens.
Although I don't agree with you, your review really made me laugh. Haha.
This book is one of the worst pieces of drivel I've read in a very long time. Incredibly, astonishingly bad.
Thank goodness I'm not the only one. I hated this book so much that I wrote my first 1 star review, and it's not nice at all.
B.A., it had it coming.
I think crap summarizes it. It still amazes me how it can be rated 4 and how so many people like it. There is just no content in there.
What amazes me is that you effectively identified procrastinating writers, artists, and the other targets of this book with.. victims. In other words they are victims of.. procrastination, right? And/or of boredom. And who's fault is that? Do you really think that a self-help book that pampered readers would be more effective? If someone is irresponsible enough to think that you he/she is not to blame for his/her own.. boredom then that person can never beat Resistance, self-sabotage or however you like to call it.
The sentence "self-hating self-help guru with blame the victim issues" is exactly what put me off about this book! Thank you for summing up in words the icky feeling I couldn't quite point my finger at. I like some of the ideas - but the writing style somehow raises flags in my head
This reviewer must have read a different book or is someone who prefers lighter reading.
This book is not for reading but for digesting.
Your review made me laugh so hard! In a respectful way!
Loved your review. This came highly recommended from a friend. I did not make it all the way through the book and was reading reviews to see if anyone felt the same way I did. You've truly put into words how I feel. Your review Was more articulate and better worded then the book .
Oof, the truth hurts I guess.
Burning books is Resistance lol
babble is this review
Mitzy wrote: "Reported you for harassment."I am reporting you for "Harrasment" and for scaring me with your horror photo
Mitzy wrote: "Reported you for harassment."you need to get a life. you are a man repellant
Ong book is trash. Actually was considering using it as kindling myself
Rachel wrote: "Ong book is trash. Actually was considering using it as kindling myself"hahahaahahahaahaha the book is a waste of time, trees, and space
