Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Very insightful and easy to read, with lots of real-world examples for many scenarios. I appreciate Westmoquette's mix of straightforward reason and compassion, which came through clearly in his writing. Lots of brain food here.

This is a superb book, written well and clear on all the topics and points. A book that you would pick up repeatedly.

Thanks to Netgalley and Watkins for the ARC copy. This review is my own opinion.

I attended a seminar about dealing with difficult people many years ago, and the gist of it was I (the attendees) were the difficult people. There a little of that going on here in that being self-aware is a basic requirement, and zen aspects of this are addressed in the beginning, and then tackling different situations with self-awareness and other approaches is discussed. While this won't solve all of your challenges. there are some good tips and tidbits here, mixed with some common sense. Recommended.

Thanks very much for the free review copy for review!!

I really liked this book, because it offers a vision that allows, or at least allowed me, to rethink some situations that had been bothering me for years, in a new frame.
It is not that it hurts less, but it is certainly more useful not only to bear the pain, but also to learn something more about ourselves and others.

Questo libro mi é veramente piaciuto molto, perché offre una visione che permette, o almeno mi ha permesso, di ripensare alcune situazioni che mi disturbavano da anni, in una nuova cornice.
Non é che poi faccia meno male, ma sicuramente é piú utile non solo a sopportare il dolore, ma anche per imparare qualcosa di piú sia su noi stessi che sugli altri.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

The combination of zen and self-help is not a new one, but the author makes his pitch well. The book is filled with anecdotes from his life and the life of others. For me, personally, I felt like the entire book could have just been the last chapter, which sums it all up neatly, but then the author would not have had a book to publish.

If you already know something of Zen, none of this will be new to you. If you're interested in Zen, perhaps this will be illuminating. From my point of view, it was mostly simple common sense, but I'm sure this book will find some avid readers.

Thank you to Net Galley for an advance copy of this book.