Accessories

Short review
While difficult at times, this book is profoundly meaningful. The basic premise that I have gotten out is that we deny death in order to live normal lives without being overcome with the anxieties of death. There is a lot of background reading that could be helpful (kierkergard, freud, and especially Otto Rank). But even for the laymen it is a book that will make you think about purpose, meaning, and life.

Highly recommended for anybody searching for understanding about life and is not afraid to read about such a heavy topic.

Insightful, brilliant, clearly written, easy to digest, hard to stop thinking about
Ernest Becker was a great summarizer of others ideas. He takes an idea like "How can people be happy when they know they will die?", and then looks at the works of psychologists to find their opinion. The result of his effort is a masterpiece.
Becker writes clearly, gives credit to others, and draws new conclusions by analyzing the insights of his reading. You can understand a majority of the ideas in one reading. But if you're like me, it will move you deeply.
Stop and ponder: One day, you will die. This book delves into how people stay happy, sane and persevering with the only guarantee in our life being the fact that all of it leads to this end.

Clarifying Insight
A Pulitzer Prize winning book needs no recommendation from me, but I'll add my 2-cents. No book of philosophy, no novel, no discussion of religion, and no essay has had more impact on how I deal with life's issues than this book. I've read it and reread it, underlined passages, turned down page corners, and never go back to it without reading something that escaped me before. It always feels fresh. Becker's insight into human motivation is always on target. And he delivers crystal clear descriptions of ideas and issues that can be extremely difficult to articulate. If you're looking for understanding (not answers, which are not available in this life, regardless of argument to the contrary), then pick up a copy.

OMG!!
My son and I often exchange books so we can have a better insight into each other. I am a very intelligent person and a fast reader. This 285 page book took me 6 weeks to read; I had to read it with a dictionary by my side and when I was done my final comment was..WHAT???????????????????????????????

The most hilarious part of this book and experience for me was that the author references many, many psychologists and others throughout the book in a way that it is assumed the average reader knows who these people are. (I guess I am not average; half of them I had no clue.) However, at one point he mentions Frank Sinatra and feels the need to add a parenthetical remark to explain to the readers who Sinatra was. So, that said, before you purchase this book ask yourself if you are the sort of person that knows names like Rank, Jung, Adler etc like the back of your hand and needs names like Sinatra explained to you. If you are, then by all means..buy this book. If not, then I hope you have a darn good reason why you have bought this book.

Great book ... Good Stuff
I got it in a timely fashion and no problems. Great condition!!!
Great great great!!!!