Life's Greatest Lessons is a wise, wonderful book. In it, Hal Urban, a parent and an award-winning teacher, presents twenty principles that are as deeply rooted in common sense as they are in compassion. The topics, gathered from a lifetime of teaching both children and adults, span a wide range of readily understood concepts, including attitudes about money, understanding the real meaning of "success," and the importance of having fun. The book will help you find the best -- in the world, in others, and in yourself. Classic in its simplicity and enduring in its appeal, Life's Greatest Lessons helps us all rediscover that the desire to live a good life is timeless.
From Publishers Weekly
Urban, a psychology Ph.D. specializing in "peak performance," draws on his own life experiences, wisdom imparted by his mentors and basketball coaches, observations of high school and college students, and the writings of other self-help gurus like Stephen Covey and M. Scott Peck to compile this catechism of conventional truisms. According to Urban, life’s great lessons are exactly what you always dreaded they’d be (they’re also his chapter titles): life is hard and not always fair; there’s no substitute for hard work; you have to give up something to get something. Although slightly disdainful of the hug-happy self-esteem movement, Urban does insist that we all have a potential to live up to. Fortunately, since "attitude is far more important than intelligence, education, special talent, or luck," with enough positive thinking success is virtually assured—as long as we buckle down, set goals and stick with them, manage our time efficiently and find Jesus Christ or some other kind of spiritual content to nourish our lives. Urban is an ex-high school teacher, a self-admitted former "growth junkie" and a leader of the "character education" movement, and is thus awash in good lessons; his prose, though, tends toward the bland and platitudinous, which may make the lessons hard for some to swallow.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
"A tremendously enriching book full of classic wisdom to live by."
-- Stephen R. Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
"A wise and wonderful book. It will enrich anyone who reads it."
-- Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People
"With its timeless message for people of all ages, this book is going to become a classic. It should be in every home in America."
-- Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager® and Whale Done!™
"This book can help all of us assemble our priorities."
- -Mel Levine, M.D., author of A Mind at a Time
"A great book about character for kids, teachers, and parents!"
-- Thomas Lickona, author of Educating for Character
"Hal Urban has put into bite-size pieces some of life's most important truths. Read, learn, and enjoy!"
-- Laurie Beth Jones, author of Jesus, CEO; The Path; and Teach Your Team to Fish
"Life's Greatest Lessons helps to unlock your mind to a treasure chest of life's opportunities and possibilities."
-- Pat Croce, author of I Feel Great and You Will Too! and 110%
About the Author
Hal Urban was a high school teacher for many years and also taught at the University of San Francisco. He is a well-known leader in the Character Education movement and is in constant demand as a speaker at national conferences and school and community events. He raised three sons as a single father and now lives in Redwood City, California, with his wife, Cathy.
