How to Stop Worrying and Start Living Reviews

• Especially Important for its Unintended Meaning

  
  By A2TGFURT008O0A on 2001-01-03
  The most interesting thing about this incredible book isn't the time-tested, practical advice (although there is much of that), nor the potentially life-changing observations on "how to live" (although they also abound). No, the most important lesson of HOW TO STOP WORRYING comes from an unintended source...and tells us a lot about how the world has changed.

  This book was published nearly half a century ago, and was based on observations from the first half of the twentieth century. Does that make it a hopeless anachronism? Just the opposite...it shows us how far we've fallen in one very important respect: Our willingness to take responsibility for outr actions. Consider this: Every single bit of advice in this book is based on the premise that you, the reader, are responsible for your own destiny, and must personally take action in your own life...not wait for the government or a pill or someone else to take care of it for you. Not once is anyone in this book characterized as a "victim" (although many come under great misfortune). If this book were to be written today, the fault for it's subject's problems would lie entirely with external forces, as would all of the remedies.

  I find it interesting that the overall term used to describe the problem this book attempts to solve ("worry"), is one that we never hear these days. In today's world, we say that someone is "stressed" to describe the same symptoms. Why? Because "worry" is something one does to one's self, and "stress" comes from the outside. We no longer want to acknowledge responsibility for anything.

  I'll be the first to admit that we know much more today about the cause of mental and physical problems than we did when this book was written. But any open-minderd reader of this volume will have to admit that, in many respects, we've gone backward. This was self-help for what Tom Brokaw calls "the greatest generation", and I recommend it highly.
  
  

• If the principles are so obvious...

  
  By A3GGH1ZRO1X6AN on 2001-06-18
  ...why doesn't everyone following them? Because that's the biggest knock I've heard regarding this book. Some people are reading each chapter and coming away saying "well that's obvious." Folks, there isn't anything groundbreaking about this book. There isn't some type of genius method of instantly transforming your life around. It was written decades ago but the solid principles still apply today. For example, if you want to add years to your life, take a nap for an hour each day. Carnegie is then going to tell you exactly who did this and how it helped them transform their life. Read this book once, then twice, then a third time and start living these principles. They are simple but effective and they will, as the title implies, help you start living your life.
  
  

• Dull

  
  By A2SETXU4UY67C9 on 2002-08-28
  I know that seems like a low rating for a classic author like Carnegie, so I feel compelled to let readers of this review know that it doesn't mean so much that I think the book is bad and not worth reading so much as it means I don't think the book is worth buying, which to me is an important distinction.

  The best things about it were that it was a quick read, and that Carnegie did have a bullet summaries at the end of each chapter, and a one page list of highlights for each section. All you really need to do is read those, and you've got the book. I may actually write some of those things down.

  That, essentially was my problem with it -- he didn't have a great deal to say, and yet he took over 300 pages to say it. I didn't even bother to read the last section (Thirty-One True Stories), as I could tell by scanning it that it'd just be more rehashing of the first seven parts.

  Essentially, this book could have been a pamphlet. It was very simplistic, and I'm sure that everyone has read all his suggestions and tips - some of which are useful and work, like keeping busy, and trying to change your thinking - from other sources. Alot of the advice is just common sense. And the examples were silly and too detailed; it got to where I was skipping over them and only reading the parts that were highlighted by the person who loaned me the book.

  Carnegie uses the word "worry" in such a broad way that it doesn't have a real meaning; in some cases what he calls "worry" to me seems more like a phobia - something a person would likely need professional assistance to address. Last, in general I found that that the book didn't flow - each chapter felt disconnected from the next.

  In general, this book is flawed, but it has some useful information that some people will be able to apply. I wouldn't pay money for this book (at least not much) but if worry is something that is getting you down, you could benefit from skimming the book for an hour or so. As I said initially, just read the bold type at the end of each chapter, and the summary at the end of each part.
  
  

• Here you can find the most basic steps for happiness

  
  By on 1996-07-25
  This book contains not only the steps for a worry-free living : when applying its techniques and principles in your day-to-day, you start to notice that you are a new person, with much more capacity, and the results of your acting became surprisingly better. It's probable that if you learn and apply correctly what Dale Carnegie wrote many years ago, you will solve very old problems, those very complex problems that you had already given up(ex. relationships with people in family and work, general organization of your life, bad memory, backwardness, etc.). You will be able to do what you believed was an unchangable weakness of yourself, and this will increase your self-confidence.You may ask how can a book be so miraculous. The answer is : this book is based in the toughts of the most wise men of all times, including Jesus Crist, Willian James, Benjamin Franklin, Thoma Edison, and many others, together with the real experiences that Dale Carnegie made in his "lab of how to stop worrying". Thus, in spite of not solving all the problems of our lives, this book certainly contains precepts that every person should know, and is an obligatory reading for those who are not completely happy with their lives.
  
  

• The Book is Like Compound-W for Worry Warts

  
  By A2VIUQPS0OAN2A on 2008-11-11
  Dale Carnegie wrote some great books back in the 30's and 40's, and this book is one of them- Carnegie fans won't be disappointed.
  
  The writing style is classic Carnegie. To put it simply, the guy just writes like he talks. This makes for a very friendly and easy to understand book, rather like a good friend giving you a piece of advice.
  
  And a lot of advice he gives. The book is divided up into ten sections, each one tackling some aspect of worrying. I could give you a rundown of the topics, but you don't really need me to repeat the table on contents to decide if you want to read the book. Rather, let me just say that book covers just about every major "worry issue" that might be causing a troubled mind, such as your work, your finances, other people's criticisms- and them some.
  
  While there are no earth-shattering, never-before-seen tips in the book, I wouldn't hesitate for a second to recommend it to anyone who is looking to ease their mind a bit. That's because it does a GREAT job of conveying simple wisdom that really make you think good and hard about why you're worrying and if those things are really worth worrying about at all.
  
  In short, its a bestseller because it makes a lot of sense and its advice can do a lot to re-frame your thinking about things. And if you can re-frame your thinking, well, you've about found the best "Compound-W" for worry warts. Readers who enjoyed this book might also enjoy Finding Happiness in a Frustrating World.
  
  
• In many ways, just what the doctor ordered
  By ANA2PVMARGY8H on 2006-04-03
  If "How to Win Friends..." was about interpersonal skills, this book is about intrapersonal skills. People have criticized Dale for stating the obvious, but hey, as my mother says, "common sense isn't common." Most of these ideas run counter to human nature's way of responding to conflict and criticism (defensiveness, blame, guilt, self-righteousness, etc). Instead, we are invited to replace these typical responses with non-threatening admissions of having been in the wrong if indeed we were in the wrong or water-off-a-duck's back/unshaken poise if the criticism was unjust, unwarranted, and unreasonable. To be honest, I often haven't thought about things the way Dale states them much less practiced his principles with consistency. Self-improvement in terms of handling my feelings is still a long-term goal of mine. I've made good progress, but I have a ways to go.
  
  I think this book is very good, but I think "How to Win Friends & Influence People" is the better of the two books. Also, Dale can come off as preachy at times. I think he was a wonderful, considerate person with the best of intentions, so I hesitate reproaching this "guru" of emotional intelligence.
  
  I did enjoy listening to stories about personal transformation. People who had hit rock bottom were able to rebound from their falls. John D. Rockefeller turned his life around, much in the style of "Silas Marner," and no longer fretted about losing money. Thanks to his Rockefeller Foundation, countless good causes have had ample funding. I also like the story Dale shares about J. C. Penney. Penney felt that even his intimate loved ones believed the worst about him after he was implicated with the stock market crash of 1929. He became so worried that his health deteriorated. Then one day he stumbled into a chapel as the choir was singing, "God will take care of you." He recognized the truth of those words and within 20 minutes, snapped out of his despair.
  
  Dale really revered Abraham Lincoln, and so do I, based on Dale's account of him. Abraham Lincoln would select men who disliked him if he thought those men were the best qualified for a given position. Someone asked Lincoln why he would consort with men who freely criticize him. Lincoln responded, "You have more of a feeling of personal resentment than I have. Perhaps I have too little of it. But I never thought it paid." He also said, "A man doesn't have the time to spend half his life in quarrels. If any man ceases to attack me, I never remember the past against him." Wow! Those are the words of an enlightened and secure human being.
  
  I think that my problem has been that I took too personally the criticism of others (both just and unjust). I'm not a vindictive person; however, I hate feeling threatened, and my self-esteem--while it has improved, it is still vulnerable. It was the feeling of self-doubt that I hated--not really the person attacking me. I made the mistake of interchanging a person for his or her mistakes at my expense. If you no longer feel threatened by criticism and believe in yourself and your potential no matter what, then I think forgiveness is easy and natural. Dale warned that we pay too dearly for grudges with our lost peace of mind.
  
  I like how this book among others can give us the tools to completely overhaul our unhelpful (or rather hurtful) ways of thinking about things. "How to Stop Worrying..." revisits platitudes and shows how they are less trite sayings than distilled truths. Turn lemons into lemonade. Count your blessings. Don't cry over spilled milk. He also talked about putting a "stop-loss order" on resentments, having our thoughts work for instead of against us, and how knowledge isn't power until it is applied. Forgive and forget our enemies. No person can humiliate or disturb us; a person really humiliates him/herself when s/he attempts to humiliate others. Or Eleanor Roosevelt's insight that no one can make us feel inferior without our permission. "If possible, no animosity should be felt for anyone." Edith Cabbal: "I realize now that patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness toward anyone." "Everynight I forgive everything & everybody." "Forget yourself by becoming interested in others." "Serving others is a sure way to forget our own troubles." "We hurt ourselves with thoughts of revenge." "Sympathy and compassion are the best antidotes to enmity."
  
  The helpful quotes go on and on, and any of the above could become a person's mantra, depending on what issues s/he is working on. Ben Franklin had the great idea of working on one of his eight severest character flaws every week. He would alternate what vice he was trying to eliminate or at least, ameliorate. He would self-reflect upon his improvement or lack thereof. I've decided to imitate good old Ben and try this for myself.
  
  I am grateful for Dale Carnegie and other helpful emotional intelligence gurus (Wayne Dyer, Deepak Choprah, and David Burns come to mind) for spelling out tools for emotional health and personal transformation. We all have great potential. As Dale said, we all live well within our means in terms of intellectual and emotional intelligence. Financially, it's great advice to live within our means, but we pay dearly to do so intellectually or emotionally.
  
  
  
• Best self-enhancment book read by far!!!
  By on 1998-09-01
  At the beginning of a Dale Carnegie Course, we were given three books: "How To Stop Worrying and Start Living", "How to Win Friends and Influance People", and "The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking". Out of these books "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living" hits home with most individuals that worry too much about the past and future. This book shows examples and ways to overcome the sickness of worry that occures in our everyday lives. Thus, how to live a happy and healthy life. While reading "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living" you'll notice a lot of what is written applies to people you know and yourself. Again, best self-enhancment book read so far!
  
  
• This Really is a Great Book!
  By on 2002-04-21
  I have to confess, I'm a chronic worrier. I was even back in high school when I found this book from my sister's Dale Carnegie course and began reading it. While it's been nearly 20 years since I read this book, I've been carrying its principles ever since. The best part of this book and Carnegie's other landmark, "How to Win Friends and Influence People," is it's all common sense. Sometimes, it's so easy to see the obvious until it's pointed out to you and illustrated with very easy to understand anecdotes. The book teaches you to live in day-tight compartments, to accept the worst-case scenario so you can be prepared to handle the consequences, to weigh the odds (Carnegie tells, for example, the story of how as a little boy he started crying because he thought he was going to be buried alive), etc. You won't find a lot of psycho-babble here, just real life experiences from real people to deal with an all too real problem.
  
  
• This Book Was Like A Life Preserver...
  By A7LE55328PVC6 on 2003-12-23
  Tossed to me at a time in my life when I was drowning in my worries. Oh, my worries were real enough, I had good cause to worry! Everyone said so. My husband died suddenly, then my teenage daughter got into drugs, dropped out of school and ran away! I worried so much my hair fell out!! And this went on for several YEARS! In this book I met other people who had good cause to worry, too. Those who shared their life experiences with Dale Carnegie, and gave him their best coping techniques so that he could compile them in a single text. They talked about how they dealt with the fear of war, or illness, or poverty, or lonliness and the worst one of all: despair. I read it over and over. I clung to the stories of people rising above their circumstances and making it through hard times. This book is FILLED with things you can do IMMEDIATELY to improve your life, practical concepts that REALLY WORK. Even though I am in a happier place in life at this time, I thank God for this book and the calm it brought me during my toughest years.
  
  
• Anxious? Stressed? Here's the Ideal Bedside Companion
  By A2A11MBGVWATH3 on 2004-09-06
  Not long ago, when I was newly divorced mom with two teenagers, and plenty of reasons to worry, I found this little book. That year, I'd made a New Year's resolution to stop worrying. Living one day at a time sounded like a great idea. But I did not know how. How to stop worrying?
  
  The book had actually been lying on a bookshelf in my home for a very long time. My copy was so old that the pages were yellow, and crumbling I had picked it up once, glanced through it and laid it down, thinking that my problems were just too overwhelming to listen to yet another positive-thinking guru.
  
  This time, as I read and re-read the book, I came to love the people in it, who told their stories in such heart-felt, simple words. Because, you see, the book was written in a laboratory of human experience. For five years, as a teacher of adult education classes at the YMCA, Dale Carnegie taught a class in how to stop worrying. Each week his students, who came from all walks of life, tried his ideas out, and returned to class with honest feedback on what actually worked for them. Carnegie eventually put their stories together, including what they learned as a group. That's how the book took shape.
  
  The stories, all true, are drawn from days when people had good reason to worry. This was the generation which lived through the Great Depression, and then World War II. Everything is covered here - war, loneliness, financial problems (even bankruptcy-one man had gone through bankruptcy three different times, due to the Great Depression), death, worry over children, health problems, fear of the future.
  
  A number of them had come close to ending their lives due to overwhelming personal problems. Everything is described honestly, in this little book. Yet all of them learned to stop worrying. And they tell how they did it.
  
  Some used prayer as a comfort. The book was written during the days when people weren't ashamed to admit that they found comfort in religious belief. But that isn't the main emphasis of the book. It's filled with practical, down-to-earth approaches for living day to day, happily. The answers are those found in the laboratory of real human experience - not theory, but what works.
  
  If you're like me, prone to waking at night, anxious with what Carnegie calls the "wibber-gibbers," it's the ideal bedside companion, and a true comfort throughout life's up and downs.
  
  Recently, during a lawsuit which caused me a significant amount of anxiety, I tore this little paperback into sections, and carried a section into court with me, to read during odd moments as I waited for the outcome of my case. This book, and the love and support of my family, carried me through.
  
  
  
• A Great Stress Antidote
  By A2Q457CES5ZUZ on 2002-01-16
  Dale Carnegie was realistic enough to recognize that in a stress-filled, highly competitive society people would often be disposed toward reaching a point of exclaiming despairfully, "Enough already!" This master success mindset creator empathizes with people feeling acute frustration and lacking confidence, offering instructive examples of how the world's great achievers and beacons of inspirational thought confronted frustration and despair.

  One of my favorite examples from this powerful book is that of the New York mogul who was told by doctors that his condition was irretrievably fatal and that the only thing he could do was try and enjoy the little time which remained to him. He was informed that he could extend the time remaining to a limited degree by being careful of what he ate and seeing that he did not tax himself.

  With those thoughts in mind, the mogul boarded a boat for presumably his final journey abroad. After the ship got out to sea and the New Yorker had nothing but time to think, surrounded by blue water on all sides, he decided to throw caution to the winds and enjoy what time remained to him. He began to eat what he wanted, disdaining medical advice, as well as jettisoning cautionary warnings about overtaxing himself. The next thing he knew he had infused himself with such joy of living that he began gaining weight, strength, and stamina, not to mention enjoying himself thoroughly. By the time he reached Europe he was a new man and the presumably fatal illness was no more than a bad dream in his memory bank.

  Carnegie recalls a delightful Thanksgiving dinner he had with Jack Dempsey in a New York restaurant. Dempsey explained how, initially, after having lost his heavyweight championship to Gene Tunney, he decided to concentrate, instead of feeling depressed, on accomplishing good and enjoying himself at the same time. Dempsey told Carnegie that in looking back he was actually a happier man in the years following what could have been a bitter disappointment, after losing his title, than in his glory days when he reigned as world heavyweight championship. His determined mental attitude paved the way.

  Carnegie also relates how he conquered adversity to become famous. A shy youngster growing up in rural Missouri, he was overcome by self-doubt after moving to New York City. He decided to conquer his shyness by becoming an adept public speaker. Since the challenge was so difficult he concentrated intensely and spent much time and effort learning about the proper elements of speaking. He also concentrated on the realm of overall self-improvement, as well as focusing on the subject of acquisition of confidence. He became so adept that he became the world's foremost authority on the subject of achieving success through developing confidence. Carnegie's common sense approach is as timely now as when he developed it.
  
  

• Excellent, but non-religious readers may prefer more recent alternatives
  By A1XYI9S8H6QH7M on 2005-08-24
  This is a classic in the genre. Purely apart from the inspiration it has provided for millions, it is written really well. It is a model of good writing style.
  
  Carnegie, like Norman Vincent Peale, is however devoutly religious. Religion is definitely part of the program. Chapter 19 contains this sentence, "If religion isn't true, then life is meaningless". It also asserts that a lack of religion can lead to "stomach ulcers, angina pectoris, nervous breakdowns, and insanity."
  
  The person of little faith may therefore prefer "Feeling Good" by David Burns, or "A guide to rational living" by Albert Ellis.
  
  Outside chapter 19 however, religion does not intrude too much. Jesus is often quoted, but so are pagan philosophers.
  
  
• Take a look at Carnegie
  By A356TJCTCLDN89 on 2004-07-25
  For some reason, self help books tend to be terribly expensive so before you go on a epic spending spree trying to help yourself give ole Dale Carnegie a look. He and Napoleon Hill are the granddaddies of the entire self-help industry and his book still has much to say.
  
  The book is completely free of pyshobabble. You will not be asked to look for your inner child. You will not be asked to blame your parents. You will be encouraged to help yourself. You will be asked to let go of old hurts, hates, and bitterness. You will be told over and over again that there is hope and that you can change your life.
  
  The first half of the book is solid gold. Dale Carnegie never presented himself as perfect. He pointed out his own anxieties and showed how he freed himself from them. He also uses examples from famous and oridinary people of the day showing how they picked themselves up. Go through the book with a highlighter, photocopy sections, write down some of the quotes and tape them to your computer or wall or bathroom mirror where you can see them everyday.
  
  Now about the second half. Okay, it's not as good and I think Carnegie probably added it to please his publishers. It doesn't matter. The first half of the book makes up for the weakness of this section.
  
  If you are going through a bout of the blues or if you've been a big time frantic worrier for all of your life check out How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. I'm not saying it's the ulitmate answer but it's an accessible, enjoyable and inexpensive start.
  
  
• Better than any guru (and I should know)!
  By A30634X99KM6OL on 2005-06-07
  I've been plagued by social anxiety disorder and agoraphobia since I was a child. My former psychiatrist suggested that it began when I watched 'Charlotte's Web' in the second grade and kept on watching it several times a year even as I was well into my 20s. Aligning myself with several enigmatic gurus was no help. When I followed their teaching of permanently disconnecting myself from family and friends and throwing all of my possessions into the sea, I was always left stranded on the beach with no means of transportation back to my "home" and no way of calling my "family" or "friends" for help. That's when I wandered into the public library and saw 'How To Stop Worrying and Start Living.' Dale Carnegie offers some of the best advice on conquering worry! After reading the first chapter, I already felt at ease. Carnegie writes, "One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon - instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today." How sad and true! I vowed to live in the now, in which I am a cashier at Wendy's and fortunate enough to still live with my parents, instead of dreaming my life away, hoping that in the future I will be a glamorous jazzercise instructor with a husband and a family of my own. Later on in the book, Carnegie says that dwelling on the past is not good either. So I forgave and forgot that Patterson girl in the fourth grade who got me two weeks of detention when she told the teacher that it was me who had underlined all the dirty parts in the school library's Judy Blume books. Reading 'How To Stop Worrying and Start Living' changed my life. As a result, I've given up my dreams of glory and accepted my role as a moderately intelligent human being and I've never been more worry-free!
  
  
• This book has helped many people
  By AHD101501WCN1 on 2006-11-26
  In reading through the 'Amazon Reviews' I was impressed at seeing how many people have been helped by this book. This is the real test of its value.
  The book opens with Carnegie telling about the great physician William Ostler who was worrying himself to distraction before a key test in his life. He discovered that the right action was in concentrating wholly on the task before him at the moment, and leaving the vague worries aside. It led him to a principle of focusing on one day at a time, of doing the best one can do in that day.
  This example and story like many others in the work are meant to be a help for us in learning how to live less worrisome, fearful lives. They are meant to help us become happier and better human beings.
  As with so many other things, I only wish it were as easy to heed the advice as it is to understand the wisdom of it.
  
  
• Relish the AUDIO edition (as well as the printed version)!
  By A26FTO9SN9PPYW on 2005-10-10
  I was incredulous when I read a prior reviewer (from Taiwan, as it happens) who, regarding the AUDIO edition of Carnegie's renowned book, opined that the narrator's tone was "not emphatic" enough. Perhaps the edition he has features some other narrator than does the edition commonly sold in the USA, which features the HIGHLY effective Andrew MacMillan. Mr. MacMillan's "slightly folksy yet consummately professional" tone is the perfect fit for Carnegie's own "I'm from Missouri" approach. (I can imagine that the likes of Harry Truman would have been delighted with such a narrator if there'd been an audio version of Carnegie's book when it first appeared!)
  
  As for Dale Carnegie's classic "self-help" book itself, well, I could go on and on, but I'd be hard-pressed to surpass what's already been said by countless fans who've justly sung its praises. Suffice it to say that this book--freely/affordably available via public libraries and used bookstores nationwide--should be on virtually everyone's shelf. If every troubled mind or heart were simply to digest this book from cover to cover, very likely many (grossly overpaid and overrated) psychologists would be out of business. (I scarcely exaggerate!)
  
  Whenever you're having one of those occasional "blue" or even "desperate" periods (or perhaps merely the odd sleepless night), resort to this "old friend"--either its printed or its (unabridged) audio incarnation. It can't hurt, and it very likely can help.
  
  
• Not to worry - this is a must read
  By A30GSU5H72LSL on 2005-01-12
  I have had this book for years and can honestly say that is probably one of the best self-improvement books on the market today. The book is peppered with stories of individuals who overcame tremendous struggles and angst. Some of the stories are a bit outdated and hokey, but if you can get past that, the informational content still holds true for today. Each chapter contains practical bullet point info that anyone can use and the chapters are summarized at the end to re-iterate the main points covered. This is an invaluable guide for those of you who are ready to start living a worry free life. Worth purchasing for your home library and would be an excellent gift for a friend or family member. Also worth considering would be the audio version of this book.
  
  
• My medicine
  By A1OUHW8VG89Q0Z on 2005-10-05
  When I bought this book, I was so depressed and I felt like all my effort was no meanings. I couldn't accept anything including myself.
  I didn't expect very much but the book was much worthier than I imagined.
  I read the book over five years ago but I still remember some valiable statements ans suggestiong, and sometimes I remind them myself.
  Such as, forget about your lost finger, you lost it and there is nothing you can do, forget it then move on.
  Or, make you busy can be a medicine when you have a serious sufferring such as lost a family member.
  Or, people don't kick a dead dog. Which is my favorite one.
  Or, if people thank you for you have done for them that is like a beautiful rose, if people don't that is a nature, nothing problem.
  Or more.
  
  This book is like my mental medicine and I still have been taking it.
  
  If you got so angry about unfaireness or you feel like nothing is going to work on your life, try it.
  
  
• The most valuable book I've ever read, without a doubt.
  By on 2001-12-09
  If you think that happiness is one of the most important things in life, if you can get over the book's dated title, and if you are willing to read this book and then reread it (or just listen to the tapes) a few more times, THEN -no kidding- it can actually help you change your life for the better.

  This book provides essential information that you really need to be aware of every day of your life if you hope to be happy. I cannot say that about any other book (or person or anything else) I've ever come across in my life.

  Risk a few dollars to try the book out. If what I say is true, you'll look back on the expenditure of that money as a fantastic investment. If not, you've lost a small amount of dough on what looked like a good risk.

  Personally, I wish I'd come across this book fifteen years ago.

  Good luck.
  
  

• Carnegie's done it again
  By A1XN2AAQAT41HX on 2003-03-23
  It seems like such a silly thing to have to read a book on how to stop worrying, but trust me; you'll never learn as much any other way. Once again, Dale Carnegie proves to be the expert on self-motivation. Certainly this book won't cure you, but it will give you advice and insight on the better life you should be leading. A remarkably easy read. I do have one problem with Carnegie's book; he seems to focus a lot on religion, and to anyone who isn't "hip" with religion will find it distasteful. Also, I actually enjoyed his other book, How to Win Friends, more, but How to Stop Worrying is a nice addition into the self-help fanatic's library. If anything, it will slap you in the face and remind you that life is too important to waste time worrying about superficial matters. Some of us need that slap in the face.
  
  
• Very practical ways of dealing with stress.
  By A3EURGOIEBJWKD on 2000-01-02
  This book is about how to deal with many different sources of stress (in the 1940's, when this book was written, stress was called worry). The principles are as sound now as they were fifty years ago. I am the author of the book, Self-Help Stuff That Works, and I know what works and what doesn't. Carnegie's book is packed with useful ideas you can apply today and gain relief from stress, worry, tension, and fatigue.

  Like his other popular book, Carnegie gives you short, pithy principles you can easily remember and apply, illustrated by entertaining true examples, often of how famous people applied the principles. It is good reading, and when you're done, you'll have the tools you need to feel good more often.
  
  

• Time Honored And A Classic
  By A1US87X5YUEQ7A on 2002-08-25
  It is tempting to dismiss some of the time honored success books in the wake of the high energy speakers of today who seem to come on like a hurrican of self-improvement hype.

  The Dale Carnegie tapes are powerful because they deal with principles. These are ideas which are not going to change through the year. They aren't faddish and if you follow them and apply them consistenly you'll be pleasantly shocked at the results.
  
  

• Simple yet brilliant
  By A1SHYIS7SOIU2O on 2002-12-18
  In a world fall of Prozac and expensive therapists, this book is a refreshing change. The book provides a set of very simple principles that you can apply to your life to stop worrying.

  The book is well written and very easy to read. The chapters are short and therefore easy to absorb. The lessons are not profound. Rather, the book reminds us of simple things that we may have forgotten. It chides us for worrying about trivial things, for worrying about things that we cannot change and for worrying about things that may never pass.

  The book may seem slightly dated nevertheless its basic tenets are sound. The one thing I did not like about the book was its overuse of stories and anecdotes. The book would make a point and then use quite a number of stories to support the point. I think this was excessive. One or two supporting anecdotes would have been sufficient.

  Overall this book has made a change to the way that I view the world. If we all stepped back and objectively analysed our current lives, most of us would realise how fortunate we are to enjoy the privileges that we do today. Strongly recommended for anyone currently living the modern day, hectic, stress filled lifestyle.
  
  

• It's Really GOOD !!
  By A1PKE3BL9ZQ93G on 2003-06-03
  I was having this book for a long time in my library, but recently i've read it, the techneques which was described in the book are very simple, easy to use and IT WORKS !!
  It will not stop you from worrying but for sure it will reduce it.
  I recommend anyone who is jobless or with a searious illness or dispert to read this book.
  
  
• Age-old advice still useful today
  By on 2004-05-15
  This is my first Amazon.com review, but I was compelled to write since I found this book to have such a positive impact on my outlook on life.

  I picked up this book at least twice over the year, and put it back thinking that the information contained was probably no longer relevant or useful since it was written so long ago (1945). Instead, I bought other, more up-to-date books that didn't help my chronic worrying in the least. Finally, I bought this book - and was amazed to find this one little book has begun to change my outlook on life. True, the stories ARE old - some of them are about World War II veterans or people struggling through the Depression - but instead of finding them irrelevant, it instead made me realize two things - that people have been battling chronic worry for a long time (and that I am not alone) AND these people faced a lot more troubles that I have and were still able to overcome their fears and worries.

  It's true what other reviewers say - Carnegie does fill the book with age-old idioms (he quotes Lincoln, George Bernard Shaw and William James). But he puts it into such a context that I would often put the book down, and think, "He's right! I never thought of it that way."

  I've been through therapy and counselling, and it hasn't helped as much as this one little book. Whenever I start to feel anxious or have nagging worries, I turn to this book and read one of the many passages I have highlighted and I feel better instantly. Admittedly, this book may not help you if you have a severe anxiety disorder or depression. But if you are a chronic worrier, like me, you may find this book to be as invaluable as I do.
  
  

• Get this book!
  By A2QMXIFIVE4LNS on 2004-10-12
  I was given a copy of this book by my psychologist and it completely changed my life. The strength of this book is in the fact that Dale Carnegie drew upon so many sources through research, interviewing people, and so on, to write this book. I was completely surprised that somebody as pessimistic and full of worry as me could completely change in such a short time - and that the benefits have stuck with me. With the help of this book and a few others, I was able to completely stop taking anti-depressants once I realized that the strength for changing my mind was inside of me and not in a pill. No matter how bad life can get, there is always a way to fight through it and actually still look at the bright side of things. I recommend buying this so you can highlight and keep it for re-reading. It is so full of insight that you'll definitely want to return to it time and again.
  
  
• Great Book for 2005
  By A3IDRHJ9CPLRTI on 2004-12-21
  I have just completed reading this book and I'm amazed that the press of life causes me to worry to death about things that are only fleeting, at best. This is a wonderful book to get you back to some balance in your life. I will reread it again to pick-up on principles that I may have missed in the first reading. This is one of those books that make you say, "I wish I could read this again for the first time." It makes you want to change your bad habits.
  
  
• This is not fluff, this works
  By A34BPJBD1YYMM9 on 2005-02-18
  Mr. Carnegie's books are timeless. "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living" began changing my life many years ago. Taking Mr. Carnegie's advice, I have reread it several times since then and am better for it. Worry, like many chronic problems, can jump back out at you when you feel as if you've already beaten it. This book allows the reader to return to it again and again. It acts like a family member or a close friend-always ready to give you some perspective or to remind you of what's important.
  This book offers concrete and practical things that can help the reader escape from the destructive pattern of worry. There is no author or self-help guru out there who can provide you with a more natural or common sense approach to this issue. James Green, author of "If There's One Thing I've Learned."
  
  
• Numb yourself with drugs OR read this book. YOUR CHOICE!!!
  By A2VP7JOT3K7PFM on 2005-06-04
  +++++
  
  In this book, by Dale Carnegie, you will learn the following:
  
  (1) Fundamental facts about worry
  (2) Basic Techniques in analyzing worry
  (3) How to break the worry habit before it breaks you
  (4) Seven ways to cultivate a healthy mental attitude
  (5) The perfect way to conquer worry
  (6) How to keep from worrying about criticism
  (7) Six ways to prevent fatigue and worry
  (8) Thirty-one true stories about those who conquered worry and how they did it
  
  Carnegie explains what his book is:
  
  "[This] is what this book is: a collection of successful and time-tested recipes to rid ourselves of worry. However, let me warn you: you won't find anything new in it, but you will find much that is not generally applied."
  
  Carnegie also states:
  
  "One thing is certain: this book is practical. You can set [or sink] your teeth in it."
  
  A great feature of this book besides the information it contains is its summaries, thus making it very easy to read. Most chapters contain rules in boldface type that are summary statements of the entire chapter. For example, what is the rule for chapter 17? Just turn to the end of this chapter and you'll see it:
  
  "When fate hands us a lemon, let's try to make a lemonade."
  
  Besides these chapter summary statements, each part or section (except part 5 and the last part) contains a summary entitled "Part...in a Nutshell." For example, this is the summary for section four:
  
  "Part Four in a Nutshell: Seven Ways to cultivate a mental attitude that will bring you health and happiness." Then there is a listing of the seven rules that are the summaries of each of the seven chapters that make up this section or part.
  
  The last section contains thirty-one inspirational, true stories with the theme of "how I conquered worry." At the end of most of these stories is a brief summary point in boldface type that summarizes the entire story. For example, there is a story entitled "I was warned not to speak or to move even a finger" by J.L. Ryan. The summary point for this story is as follows:
  
  "Mr. Ryan is alive today because he made use of the principle...Face the worst that can happen."
  
  Finally, the only problem I had with this book is that it has no notes or footnotes and no references. Carnegie tells us early on that he read "what the philosophers of all ages had said about worry. [He] also read hundreds of biographies, all the way from Confucius to Churchill. [He] also interviewed scores of prominent people in many walks of life." This is impressive but none of this is documented formally in this book!
  
  However, he does give credit to some of his sources in his narrative but these are informal, incomplete references. Still I spotted many things that were not referenced even informally.
  
  In conclusion, this is a practical, concrete, easy-to-read, inspiring handbook on conquering a major problem of humankind. Carefully read this book to learn why "Those who do not know how to fight worry die young!"
  
  (first published 1948; preface; 8 parts or 28 chapters; main narrative 275 pages; acknowledgment; index)
  
  +++++
  
  
  
• The Best Book Ever Written on Taming Worry
  By A1Q83V47LBT5HK on 2006-03-15
  BUY THIS BOOK!! GIVE IT TO EVERYONE THAT YOU KNOW.
  
  While reading this book, I had to look back at the copyright of 1944 every six pages. Between his two main works, this book and "How to Win Friends and Influence People", I think Stephen Covey and Brian Tracy probably owe their entire careers to Dale Carnegie.
  
  If you stay up late and pace the floors giving yourself hypertension, this book is for you. If you are a perpetual angry person and you find yourself constantly putting others down, this book is for you.
  
  I have highlighted this entire book and read parts of it daily.
  
  The tools and techniques in this book will guide you to a worry-free life and it will also give you some valuable tools on problem solving that will stay with you for every.
  
  

• The Leader in You
• How to Develop Self-Confidence And Influence People By Public Speaking
• How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

• How to Win Friends & Influence People
• The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking
• How To Enjoy Your Life And Your Job
• The Power of Positive Thinking
• How to Develop Self-Confidence And Influence People By Public Speaking