GDR Book Club. The Noticer

So the night before, I started to read The Noticer. My original intent was to read it after I got down to Savannah, but since it was there and I was suffering a mighty awesome, self-induced stomachache, I decided to give it a read.

It's as the book says: "Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective". It's a motivational book. It's also classified under self-help. Here's how the book is presented:

There is a mysterious drifting man who goes by the name of Jones... or 'Garcia' or 'Chen', depending on who he's with, and he always appears to those who are in trouble. His thing is that he's all about changing perspective, about considering different things, and reevaluating what's already known. In execution, the book is all about convenience. The characters are more or less cardboard, and sometimes, it's not them but their situation that's captivating. There aren't enough questions being asked, so the characters and their interactions of Jones are unnatural and made for the sake of plot convenience. As a regular book, I don't find it very good whatsoever.

However, the overlying message will not go without its credit. As a self-help, The Noticer might actually shed some light and help some people.  Even if you know these things, it's good to hear it all again in a less judgmental, more abstract, and all encompassing fashion. It's a good book to read simply for the reassurance, for the hope, for the perspective, but there are many moments in the book where it's preachy and wishy-washy. Despite that, there are many good things to carry away from this book.

It comes with a "Reader's Guide" in that back, which is essentially a quiz-like addition at the end of the book. It's supposed to help readers suck in the full capacity of the book, to help sink the message in, but I can do without that. I'll just take those little nuggets of scattered, perspective wisdom and, y'know, be on my way.