The Noticer: Sometimes, All a Person Needs Is a Little Perspective [ペーパーバック]

If you pick up this book titled THE NOTICER, by Andy Andrews, don't make the mistake I made. Don't wait until bedtime to start reading it. When I picked it up last night, I had every intention of simply reading the introduction and then turning out the light and calling it a day. Having read everything Andy Andrews has written, I knew it would be a good and just wanted to see what it was going to be about. Well, there is no introduction, so I thought I'd just read the first few pages to get a feel for it. I finished reading it around 1:30 this morning. Yes, it's that good.

Okay, it gets even better. Just past midnight, I even got up and ate a plum for a quick midnight snack and told myself, "Okay, you've got a busy day tomorrow. Go to sleep." I turned out the light and it took all of about 3 minutes before I turned it back on and opened the book again. I knew trying to fall asleep was a fruitless endeavor. I simply had to finish the book.

Andy Andrews is one of the finest writers (and public speakers) of our time. If you are not familiar with his work, this book would be a great place to start. For me, it may not have been quite as good as The Traveler's Gift, but that book has had such a profound effect on my life, I may be a little biased. I hope in time, this book will have an equally profound effect and in the few hours since I read it, I have thought about it's messages all day. Those messages are still sinking in and I will certainly read the book again this weekend before I decide who I want to share it with first.

I don't want to spoil the story for anyone, so I will only say the story revolves around a very influential old sage who touches so many lives by simply giving the people he encounters a new persective. When it all boils down to the basics, that's how simple it is in creating the determining factors of our lives. Whether we choose to be happy or miserable all revolves around our perspective.

One of the beauties of this book is that Andrew's deftly applies the "new perspective" principal to so many differing situations. You are sure to find more than a few examples of things that will relate to your own life. There's definately a message here for everyone.

Andy concludes this magnificent story with a Reader's Guide. A few pages of thought provoking questions that will help put it all together for you and would make for an extraordinary group discussion.

For me, personally, the story really helps reinforce my own personal mission - to inspire and empower people professionally, personally and spiritually to elevate their lives to a higher level. There's a little bit of "Jones" in all of us. Read the book and you'll understand exactely what I mean. I give this the highest recommendation possible.

His name was Jones. Not Mr. Jones, just Jones. If you had the opportunity to meet Jones, you would never forget him. He had a way of making a significant impact on your life. He always seemed to come around when you were at your lowest. Life was difficult and you were not sure how to keep going. But then you met Jones. He called himself a "noticer", because he noticed things that others overlooked. He noticed "things about situations and people that produce perspective. That's what most folks lack--perspective--a broader view".

Perspective--it's about how you look at things--how you look at life. That is what I learned from reading this book. No matter how bad things look, it was all about HOW I looked at things. "The Noticer" is an amazing story of how one man changed a community. He helped many people look at their lives differently. Jones helped Andy who was 23, homeless, and parentless. He helped Andy find perspective and it changed his life. Jones helped a couple find perspective which helped them save their marriage. He helped an older widow, who felt her life had been lived and was finished, find perspective that her life was just starting and that even she could make a huge impact in people's lives. Jones helped so many people. He touched many lives.

"The Noticer" by Andy Andrews is one of the best books I have ever read. The book could not have come at a better time for me to read, as I gained perspective. Amazing, inspirational, encouraging are just a few of the many words that could be used to describe this book. This is a book that I will read again and again. This is a book that EVERYONE should have and read.

Do you find yourself in transition in life? I happen to be going from a rewarding career of mothering with children in the home to a happily married teacher with independent and successful children. What is next? Only God knows for sure but this book by Andy Andrews brings an awareness of "the best is yet to come". I pray that my eyes will continue to be open to the opportunities that will come now that my life is in transition.The Noticer: Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective.