What Readers Are Saying

Life Lessons is inspiring and down-to-earth. I enjoyed the mix of real-life stories, research and practical takeaways. Looking for hope, silver linings, or just more joy and resilience in your life? Then this is a great book to pick up!!

The book strikes a perfect balance between personal storytelling and practical takeaways. Bob weaves his own experiences with actionable advice—things like practicing daily gratitude, living in the present moment, and reframing obstacles as opportunities.

I've read a number of books embracing gratitude and positivity as important ingredients to healthy longevity, but Violino's book is striking not only for its observations and advice, but for its welcome authenticity.

This book is a deeply moving and genuinely uplifting. It feels both intimate and universal. Drawing from a lifetime of experiences—including surviving cardiac arrest, navigating serious health challenges, and persevering through moments of doubt—Bob Violino writes with honesty, humility, and warmth.

Life Lessons is a delightful read! I appreciate that author Bob Violino kept the tone light and relatable while at the same time sharing some deeply personal health struggles he has encountered over the years. Yet he never seems to lose faith that we should always find time to embrace gratitude and a heaping dose of positivity!

I read this book because I am always searching for ways to...basically...be happy. Sometimes we don't understand how to implement basic ways of thinking in order to achieve this seemingly lofty goal. This book gave me completely practical ways to change or embrace my behavior and attitudes so I can do just that.

A thoughtful book with many great lessons, plus an enjoyable read! I highly recommend this book and thank Bob for sharing his insights and story to help others.

I've known Bob for years in the publishing world and always admired his work. I had no idea of the personal challenges he's faced, but after reading about how he's dealt with them with grace and gratitude, I admire him more. I've dealt with some challenges of my own lately and have drawn inspiration and ideas from Bob's writing. If life has thrown you or a loved one a curveball, get the book. You'll get a fresh perspective and good guidance and, I dare say, you'll look at your world and life in a new way.

While I don't typically gravitate toward self-help books, I was immediately drawn into Life Lessons, and quickly became captivated by author Bob Violino's warm, engaging writing style. His personal stories and reflections have inspired me to embrace both the good and the difficult moments in life with more openness, and to be more intentional about appreciating the everyday gifts of family, friends, and nature.

Survival can make a person smaller or larger. It can turn a person inward in bitterness, or outward in service. Violino clearly wants the second path. In his chapter on resilience, he writes that people who have been given extra chances have reason to be grateful, but perhaps also have an 'opportunity' and even an 'obligation' to serve as inspirations for those around them. He concludes, in one of the book's strongest lines, that 'resilience comes with responsibility.' That sentence could carry the whole book. It also connects deeply with the kind of writing I respect most.

Extremely well-written and inspiring. It feels like you are having a personal conversation with Bob as he shares his life experiences, while also reminding us of the importance of a positive attitude and mindset to get you through various challenges. A must-read at any stage of life!

This man of the 'bounce back' power of resilience and faith refused to let kidney disease, the loss of his foot, and two near-death experiences keep him down and in self-pity, or to define him and his life. Instead, he has used these stressful hardships to encourage and inspire others with his story, his blog on positivity, and his books. Kudos to his loving, brave wife who donated one of her kidneys to him so that he could live. What a selfless act. and a great testimony to their faith and their marriage!

A great book, I found this very helpful in reorganizing my thinking. Worth it for the excellent movie recommendations alone.

If you're going through a difficult stretch, looking for perspective, or simply want a reminder that resilience is a practice and not a personality trait, this book delivers. A quick, meaningful read that stays with you.

Throughout the book, Bob centers his message on the power of self-talk and the importance of creating meaning from the extra chances life offers us. He gently guides the reader to notice the subtle habits and thought patterns that can sour our mood and quietly shape our outlook in negative ways. He also reminds us that personalization—taking everything to heart or assuming everything is about us—can become an emotional burden if we're not mindful. Across his 25 thoughtful chapters, these ideas continue to unfold with honesty and warmth, offering moments of reflection, insight, and encouragement.

Bob Violino's Life Lessons is a thoughtful and motivating book. It shares practical perspectives on navigating pressure, challenges and change – while finding silver linings and embracing positivity along the way. Drawing on significant personal setbacks, Bob translates those experiences into insights on resilience and gratitude. The book combines down-to-earth writing with real-life examples and research, leaving readers with 'aha' moments and takeaways they can apply right away.

Add this to your 2026 must-read list! We'd all benefit from slowing down and embracing positivity but, as we know, that's often easier said than done. Through first-hand, real-world, and deeply personal experiences, Bob shares a powerful approach to cultivating positivity and gratitude that is both inspiring and motivating. We can reset our perspectives, be kinder to ourselves and the world around us, and live the life we've always wanted. You'll fly through this book and when you do, be sure to continue following Bob's insights and journey on his blog!

Having a social work background, I'm fairly skeptical of most self-help books but I was pleasantly wowed away by this simple but eloquent examination of how to make your life better. The author uses examples from his life and others to instruct us on many givens we ignore all the time: gratitude, positivity, patience, humility and others. These 'givens' once recognized open us up to accepting more into our lives. Looking for a self-help book? This is one I highly recommend.

I'd recommend this book not only to those who know they're going through something hard, but also to anyone who feels like they might need support...even if they can't quite name what that is yet. Sometimes the right words find you before you know you're looking for them, and this book has been that kind of support for me.

I started reading Life Lessons out of curiosity, but within just a few pages, I was completely drawn in. Bob Violino writes with a rare honesty that makes you pause, reflect, and truly feel. The opening chapters are filled with moments that both warm your heart and bring tears to your eyes…This is the kind of book that stays with you long after you finish reading. A truly beautiful reminder that even in our darkest hours, we still have so much to be thankful for.

Life Lessons is a warm and inspiring read that feels like a conversation with an old friend. Bob Violino writes with honesty and optimism, sharing personal stories that remind us how powerful gratitude and perseverance can be.

I've followed Bob's writing (both professionally and via his personal blog) for a while now, and am thrilled to be able to read through his life lessons in a single book that I can take with me. As someone who sometimes struggles to see the positive in life's day-to-day challenges, it's an excellent inspiration!

Life Lessons is a true testimonial to living your most self-actualized life! Each chapter offers a treasure trove of invaluable insight on navigating the stormy waters of choosing hope over despair, living in the moment, gaining mastery over fear, overcoming rather than succumbing to all the adversities we face throughout our lives, and openly embracing gratitude, positivity, resilience, and joy. This incredibly inspiring book is a definite and timely must read.

Violino's writing is warm, clear, and uplifting, making the book easy to read yet full of lasting insight. It's one of those rare books that leaves you feeling more grounded, grateful, and motivated to live with purpose. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a genuine boost of positivity and perspective!

Beautifully written with candor and empathy, Life Lessons is a persuasive reminder to look for the positives in your life and in those around you, and a practical guide to how to teach, or re-teach, yourself to recognize all of the good in this world—without glossing over its challenges. Bob Violino shares the obstacles he's faced in his life and how focusing on the good has positively impacted him, and he includes a lot of interesting research that backs up his experience, as well as actionable advice for how to become a positive thinker. There's a great balance between the stories he relates and the tips and science he shares that makes the book an easy and enjoyable read.

I've followed Bob's writing about tech and business for some time, and like many others, consider it a gold standard for that sector. More recently I found Bob's blog, which has a more personal focus, including a variety of serious health issues and how he's approached and learned from them. His underlying resilience is a lesson in its own right. This book, like his blog, is inspiring and fearless, providing new perspectives on overcoming obstacles and moving forward with joy. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

I recommend it wholeheartedly—and I invite you to discover, as I have, the strength, wisdom, and hope in Bob's story.

If you're looking for inspiration, Bob Violino's insights and lessons learned over the years as he weathered a series of serious health episodes may provide some support, if not guidance. His straightforward telling of how amidst adversities he 'learned to embrace, gratitude, positivity, resilience, and joy' provides an easy-to-read pathway on making the most out of the moment.

Bob Violino's Life Lessons is an inspirational memoir offering practical wisdom for a joyful life. Drawing from his extraordinary journey, including surviving kidney disease, a serious car accident, cardiac arrest, and amputation, Bob compellingly shares how he learned to embrace gratitude, positivity, resilience, and joy. The book outlines actionable steps, such as practicing gratitude daily, cultivating positive thinking, and living in the moment, making these concepts accessible for readers. Adding credibility, Bob supports his advice with detailed explanations, research, and impactful personal anecdotes, enriching the reader's understanding and offering genuine insights for facing life's difficulties and uncertainties. It's a powerful read for anyone seeking to embrace life's gifts.

The author's ability to share the valuable lessons he's learned over the course of the many challenges one might face, provided me with some clarity during a period where I was overwhelmed and lost. I think many will take comfort in the pages of this book as we look for answers in the uncertain world around us.

In Life Lessons, Bob Violino shares what he's learned in his personal journey. Reading it inspires me to appreciate what I already have and gives me the strength to deal with the unexpected curveballs that come my way. Definitely worth having in your library.