REVIEW #13 THE SAAD TRUTH ABOUT HAPPINESS

The Saad Truth About Happiness 8 Secrets for Leading the Good Life
An Audio Book By Gad Saad narrated by John Maclain
Blackstone Publishing 2023

THE SAAD TRUTH ABOUT HAPPINESS BY GAD SAAD BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE PARASITIC MIND

From the outset, I would like to warn readers that, late in the reading, there are two instances of crude language in this audio book. Normally, I don’t read or review books which include the ‘f’ word, so I just wanted to be upfront about that and you can make your own decision about whether you may like to read, or listen, to this book. My second warning is to those who like to wear their victimhood with pride. You may be offended by Saad’s curt dismissal of your grievances. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.
My approach to reviewing this book is also different from normal in that I have chosen to list the lessons Saad has provided in his postscript to the book. These are the major messages which he terms the ‘tried and tested antidotes to existential darkness.’ This sounds far more melodramatic than his actual approach which is captured more accurately in his subtitle, 8 Secrets for Leading the Good Life. So here are his imperatives for finding happiness which I have included in his words.

1. Finding the right spouse.
2. Working in the right profession.
3. Seeking the sweet spot – moderation – across many life domains.
4. Engaging in life via a playful mindset.
5. Pursuing variety-seeking, at times, across many domains.
6. Ensuring that one is consistent in the pursuit of meaningful goals.
7. Being anti-fragile when dealing with failure.
8. Seeking to minimize future regret, in part, by living an authentic life.

Now I would like to list the lessons I took from the book.

1. Be open to everyone because everyone can teach you something.
2. Be authentic.
3. Be realistic.
4. Have an open mindset.
5. Engage in conversations without a self-serving agenda.
6. Listen to other people’s stories.
7. Read widely and learn from it.
8. Anything can provide a valuable lesson from Seneca, to songs, to sitcoms, to your students, to instructive life decisions of a homeless man.
9. Don’t wallow in victimhood. Move on from the past.
10. Don’t lose the joy of life through taking offence.
11. Don’t give up easily when something seems hard, even impossible, especially if it means a lot to you.
12. Don’t conform to what others in your profession insist upon and miss out on the pleasure of pursuing what you really want and being your authentic self.
13. Take a multi-disciplinary approach to life and learning rather than box yourself in to one specialized area or experience.
14. Learning occurs through playfulness in adults, too, and relationships also thrive and grow through play.

To illustrate his points, Saad uses many quotations and anecdotes from his life and the life of others. He is scrupulously – even brutally – honest. I felt very uncomfortable hearing his criticisms of family members and his correspondence with others who had dared to take umbrage at his social media posts . . . though he could be just as harsh on his own foibles and failings. Overall, his observations of life were varied and valuable, though I can’t help feeling that other Australians would find these tales from his life grating at times because we are used to using our anecdotes in a self-deprecating way rather than holding ourselves up as a role model to the masses. Nevertheless, the book gave me a lot of food for thought, despite the fact that my idea of the good life is driven by my belief that I am a child of God and my meaning and purpose is in fulfilling his call upon my life, rather than in pursuing happiness through achieving certain social, educational, and financial goals.

Lastly, when I was preparing to write this review, I discovered that it wasn’t Saad’s voice reading the book. That really shocked me, since it was presenting his personal view and I had assumed it was Saad, himself, speaking. Though some may think this is inconsequential, I felt a real sense of betrayal, particularly in light of his strong emphasis on authenticity. For me, there was a terrible irony in this. I was also left to wonder whether Saad’s tone would have moderated the arrogance of the narrator’s delivery because he may have used a more ironical and self-deprecating tone, at times, that would have better captured his self-mockery and conveyed greater humility. Although this is not the kind of book I usually choose, I think it is enlightening to listen to others and hear their perspective on life and that is one of Saad’s key points.