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Failure: An Autobiography
by
Josh Gidding
This witty, provocative, and utterly honest exploration of the personal landscape of failure in a larger philosophical context will change the way readers view their own lives. The author's own struggles are chronicled, from trying to fit in at his posh prep school, to dealing with his rejection from Harvard, to making peace with his failure as an academic, and betraying h
...more
Hardcover
,
224 pages
Published
May 1st 2007
by Cyan Communications
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Community Reviews
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This was a personal gift from the author (sort of a disclaimer). I always feel like knowing the author changes some things. And indeed it does: he is patient and probably a better teacher than I will ever be. He said I had a very common failing of many academics: impatience. Well, the author has patience.
Perhaps this shows in an indirect way. One needs patience to put up with the narrator's self-indulgent painful self-reflexivity. I have some sympathy for it myself; after all I see my ancestors ...more
Perhaps this shows in an indirect way. One needs patience to put up with the narrator's self-indulgent painful self-reflexivity. I have some sympathy for it myself; after all I see my ancestors ...more
This is a really well written and brutally honest book. Gidding has the wit and style! It was a good read indeed.
But, yes, there are times when you want to slap him on the face for being such a whiny and ungrateful dude. Come on man, you went to Exeter, Berkeley, wrote a novel at 26 and you are tenured professor now! Why are you complaining? Why "Failure"? Not being accepted by Harvard is a big issue for him, but I'm sure he would have found many excuses to gripe even if he got accepted.
OK, ma ...more
But, yes, there are times when you want to slap him on the face for being such a whiny and ungrateful dude. Come on man, you went to Exeter, Berkeley, wrote a novel at 26 and you are tenured professor now! Why are you complaining? Why "Failure"? Not being accepted by Harvard is a big issue for him, but I'm sure he would have found many excuses to gripe even if he got accepted.
OK, ma ...more
I have the pleasure of having him be a professor of many of my classes and working one on one with him. I enjoyed his writing immensely and found it to be extremely revealing and raw -- but in the best way -- he bares himself in a way few would.
Mar 10, 2009
Trent
added it
A truly courageous memoir, in which the author examines how he's fallen short in som many aspects of his life. Of course, such honest soul searching is the path to redemption.
interesting concept fairly well executed. admirable self-awareness and honesty.
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