Review by Aladon -- And Then I Met Margaret by Rob White

[Aladon]

[Following is a volunteer review of "And Then I Met Margaret" by Rob White.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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And Then I Met Margaret: Stories of Ordinary Gurus I've Met by Rob White is a self-help book intended to inspire confidence and positive change in readers through sharing stories about lessons Mr. White has learned in his every day experiences with people. He records how meeting these Ordinary Gurus help us "shatter self-limiting myths that prevent us from fully experiencing our lives. These gurus provide transformational moments by helping us destroy those myths we hold about ourselves." Each chapter is organized around a myth or belief system that Mr. White held that is changed through his encounter with a regular, every day person. The chapter identifies the lesson he learned through this encounter and how it has shaped his life and how he has applied this new principal to his personal and professional life. Mr. White identifies the importance of "going out in the world with your newly discovered truth and give the same energy to the truth that you gave the myth." He provides examples of how he has implemented his new truth and shared it with others. Each chapter ends with a summary of the myth and his new reality or truth being highlighted.

I would give this book a 3 out of 4 stars. I initially found the writing style, particularly the introduction, to be self admiring. The initial chapters highlighted Mr. White's personal encounters with world famous authors and mentors, as well as having a self-congratualatory emphasis in his stories. However, as the chapters continued I found this writing style faded. The chapters became more focused on passing along the lessons Mr. White had learned from his encounters with ordinary gurus. The stories began to show Mr. White's own vulnerabilities and insecurities which made the chapters and their lessons more relatable. Mr. White also shared opportunities in which he was the "ordinary guru" and how sharing his experiences and newly discovered truths also helped other people he encountered in his life.

I liked having each chapter organized around a myth and then the lesson learned from the everyday encounter. The myths identified at the beginning of each chapter highlight beliefs that I think we commonly hold about ourselves. Mr. Whites provides examples of how these myths limit our ability to have faith in ourselves and impact our confidence and success. Mr. White demonstrates the importance of reflecting on our everyday experiences so that we don't miss important lessons and opportunities. The stories ranged from childhood encounters, to mundane events, to touching and powerful insights. The lessons learned and new truths summarized at the end of each chapter are inspiring. It is particularly helpful that Mr. White shares how he has implemented these truths in his own life, as well as how sharing these truths has helped others.

Although Mr. White has encountered many famous mentors and gurus; I loved that he chose to highlight the impact that regular people can have on your life if you are open. We frequently seek mentors in our lives. I think this book highlights that there is a plethora of gurus on our path if we pay attention.

Readers interested in exploring and gaining insight into how our experiences and encounters with others shape us and encourage us to challenge ourselves and our beliefs would enjoy this book. It would be of particular interest to people looking for mentors and who enjoy learning lessons through story telling.

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And Then I Met Margaret
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