Failure, we all experience it, it’s part of life. This little book shares what failure is and the meaning that is often attributed it to. Is there a better way we can reframe these experiences ? The authors answer this question and more on failure, through their school of life.
A thought provoking, interesting read.

This book is about learning to fail well! What?
Failure is nothing that I ever dreamed would be something I would want to learn to do well. It was always something I wanted to avoid at all costs.
Unfortunately, failure is something that we all do and have to deal with. We might as well learn to turn it into something positive. This book has actionable tips to help us do that. This book also reminds us that we are not alone when we fail - everyone fails.
The book is divided up into two sections - types of failure and fear of failure. The table of contents is detailed so you could use the book when you need it and just read the chapters that are related to your current issues.

My thanks to both NetGalley and The School of Life for an advanced copy of this book on trauma of failing ourselves and others both real and imagined.

The siren song of failure is one that has dragged many people down into the depths of depression, where all we can see, and think about is how much of a screw-up in life, love, family, career, basically all ways human. It's hard sometimes nigh on impossible to escape it's grasp once it has a hold on one's psyche. And in failure I mean both the real, say a business going under because of bad decisions. Also the failure of being a success, that one does not deserve that raise, that dream job, because of fear of being a loser. Sadly both these ideas can exist in the same space. On Failure: How to Succeed at Defeat by The School of Life, is a book that tries to help us deal with these thoughts and other thoughts on failure, a problem that seems to effect a lot of people.

Right at the top there are no false claims that this book will help a person in anyway. True change lies with the person, the book can only help make these changes possible. This is not a self improvement book where a writer has a plan that in 50-120 days your life will change, your skin will clear and love will be all around you. This is more a philosophy, psychology and advice tale, with stories and ideas to help a person deal with things. Failure is real. A person can lose a job or a companion, or family member, sometimes physically by making the wrong decision, ignoring the facts, or just bad luck. This is life. Imagined failings, I'm not smart enough for this job, i'm a failure and everyone knows that is similar but sometimes harder to discuss or deal with. The book is broken in various chapters about these subjects with ideas, advice, and sometimes brutal honesty, which makes the book refreshing.

The writing can seem mean sometimes. However they book is honest about what it can and cannot do. There is no magic wand, no special word that will make it all go away, or turn a failure feeling into a successful feeling. However what comes across most in the writing is, you are not alone, this has happened, and is happening to others. Talking might, or might not help. Asking for forgiveness might help, and asking for forgiveness of yourself is always a possibility. Appearance is everything in this country and world. If you unmarried, don't look successful, but happy, well you might be viewed as a failure. Divorced, working 90 hours a week, but with a great car and house and suicidal thoughts, the world will consider that a success. One never knows the inner struggles that a person faces, only our own. This book kind of helps to understand it.

Before reading this I read the Paul Newman biography, one that he had worked on for years and eventually shelved, due to many reasons. What came across, and Newman even admitted it, was that he felt like a loser, a fraud and a failure, as a son, a father, a husband, actor and man. Maybe this feeling changed but for the first 50 years of his life this was a constant. So if Paul Newman, heartthrob, actor, man's man, can feel like a failure, what hope do we mere mortals have. And yet he persisted. That's all we can do. This book will help a person keep fighting. And persisting.

Who hasn't felt like a failure at some point? And who hasn't wanted to know they're not alone in this. A topic we're strangely terrified of in this day an age, but something we all must face at some time or other. Written with frankness, humour and humanity.

A much needed reminder of a simple thesis: failure happens. The book reviews different kinds of failure in different parts of our lives and reminds us that life is messy and we are definitely not alone in failure, no matter how much we may feel so. This is a comforting read if you’re struggling with feelings of failure in any way.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

An interesting read. I particularly enjoyed the practical focus on actual and perceived failure. It covers different areas of life, thoroughly, and sympathetically. This is a good title to dip into when times are good and I think would provide a much needed boost when life is a struggle. It offers solutions and is a title I would highly recommend everyone reads.

When you are messed up , when you have disappointed others , when you have let yourself down, when you have ruined your own life. What do you do when all your hopes have been dashed and when we are too ashamed of ourselves to reach out for help. What do you do ?

The closer you look at a true, lived tragedy; the harder it is for words to have any useful impact. What can be said to a person who has just lost their livelihood, who has witnessed a loved one die, Who has ruined his professional career, Who will never be able to set foot in his home town again ? The challenge is so large. The psych is so ruined that they might simply prefer silence.

I think this book can change a life and give courage to move on with dignity.

As someone who has frequently struggled with feeling like a failure, I was excited to read this book. I was not disappointed. It was a good reminder that none of us are alone. I think it will offer comfort to many readers.

as someone who thinks about failure a lot and what it all means, this was an interesting examination of the concept and what it can be reshaped to. learned a lot!

Once again, I thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read this wonderful book. It is one of the best books I have read this year. If you are ready to have your emotions rocked, to have a lifeline thrown to you, to re-examen your life, to step back from the ledge, then I encourage you to pick this gem up.

The book starts off with the many types of failures, addresses suicide, the meanness of the world, etc., with many examples. It also, which is very important outlines a path forward, how to cope and deal with your failure.

I had a lot of trepidation when I first started to read. Frankly, I was afraid of what I would uncover in my own self-examination. As the introduction states, this is a book about failing, messing up, disappointing others, letting ourselves down and ruining our lives. The introduction goes on to say it is a book that is intended to be read at desperate moments: when we can't stop crying, when all our hopes have been dashed and when we are too ashamed of ourselves to reach out for help. I would say, you don't have to be in that dire of of need to read this book, but if you are, it is a balm for the psyche and the soul.

For those who read this and say I have not failed and I don't need to read this, my question to you is, are you so sure? Perhaps it was a marriage, raising a kid, not being there for a friend, abandonment, a scandal at work, etc. We have all failed, some more that others and if you think you have not, live long enough and you will. Some failures are life altering and others may not alter your life on the outside, but resonate for a lifetime inside, either way it is failure and how to deal with it the book addresses. It offers hope to all of us.

With a number of my students interested in and asking about self-improvement books, the whole School of Life selection is one that I am looking at adding. Getting a chance to review the materials in this particular title, I appreciate the way that it takes a multi-dimensional look at failure with historical and literary references throughout, as well as tangible ideas in a modern way of dealing with failure. I think that students have a lot of anxiety about failing in school, and in letting down their families and friends. I think that being able to frame mistakes within a greater human tradition would be helpful, including the frank discussion on suicide, too.

Quick, provocative, albeit at times cynical read that is especially relevant to those struggling with a recent or past failure experience. While not entirely based on empirical research, this book will certainly help you think through the nature, implications, and possible interventions for addressing failure.

If failure had a textbook written for it...this would be it.
Came back to this book after being unsure of it. Not an easy read and definitely not something you can read in one sitting. It may take you a few weeks to properly absorb the book. It's very philosophical and makes you think. There are some spiritual connections as well that some may relate to. "On Failure" breaks down the different types of "failures" and goes into depth about each "failure" and tells about why we feel them and how you can learn to cope and understand the feeling. For the most part, I read this book like it was a textbook. I didn't really enjoy reading it. At first, I wasn't going to give any feedback but I decided against it. I wanted to keep going and see if it was just me. I think this book just isn't for me. It was black and white. I wasn't super intrigued. I kept having to go back and read because I was getting confused or lost. This book may be good for someone who enjoys "textbook" reading. I did learn a few things from reading and for that I am grateful. However, this is not a book id read again.

Thank you, The School of Life, for the advance reading copy.

I have been reading this book for the past few weeks ever since I got the advance reading copy. Yes, this is a book you just cannot read and absorb in one sitting. As the title says, the book defines all types of failure we might face and what we can do about it; how to handle them and actually how to face them.

I find this collection a little towards the spiritual as well as to the philosophical side at times. However, most basic parts are practical which I really appreciate.

It's totally insightful and helpful.

I had high hopes with this School of Life book about failure. It was an ok read. Lots of repetitiveness with this one but I still enjoyed it. Worth a read