In our rush to succeed, few of us see the merit in failure. This little gem of a book helps introduce perspective in our lives by reminding us that unaccepted failure is just a step toward success. Motivational quotes that inspire readers toward action are paired with real life tales of failure followed by persistence and eventual triumph.

Did you know:

¥ Michael Jordan failed to make his high school varsity basketball team.

¥ Albert Einstein's teacher described him as "mentally slow, unsociable, and adrift forever in his foolish dreams."

¥ An MGM executive described Fred Astaire as, "Can't act. Can't sing. Slightly bald."

¥ Winston Churchill lost every election for public office until he became Prime Minister of England at the age of 62.

¥ Walt Disney went bankrupt several times.

Fail Better is the perfect antidote to the disappointment that follows our failures. It gives graduates a healthy dose of post-graduate perspective; provides a pick-me-up for workers who feel a little low on the totem pole; and comforts aspiring artists who, like Vincent Van Gogh, might have only sold one painting in their lifetime.

I don't know what the critical reviews of this little gift book are about. This silver lining book is a perfect little book of inspiration and pick me up for everyone. I'm nearing retirement. I look back and I know I could have used a compilation of pithy pick me ups when I was struggling. Failure at anything was something I could not fathom, so a lot of times, I did the safe thing. The collected wisdom of this book is something I had to learn the hard way, I learned more, I became better at and accomplished more after I had failed and screwed up badly.
I have striven to teach my children that. No bigger than a 3 by 5 index card and only 68 pages long is a little book of unoriginal material that is bottled gold. A genie in a lamp. A treasure. Buy it for all the young people you love.

"Try Again, Fail Again, Fail Better" is a VERY short book (you can read it in about 20-30 minutes or so). It is uplifting, while reminding us that many great people failed, sometimes several times, before achieving success. It is best suited for those looking for an inexpensive book that offers an emotional pick-me-up, rather than an extended discussion of what "failure" is, how it happens, and how to learn from it, etc.

In short, as long as you recognize it for what it offers, you should not be too disappointed.

If you don't want to bother to type "failure quotations" into Google, and you are willing to forgo a cup of coffee, then you can safely buy this book.

It has a good selection of quotes and short anecdotes. It's visually appealing and certainly the kind of book that would make a nice stocking-stuffer or grab-box gift for the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" crowd.

The book contains no original material, and most readers will probably be familiar with most of the material inside. As indicated in the book's liner notes, it really is just a collection of quotations and information gathered from various Internet sites.

But, as others have said, the quotes and stories are simple and could be inspiring.

I normally HATE books of this type. Normally, books that offer only hit and run information, quotes and anecdotes are intelllectually unsatisfying. However, looking for intellectual satisfaction in book about the size of a 3x5 card is a failed quest from the start.

This book is what it is. And what is it is a little pick-me-up. Like a shot of Red Bull or bracing swim in cold water, Fail Better is a positive wake up in a negative world. It delivers just enough to help you get up one more time that you're knocked down.