Book Review: The Rules Of Life

This book is loaded with inspiration and common sense. The Rules of Life: A Personal Code for Living a Better, Happier, More Successful Life", by Richard Templar, is divided into the following parts; (1) Rules For You, (2) Partnership Rules, (3) Family And Friends Rules, (4) Social Rules, (5) World Rules.
The author lists 100 rules that can help you live a happier and more successful life. The chapters are short and the book is a fast read. The challenging part is to process this information and put the rules to work in your life.
The very first rule is a tough one for me. Rule #1: "Keep It Under Your Hat." I am terrible at keeping secrets. The author advises the reader to keep the changes that you are making in your life as a result of reading this book to yourself; "Don't preach, propagate, try to convert, shout from the rooftops or even mention this ... just get on with it, do it quietly, and go about your daily life happily and smugly without having to tell anyone anything". So, I have already broken the first rule by writing this book review.
This is the kind of book that should be used as a handbook for growth. The author does not promote religious doctrine but he emphasizes that it is vital to have a belief system and to keep the faith. The rules for marriage are excellent and a gentle reminder to "treat your partner better than your best friend." The rules for family life will remind you that "there are no bad children" and "your children need to rebel to leave home."
The dedication of the book features the following phrase; "No Fear ~ No Surprise ~ No Hesitation ~ No Doubt." This book will give you a kickstart for the new year. You don't have to worry about writing your new year's resolutions ~ Just resovle to be a "rules player" in the new year.
I grabbed this book when it was offered as a free download on my Kindle 3. I listened to most of this book as we travelled to our Thanksgiving destination. I love the fact that every book is also an audio book on the Kindle.
The author has also written The Rules of Work, Expanded Edition: A Definitive Code for Personal Success (Richard Templar's Rules) about achieving success in the workplace.  I have not read this book but plan to do so in the future.