Praise for Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life:
"Ikigai urges individuals to simplify their lives by pursuing what sparks joy for them...Much in the same way that The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up emphasizes 'choosing what we want to keep, and not what we want to get rid of,' [this book] demonstrates that aging could be an opportunity to keep working, keep smiling, keep active, and keep being social even as centenarians." -KonMari Newsletter
"Want to live longer? Keep super busy. If hygge is the art of doing nothing, ikigai is the art of doing something-and doing it with supreme focus and joy...Pack up those cozy blankets and candles you purchased in last year's hygge-fueled Ikea spree. Fall's biggest imported lifestyle trend is ikigai, and it might help you live to 100." -New York Post
"Busy-ness is a concept I'm familiar with and fascinated by, especially living in New York City...The Japanese concept of ikigai (the happiness of being busy) [is] attainable and even an important key to living longer." -Mia Feitel, Elle.com
"Discovering your ikigai, or passion, can be one of the greatest journeys you will embark on." -Forbes
"Definitely worth the time it will take you to enjoy a cup or two of green tea as you digest this small, charming book." -Minneapolis Star Tribune
"A must-follow lifestyle hack, ikigai makes hygge look like a trip to Ikea. . . . Think feng shui with Venn diagrams-although this time there is no need to move the front door." -The Guardian
"You've tried hygge and lagom-but it turns out ikigai is the key to happiness." -The Independent (London)
"Forget hygge. It's all about ikigai." -The Times (London)
"Ikigai is what allows you to look forward to the future even if you're miserable right now...It might just help you live a more fulfilling life." -BBC
"Originating from a country with one of the world's oldest populations, ikigai is becoming popular outside of Japan as a way to live longer and better...[It] is helping people live longer on Okinawa as it gives them purpose." -World Economic Forum
"Ikigai. Ick-ee-guy. It's a word you'll be hearing quite often come autumn...It's Japanese, and it means something like 'purpose in life,' or 'thing that you live for,' or 'thing that gets you out of bed in the morning.'...An extended lifespan, according to the long-life expert Dan Buettner, is what awaits havers-of-ikigai." -The Sunday Telegraph
"A refreshingly simple recipe for happiness." -Stylist
"The most eye-catching autumn lifestyle trend is the Japanese concept of ikigai, which translates as 'reason to live.'... An attractive and absorbing book." -The Bookseller
"A Japanese concept that offers a new perspective on finding happiness." -The Debrief
"Persuasively shows that small changes can help readers find more joy and purpose in their lives [with] clear, succinct information...skillfully compiled...into an engaging, easily accessible format with lists, charts, and illustrations." -Publishers Weekly
"Ikigai gently unlocks simple secrets we can all use to live long, meaningful, happy lives. Science-based studies weave beautifully into honest, straight-talking conversation you won't be able to put down. Warm, patient, and kind, this book pulls you gently along your own journey rather than pushing you from behind." -Neil Pasricha, New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Awesome and The Happiness Equation
03/01/2021
Gr 7 Up—This young readers edition aims to assist teens in discovering their purpose in life. García, who was born in Valenica, Spain, has spent 15 years living and working in Japan, where he learned about the concept of ikigai. This term is defined as "the reason you get out of bed in the morning." The text offers a plethora of ideas about discovering one's ikigai, which is described as the intersection of what you love, what you are good at, what you can be paid for, and what the world needs. Straightforward instruction about the ikigai principles is featured as well as parable-like stories and real-world examples of famous people in sports, music, and politics. Many of the ideas (being willing to fail, taking time to disconnect from the digital world, and being observant and grateful) serve as good advice for most teens. Although the foundation of the concepts may be familiar, this title provides an encouraging, optimistic way for young adults to start thinking about their futures and where they might be able to use their passions and skills. VERDICT An additional purchase for larger young adult collections or where teens are working on career goals.—Sarah Reid, Four Cty. Lib. Syst., NY
2021-01-26
A rallying cry for teens seeking greater fulfillment.
García and Miralles, Spanish co-authors of The Ikigai Journey (2020) and similar adult titles rooted in Japanese culture, here extend their reach to teenagers. They begin by explaining that the Japanese term ikigai refers to larger goals that give one’s life purpose and meaning. Here it is applied to advise young people in many areas of their lives, including school, friendship, romantic relationships, and potential careers. Quotes from and brief descriptions of varied individuals from Jules Verne and Tony Hawk to Malala Yousafzai support lists of tips and ideas for putting ikigai into practice. Writing prompts are interspersed with vignettes describing a journey of self-discovery that includes collecting medallions from wise individuals that, when combined, point the way to discovering your ikigai. There is plenty of good advice, much of it familiar but no less reassuring to young people who may feel pressure to have everything figured out. For example, the authors remind readers that they can learn from failure and recount the 10,000-hour rule popularized by Malcolm Gladwell. Those hoping for insights into ikigai from a Japanese perspective will be disappointed, as the book contains relatively little content about Japan—both authors, however, have personal experience of the country. References and further reading would have been helpful for those hoping to learn more about subjects raised in the book.
Accessible, helpful advice for young people seeking their purpose. (Nonfiction. 12-18)