What I liked about The Noticer
The Noticer was the first book that Thomas Nelson Publishers tried in their NelsonFree program. NelsonFree was an attempt at encouraging the purchase of hardback books. With the purchase of a hardback you would get a code to receive the ebook and the mp3 audiobook free for download. Here is Michael Hyatt’s announcement. I think it was a great concept. It is the reason I bought this book. I would have never purchased this book, but I knew that my brother in law and mother in law had enjoyed the previous book by Andy Andrews. So when I saw the program and that this book would give me a copy, I immediately bought it. I gave the hardback to my brother in law and he passed it on to my mother in law and I downloaded the ebook. I never did download the audiobook. But I loved the concept of NelsonFree. Unfortunately, I think the program must not have done that well because there is no mention of it on Thomas Nelson’s website. There is a NelsonFree page, but it is just where you go to get the free ebook and/or audiobook. There is not a list of NelsonFree books that I have been able to find and no current description of the program that I could find. I do appreciate that Thomas Nelson seems to try to change, but it seems NelsonFree has gone away.
What I did not like about The Noticer
What I did not like was the book. Obviously I am not like most people. I couldn’t finish The Noticer. I know a lot of people liked it. I am glad they did. It has some decent advice in it. Getting people to think about others instead of themselves, getting them to take responsibility for themselves, getting them to think about how to learn from their past, not to worry, be thankful for what they have, etc., are all great things. But it feels like the Noticer is just recycled advice from half the best self help books of the last decade. Five Love Languages was completely ripped off, although he only used four love languages and gave them animal names to throw you off, but it was just Five Love Languages. I admit I stopped at half way. I was just getting irritated and not getting anything out of it. Maybe I am just in a bad reading place, but I gave up.
Purchase Links: Hardcover, Kindle Edition, Audible.com Audiobook
Adam, I don't know about you, but I've discovered that I read books primarily to learn something new that will help me live a better life – love God better, love others better, lead better, etc. And it seems like the more I read, the more I see concepts already covered in other books and the fewer new, actionable insights I find.
Totally agree. Unfortunately I think we are getting more likely to recycle content. Authors are pressured to put out work more often, so they write about the same things. And the lower barriers to entry for publishing, not only allow for new and innovative writers, but tired, reworked ideas.
It is one reason that I write these reviews. Hopefully others don’t have to waste time with some of the bad ones.
Hi Adam, Since I know Andy personally from my days in Gulf Shores, I guess I had a different "perspective" while reading the book. Andy started his career as a stand up comedian who made us all laugh while around him. I would have never guessed 27 years ago that he would have been a motivational speaker, but what I have found about Andy is that he speaks from his heart and his life experiences. He does not claim to be a motivational speaker, but he certainly made me think about they way I look at things. Are they things I've heard before? I'm not sure any book I've read on leadership or self-help has earth shattering information. Sometimes you just have to hear the message in a new way or over and over again to put it into place in your life. In that light, I enjoyed The Noticer.