Book Reviews

Reviewed by Gina Holland for RebeccaReads

You go to the store, and you pick up this self-help book. What will this one do for me you ask yourself? Self-help books usually give us advice; they make us feel a little better every time we read something that applies to us. “Why Am I So DAMN Unhappy?” is one of those books. Dr. Bob’s book of self-help keeps you reading to find out if there are more answers for you and more ways to help yourself.

The author of this book shows the humorous and honest side of therapy sessions along with great ideas to help you get through trying times. Telling the story as Dr. Bob, The Happiness Coach, was an added plus. Also, the way that the story is formatted makes it all very interesting as well. It is written more like a play would be written, letting us know who is saying what and why. In my opinion, this book will be helpful to teenagers and adults.

Upon reading this book, I found some unique and exciting ways to deal with my personal issues as well. I could relate to a lot of things in “Why Am I So DAMN Unhappy?” I have often had problems with feeling like I am on guilt trips and with emotional fears. The book showed me ways in which to be able to understand how to use certain techniques to help myself. There were some very good ideas in which I was able to practice, and they worked!

The ideas and imaginations, of certain famous movie stars coming to life to talk to the patients, were excellent! It surely motivated the patients to strive harder to fix their problems. Dr. Bob also focused on helping people to learn not to look at everything in a negative light, and to put their thoughts more into positive light, so that life can bring more positive things and not so much negative.

I implore you to find this book, “Why Am I So DAMN Unhappy?” and to read it all the way through, and to see how satisfying and completely helpful it can be. It’s not often an author puts humor into self-help books, and in this case, it worked out very well. Dr. Bob teaches you confidence, different ways of bringing more positive into your life, and he brings back the joy into reading as well.

Reviewed by Richard R. Blake richard330@yahoo.com

James Downton, a.k.a. Dr. Bob the Happiness Coach provides entertaining and humorous stories in dialog form in his new book “Why Am I So Damn Unhappy?” He uses imaginary characters to tell about people he has coached, people he has helped increase their happiness, creativity, and the wisdom to apply the principles talked about in the book. These principles deal with developing wholeness and creativity, cultivating wisdom, inner peace, and happiness.

Each chapter consists of a story, dialog and valuable coaching tips. The chapters show the reader how to discover their own inner critic, how to practice self acceptance, and the power of creating new choices. Downton put emphasis on the importance of developing the gift of inventing positive stories and creating positive thoughts, emotions, and behavior.

Dr. Bob offers ideas on learning to laugh at yourself, on evaluating fear, reducing guilt, ways to elevate happiness, and to change your thinking patterns from “poor me” to “lucky me.” He shows the reader how to handle anger and lying, creating balance, developing a life purpose, learning how to handle resistance to what we cannot change. I was personally challenged by the results revealed about myself when I took the “Vampire Test.” Downton’s analogy of the four chambers of a generous heart became especially meaningful to me.

I also enjoyed the feature “Creative Side Tracts.” These summary statements offered help in shaping thoughts, enabling the reader the benefit of creating hope, adapting pointers on living with the romance of unhealthy foods. Downton provided a consumer truth test, which helps the readers learn to like themselves, and how to appreciate being alive.

Jim Downton instills inspiration, encourages imagination, and spontaneity in his new book “Why Am I So Damn Unhappy?” This is life coaching at a new level and will help the reader increase their awareness while unlocking a bold and free spirit within. James inspires creativity and transforms attitudes. His writing is humorous, entertaining, and life changing.

Reviewed by Malcolm Kushner, author of Don’t Worry, Be Funny and The Light Touch, creator of “The Cost of Laughing Index”, and curator of the Museum of Humor.com.

“In a post 9-11 era of increased anxiety, disillusion and distress, Jim Downton offers practical advice for using humor and other techniques to cut through negativity and find personal happiness. You need to read this book. And that’s no joke.”

Purchase

The book is only $11.95. You can order it at your favorite bookstore or click here to buy it at a discounted rate at Amazon.com. Under “books”, search for the title “Why Am I So DAMN Unhappy?”

Chapter Titles

Introduction

1. The Almost-Ironclad Guarantee

2. Being Attacked By “The Punies”

3. Prove It!

4. Placing Blame Is A Great Game

5. Beating Yourself Up With Stories

6. Lower The Bar A Few Inches

7. There Should Be A Law Against Put-Downs

8. Self-Pity Creates Some Great Whining

9. Vampires And Angels

10. Fears Are Knots Typing Up Your Mind

11. Going On Guilt Trips

12. Up To Your Eyeballs In Lies

13. Feeling Red With Envy

14. Resistance Just Makes You More Miserable

15. Visiting Your Tombstone

16. Finding Your Inner Wisdom

17. Putting A New Spin On Your Life

18. Meeting The Almighty Coach

The Almost-Ironclad Guarantee

“If people worked as hard to achieve happiness
as they do trying to lose a few pounds,
they would change overnight.”
Steve, fitness trainer

Hi, I’m Bob, your happiness coach. I’m a shade over sixty, have white curly hair, stand quite tall, and have a bit of width and wildness. A few years after graduating from college, I became a stand-up comedian. I was pretty good, so I traveled around the country doing small nightclubs. I loved humor, so it was fun in the beginning. Then the cigarette smoke in the clubs got to me. I never took up smoking because I thought it was stupid. When I read about the health effects of breathing the exhaust of other people’s smoking addiction, it woke me up. I quit the club scene in a hurry.

After giving up my comedy career, I drifted from job to job, not knowing what I wanted to do. Being at loose ends, I started to feel like my life didn’t have any meaning. For about a year, I dug myself into a hole of self-doubt and indecision. Feeling lost, I decided to see Sophie, a down-to-earth counselor who combined different trends in psychology and religion. She was in her forties with beautiful black hair and a mysterious, healing spirit. She knew her stuff and set me straight in a hurry.

As I became happier, I realized how resigned I had become to my unhappy life, as if it were normal. Don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t completely miserable. I’d say I was like most of my friends—happy some of the time, but unhappy too much of the time. A lot of people live that way, thinking they have about as much happiness as they can get or deserve. Sophie didn’t let me settle for that, like the day she put her hands alongside my head, looked me in the eye, and said, “Bob, what you don’t reach for, you’ll never get, so always be reaching for happiness.” I’ve never forgotten that sweet moment of encouragement, and I’ve never quit reaching for happiness.

While I was working with Sophie, I went back to college to get a Ph.D. in psychological counseling. I was a counselor for a long time, until I came up with the idea of being a happiness coach. As a happiness coach, I felt freer to confront people about the various ways they made themselves miserable. If people took responsibility for their unhappiness rather than blaming other people or their circumstances, they would become like columns of white light. Well, maybe more like a 100-watt light bulb is closer to the truth, but that’s better than living in the dark.

With coaching, you will achieve more happiness in a week. I know you’re skeptical. I would be, too. Notice I’m hedging my bet by saying “more” because there has to be a bit of misery left over so your mind has something to do. This makes my guarantee almost ironclad, which isn’t too bad.

I intend to make this book small enough so you’ll be able to read the whole thing while visiting the john. It may take several trips. However, the book will be so interesting and life-changing that you’ll want to spend more time in the john. Can you imagine the conversation you’ll have with your mate?

“Honey, would you please quit hanging out in there? I have to brush my teeth.”

“I can’t help it. I’m working on my happiness.”

“I know achieving happiness takes a long time, but this is ridiculous.”

“Two more minutes and I think I’ll have it.”

We should take the task of achieving happiness seriously, but sometimes we get too mentally tight while trying to create it. So, as you prepare to achieve more happiness in a week, be serious about it, but also loosen a few screws in your mind. When your mind is open and flexible, change will come more easily.

I live in a house with playful spirits running around, and sometimes they show up during a session. Apparently, they can’t resist wanting to help. This gives my happiness coaching an element of surprise even for me, because sometimes I’m caught off guard by the people who visit—like the time Groucho Marx showed up to help a guy whose life was so messed up that he was thinking about getting a job. I still remember what Groucho said to him. “There’s only one thing worse than looking for a job, and that’s finding it.” Anyway, be prepared for a few surprise visitors.

I live mainly for one thing—to help people become happier. I hope you will become one of those people.

Buy the Book

The retail price of the book is $11.95.  You can order it at your favorite bookstore or click here to buy it at Amazon.com. Under “books”, search for the title “Why Am I So DAMN Unhappy?”