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Life's Too F***ing Short

Author: Janet Street-porter
Creator: Anne Furniss
Publisher: Quadrille Publishing Limited
Category: Book

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Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

18 reviews
Sales Rank: 1090

Format: Illustrated
Media: Paperback
Pages: 160
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.6 x 6.5 x 0.7

ISBN: 1844005860
EAN: 9781844005864
ASIN: 1844005860

Publication Date: January 4, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New. Shipped from UK Mainland. Delivery is usually 2 - 3 working days from order by Royal Mail, International Delivery is by Airmail.

Also Available In:

•	Paperback - Life's Too F***ing Short: A Guide to Getting What You Want Out of Life Without Wasting Time, Effort or Money

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Customer Reviews: Read 13 more reviews...

1 out of 5 stars

What a sell out! July 16, 2008
I was thoroughly looking forward to a rollocking good read as I'm quite a fan of JSP's particular brand of philosophy. However, having made disparaging remarks about health, beauty and fitness gurus and journalists, Ms SP goes on to present us with her own 'expertise' on how to eat healthily (all fresh fruit and veg, limited bread and potatoes etc - heard it all before!), exercise (not to lose weight, you understand, but you've still got to do an hour a day, albeit in shifts: she's apparently unconcerned about exercising too seriously, but is happy to do sit-ups to The Archers!)and eliminate eye bags. Oh please! This so smacks of just another self-help book along the lines of those she dismisses as utter rubbish - except that in this case the person writing it has no credentials in her subject matter whatsoever!

As an example, there is a section on how damaging and generally useless 'cranky' diets are, yet at the bottom of the spread is an illustration of a whole week's eating plan: I was at a complete loss to fathom from the text whether the illustrated diet was one of the 'cranky' eating regimes she was slating, or whether it was her own recommended weekly intake!

In short, JSP has totally sold out - which is hardly the action I would have expected of a woman who openly savages anyone trying to make a(dishonestly) fast buck. In my view this is sheer hypocrisy.

Oh, and one final thing: who the hell sub-edited this book? Speaking here as a fellow author (and erstwhile sub editor), although Ms JP could be forgiven for not having a full grasp of grammar, it should not have escaped the attention of any sub worth his or her salt that 'its' when use in the context of a possessive pronoun (eg 'its own style') should NOT carry an apostrophe. This error recurs throughout the book. Anything to say about that, Lynne Truss?

5 out of 5 stars

JSP debunks the myths surrounding modern lifestyles June 19, 2008
She is just fabulous- what a brilliant book. This is a must have for every woman on the planet - no longer do we have to believe the "experts" JSP tells it like it is - no worries - enjoy life - just stop wasting your valuable time and energy on following the dictates of those self appointed experts who charge you a fortune and sell you unattainable dreams. Of course she puts it much better than I. JUST READ IT

4 out of 5 stars

She calls a spade a spade May 15, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

I devoured this book in about a day and a half, not difficult as it's easily readable and fun. It is certainly not in the usual style of most self help books; JSP is no patronising therapist or analyst, and I think she would wholly disapprove of too much navel-gazing. She delivers her no-nonsense take on life in a loud, punchy, entertaining way - a sort of short sharp shock treatment! The JSP we all know and love is very evident; slightly scary, ball-breaking, arrogant, ambitious and bossy. But it is very clear that there is another side to Janet, a hugely likeable, self-deprecating, practical, intelligent woman; a realist, with a deep appreciation of life's simple pleasures. She comes across as someone who is at peace with herself, and she does this by NOT trying to be all things to all men(or women) and she wants us to learn to do the same - to listen more to ourselves and less to other people. Did it help me? Well, being 42 with two marriages, three kids and a succession of unfulfilling crappy jobs under my belt, this book didn't actually teach me anything I didn't already know, but it did reinforce much of what I've already learnt the hard way. If I'd read this 20 years ago however, I might have saved myself many years of wasted mental energy on things and people that didn't matter. Once you've read the whole book keep it by your bed, or in your loo for many years to come so that you can dip in and out at random. A few paragraphs of wisdom JSP style will help you focus on what really matters, sort the wheat from the chaff in your life, and go forth with more confidence in yourself.

4 out of 5 stars

Good Fun. April 30, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

I enjoyed this book, which made me laugh out loud sometimes. I also found it useful, especially the chapter on work/writing a cv, which has given me more confidence to try for the kind of jobs I want. I also like what Janet Street Porter says about how nonsensical all these so-called scientific studies are, and gives the address of a website where you can read the facts.
And I love that she thinks going to spas is rubbish! I always thought that myself.
The only thing I'd knock off a star for is all the different colours/fonts. I found that a bit off-putting, and it made me want to eat kiddie sweets!

4 out of 5 stars

Common sense makes a comeback! April 25, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

I found this book a good antidote to the myriad of self help books out there which want you to follow a complicated regime. JSP advocates following your instinct and not conforming to what other people think you should be. Buy the things you like rather than what's fashionable. Don't spend fortunes on the latest must have beauty product because they're all rubbish. Don't follow fad diets - no woman is meant to be a size zero. It is the food section which made me give it 4 stars rather than 5. The food she says she eats is rather restrictive in that it appears to cut out wheat and dairy completely. Most nutritionists say it is not a good idea to cut out whole food groups unless you really have an allergy or serious intolerance.
That said, everything else made sense - life's too short to go to a spa, or bother with men who aren't interested in you and it's definitely too short to try and impress people either at work or in the rest of your life.
The book is amusing and gives a good insight into JSP's character and career. It is perhaps a bit too gimmicky with its layout and the different fonts, but it certainly gets the message across. A good present for someone who's self esteem needs boosting.