The Art of the Possible

By Alexandra Stoddard

Book Overview

As a speaker, author, and world-famous interior designer, Alexandra Stoddard was the first to show millions of of people how to turn the place they live in into an oasis of tranquility, beauty, and joy. Beginning with her bestselling Living A Beautiful Life , and followed by other highly successful books, she demonstrates the magic that transforms living space, from cottages to mansions, not into showrooms, but into homes that reflect the comfort and joy of those who live there. Now in The Art of the Possible she adds wise words to the dream of creating a perfectly beautiful home, reminding all those who seek beauty to overcome the confines of perfectionism in favor of freedom that allows creativity to flourish.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0380726181
• ISBN13: 9780380726189
• Release Date: October 1996
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 251 Pages
• Weight: 0.72 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Helpful for some, but it's not for everyone.

I have read other books on perfectionism, as well as scientific research papers on this topic, and this particular book was somewhat helpful but not really what I was looking for. Nevertheless, if you are different from me and you like her style, you may benefit greatly from this book on an important topic about which too little has been written. So I have given this book 4 stars even though it didn't fit me very well, because I think it may help a lot of other people. It is definitely not a concise, scientific book on perfectionism. I found that each significant point that she made seemed to take a lot of pages, and many of her points were repeated, so I found that my mind kept wandering. Also, I was somewhat disappointed in her long section on death, because I am a Christian and I have much more hope in an afterlife than she does. Her belief seems to be summed up by the following quotation which she gives from Peter Megargee Brown: "The memory of you with those you left behind is perhaps your ultimate immortality." Finally, I am a male reader but I think her writing style would appeal much more to women. Regardless, she made some excellent points, especially in the first three chapters, and I did benefit to some extent from reading this book. But for my personality, the best book I have found on perfectionism is "Too Perfect: When Being in Control Gets Out of Control" by Allan Mallinger.

Aesthetic!

"Appreciative of the beautiful" describes this book and Alexandra's insights into life. I would read this book before bed and I would wake up in such a good mood! A positive, motivating and quaint little book. I loved it!

Enjoyed this book

I really enjoyed this book, as with a few other's of hers I have read. Stoddard's books are so easy and relaxing to read. She doesn't use any scientific methods or any research studies. She explains simply how, by changing our attitudes, and our environment (home, office) we can enjoy the little things in life everyday. And by doing this, we can enrich our lives and become much happier people, even though we all have difficulties and hardhips.