Bob and Melinda Blanchard's first book, A Trip to the Beach, sold more than 85,000 copies and became inspiration for countless people who were ready to start living their dreams. Comprising stories, reflections, notes, insights, and a bit of advice, Live What You Love is the Blanchard's warm, engaging, and personal response to the thousands of fans who've asked them, "How did you do it?"
"What happens if life falls outside the expected lines and inside others that are self-defined? Our experiences tell us that living this way is as wonderful as it is odd. We happen to believe that life really is about choices, and we love what happens when interesting ones get paired together."--Bob and Melinda Blanchard
After the Blanchards' published A Trip to the Beach, they found that readers responded personally and passionately, often buying multiple copies to give friends and family. They received countless invitations to lecture and requests for national television appearances, and have been asked to develop a series for PBS. Everyone, it seems, wanted to live their life: during the winter, the couple operate the most popular restaurant in Anguilla, the tiny Caribbean nation hideaway of celebrities, beautiful beaches and luxurious homes, and spend summers in the green hills of Northern Vermont. Through delightful and moving stories, reflections, notes--and a soupcon of advice--the Blanchards have written a stunning, inspirational manifesto where truly living what you love becomes a revolutionary act, a rebellion against the common life. They show how, through self-trust, personal adjustment, and daily acts of commitment, each of us can live the life we love and make every day a personal treasure. Full of warmth, humor, wisdom, and charm, LWYL is the Blanchard's love letter to life, a celebration of unusual choices, and a thank you gift to all of their fans.
great summer read August 27, 2008 This was a great book to read during a vacation when the renewal of the spirit welcomes suggestions for renewing a sense of purpose in working life. What a refreshing view of work !In a time when many people feel their work has taken over their lives, this short book describes how one couple made their jobs fit their lives.
More Than a "Special Features Disk" to "A Trip to the Beach" June 24, 2007 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
"Life is to be lived and to be loved", writes Blanchard, which befittingly defines the doctrine of Bob and Melinda's lives, as well as the invaluable message conveyed in "Live What You Love". In an uniquely inspirational companion book to their first triumph, "A Trip to The Beach", Bob and Melinda Blanchard reflect on their extraordinary and anomalous lives full of successes and failures.
The book shares some of their salutary words of wisdom learned from a remarkable life to help you begin to live a life you love. Organized into a series of random intriguing personal short stories, you are provided with tonic quotes and an end to each chapter with a checklist for you to begin striving towards your own aspirations. This book is to be held and carried indefinitely, not rushed through like a novel. It's designed to be read over and over again, consoling a reader like a Tony Robbins or Joel Osteen book.
We've all heard the admonition of, "follow your dreams", but what does it really mean? Where do we begin? I have a steady job and am receiving AARP applications in the mail, is it too late? For anyone who might still hold an unconventional long cherished dream that doesn`t snugly fit into the sequence of an "average American lifestyle", Bob and Melinda do more than tell us how, they show us. To read "A Trip to The Beach" and "Live What You Love" consecutively will have you reflecting on where you are currently and wondering why you haven't begun to fertilize a lifelong dream kept in your backseat.
As Blanchard sums it up, "Our Life is a series of positive acts with purpose." Having lived a life less ordinary; opening eight businesses, residing in two countries, building everything from restaurants to sailboats, to going from six digit debtors to wealthy entrepreneurs has bestowed the Blanchards with a crate full of knowledge on how to live a life for what you are truly passionate for. Despite any atypicalities or the absence of predetermined roadmaps for success, the Blanchards overcame much apprehension in shadowy times to become impelling life motivators.
Live What You Love June 30, 2006 0 out of 5 found this review helpful
This book was amazing. I had bought 10 copies to provide to my guests at our destination wedding to Anguilla and everyone loved the books. I personally read it on the plane ride down there and found it to be quite inspirational. I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to begin enjoying life to the fullest
Big disappointment. March 2, 2006 42 out of 44 found this review helpful
I was disappointed. The Blanchards sound like very nice, fun, hard-working people who embrace change and roll with the punches. They see opportunities and they seize those opportunities. I admire that and would probably like them in person.
The book, however, annoyed me. Aside from its Trump-like self-congratulatory tone and phoney sounding dialogue, there was a bigger issue that I could not get past.
The book talks about how the Blanchards live out their dreams after coming back from the brink of financial ruin, following the long-term hospitalization of their very prematurely born son. They do this by "following their hearts." I don't dispute the importance of that, but maybe the fact that the hospital decided to pick up the tab for the Blanchards had just a LITTLE something to do with it.
I was so happy for the Blanchards when I read about the hospital's kindness to them. I could not wait to read about how the Blanchards would be inspired by that act and someday do something kind for someone else... how they would incorporate that kindness into their lives and business ventures. What goes around, comes around, right? Maybe they'd donate a percentage of book profits toward medical research? Or do restaurant promotions to support families with sick children? I was disappointed that there is never any mention of them doing anything to help anyone but themselves.
Then, there's the "financial struggles." At times, they are legitimate. But then, when they miss Vermont and want to get back somehow, it sounds as though the Blanchards scrimp and save to buy a piece of property in hopes of "someday" building a small house they could retreat to for 2-3 months a year. A few pages later, they're building the house and struggling to make it happen on a tight budget. I'm not sure their definition of "budget" is the same as most people's, considering it's a majestically situated 6400 square foot home and art studio.
For all I know, the Blanchards may be two of the most generous, philanthropic people around but that never comes across in the book. Perhaps it was the book's "preachy" tone that made the absence of any mention of selflessness so conspicuous. My impression of this book is that it is nothing more than a marketing tool to promote their other books, restaurant, and possibly upcoming resort. They seem to view themselves as free-spirits, but what comes across in the book is that they are really good salespeople.
Not what they seem (as usual) February 1, 2006 29 out of 47 found this review helpful
First, a few confessions. I did not read this book, I only skimmed parts of it while in a bookstore. Also, I am naturally cynical, though I want to believe in people (an idealist at heart hidden beneath a cynic's clothing). Normally, I would never consider writing a review for something I never read-- a big pet peeve of mine. However, skimming this book and reading the reviews of the other book by the Blanchard's, "A Trip to the Beach : Living on Island Time in the Caribbean", compelled me to balance out the five star reviews. What I did read of this book seemed very shallow, self-congratulatory, and generally obnoxious and annoying. My feelings were lent further validity when I saw the negative reviews of "A Trip to the Beach : Living on Island Time in the Caribbean" (overall, it does have a four and a half-star rating, though the several negative reviews had a lot of merit). Those reviews pointed out that the Blanchard's were rich before they moved to the Caribbean and they had owned eight businesses previously (one of which was a restaurant in Anguilla before they opened "Blanchard's"). Yet the Blanchards portray themselves as free spirits who on a whim and against logic took a risk to follow their dreams. They write a misleading book ("A Trip...") and then follow it up this disingenous crap. In addition, the Blanchards have a condescending tone towards the natives on the island, and seem to be more concerned about themselves and their business than other people. So basically, they fall into the all-too-prevalent stereotype of rich, old, white people who don't realize how lucky they are (financially, anyway) and who do not appreciate or respect others. Publishing several books about their "heroic" and "inspiring" tales is even more callous and fake. They should run for political office in Anguilla.
If none of this matters to you and all you want is regurgitated, BS fluff to inspire you to do something that the the authors didn't do, buy and read this book. Otherwise, abstain.
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