Review by Myra Salzer
The author of this book, James E. Ryan, happens to be Harvard’s Dean of Education. Truth be told, I didn’t read the book but rather listened to the audio version, which is very ear friendly. I always appreciate it when the author him/herself reads the book for the audio version, and this was no exception. Ryan comes across as a very likable person, and he shares many personal stories in his book.
Simply put, this short, 144-page book covers the “Five Essential Questions” that open up possibilities in your life. Those questions are (the first of them is no surprise):
“Wait, What!?”
“I wonder…?”
“Couldn’t we at least…?”
“How can I help?”
“What truly matters?”
Besides being entertaining, what’s the point of the book, you ask? It’s funny how the simplest ideas can make the biggest difference. For example, let’s say I want to engage my husband in reducing our spending. I normally would ask him, “Would you be willing to wait a year before you buy a new bike?” or “Is it absolutely necessary to spend $x on y?” And, of course, his response would naturally be defensive, and he would feel accused of overspending. But, what if, instead, I asked, “I wonder if…we could work together to reduce our expenses by $z over the next 12 months?” It is a question that begs for cooperation and creativity.
Every one of Ryan’s five essential questions is expansive in nature. I truly hope I can learn to make them a habit. “I wonder if…that’s possible?” (Sure, actually! Ryan makes it easy.)
If you don’t want to listen to the full audio version (2+ hours) or read the actual book, you can get a quick summary by watching this 7-minute excerpt taken from the author’s 26-minute commencement speech. A small investment with a big return!
You can find James Ryan’s book here, on Amazon.