Book Review: Everyday Greatness

Everyday Greatness
Stephen R. Covey
464 pages
Thomas Nelson

This bulk of this book's text is a compilation of inspiring short stories culled from back issues of Reader's Digest. The readings, however, are not simply lumped together. Rather, they are organized in a nice way according to topic and subtopic. The stories are introduced and analyzed with commentary by Stephen R. Covey the author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Covey's thinking, as expressed in that book, is carried over consistently into Everyday Greatness. For each sub-topic, a collection of related quotations follows the commentary. The topics and subtopics are as follows:

Searching for Meaning: Contribution; Charity; Attention
Taking Charge: Responsibility; Courage; Discipline
Starting Within: Integrity; Humility; Gratitude
Creating the Dream: Vision; Innovation; Quality
Teaming with Others: Respect; Empathy; Unity
Overcoming Adversity: Adaptability; Magnanimity; Perseverance
Blending the Pieces: Balance; Simplicity; Renewal

Two final points: For those looking for a book written by Covey, this may not satisfy, since, as noted the bulk of the text is not by Covey. As a related point, if you really enjoy Reader's Digest, you will love the selection of works here. If that publication is not your cup of soup, you may find that the book drags a bit. This being said, the book is so well organized that it is worth reading simply for the presentation of concepts and the supporting quotations.