Official Review: Arise by Dr Ben Quartsin

[Josephe-Anne]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Arise" by Dr Ben Quartsin.]

---

3 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

What is the meaning of life? For millennia, humans have searched for an answer to this existential question. Dr. Ben Quartsin, a consultant psychiatrist, shares his views on the topic in his book, Arise: Break Free from the Tyranny of Your Past: Your New Life Starts Now. This self-help book is more like an instruction manual on how to live a purpose-driven life. In the first few chapters, readers are introduced to a pair of imaginary characters named Sarah and Andy. Sarah is a criminal and a drug addict who came from a broken home. She wishes to put an end to her delinquent behavior and become a nurse. On the other hand, Andy is an accomplished engineer with a loving family. Even though he appears to have it all, Andy is going through a midlife crisis. At first, these individuals seem to have nothing in common, but they both have dreams that they haven’t achieved. With these hypothetical cases, Dr. Quartsin emphasizes that anyone can make a difference. Instead of dwelling on our failures or settling for a mundane existence, “our pursuits need to resonate with the deeper yearnings of our souls to have any chance of yielding a sense of fulfilment.” This quote from the book perfectly summarizes the profound message within it.

The cover design is simple but effective. A smiling woman is shown leaping triumphantly into the air with her arms reaching for the sky. Although the background is a plain off-white color, the title and the author’s name are typed in green and blue lettering to match the woman’s clothing. In terms of formatting, the book is organized into chapters that discuss the strategies for accomplishing your goals. The author imparts his knowledge in a conversational tone. As the book progressed, I began to think of him as a wise mentor or a helpful friend who tells you what you need to hear. The message in the book is crystal clear: find your calling, and use your talents to improve the world. To me, the most notable takeaways from this book revolve around the words “purpose” and “balance.” Readers are urged to pursue a higher purpose instead of merely living for earthly success. Additionally, the practice of balancing essential tasks and optional activities is mentioned multiple times in the book. Along with the fictional characters’ situations, Biblical accounts, real-life success stories, and simple examples are used to illustrate each point. Psychological concepts further reinforce the lessons.

There are several aspects of this book that I enjoyed. While reading, I learned that the phrase “midlife crisis” was coined by a Canadian psychoanalyst named Elliott Jaques. I also learned that psychologists James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente have been credited with the “stages of change” theory. I like the fact that some of the chapters include summaries and “self-appraisal” questions at the end. The questions prompt readers to engage in serious introspection, thereby identifying internal problems and providing solutions. I also like how the author talks about completing the soul’s ultimate mission. Furthermore, unlike many other Christians, Dr. Quartsin does not share the belief that marriage and reproduction are obligations that guarantee one’s fulfilment.

However, there are a few things I dislike about the book. First of all, most of the advice seems obvious. Perhaps because of the psychology course I took (along with my pensive nature and personal experiences), I already knew most of the information in this book. Second, while the author’s intentions are noble, his solutions sometimes seem far too optimistic. In addition, North American readers may get slightly distracted by some of the unusual vocabulary words, such as “niggling” and “satnav.” Furthermore, in his real-world examples, it often appears as though the writer idolizes celebrities a bit too much. Finally, I would have preferred if he had written satisfying conclusions for the stories of Sarah and Andy rather than leaving them incomplete.

As I mentioned before, the author expresses his Christian faith and includes numerous Bible stories and verses. Even so, the message in this book is applicable to people of any religious/non-religious background. The text does not contain any offensive language or lewd material. Also, in the PDF version that I read, another round of editing will be necessary to fix the formatting errors, spelling inconsistencies, and typos. Unfortunately, I found more than 10 mistakes.

Despite my criticisms, I did enjoy this book. While the contents were more of a review than a lesson for me, the information is useful, and I am sure that many people can benefit from it. In Arise: Break Free from the Tyranny of Your Past: Your New Life Starts Now, Dr. Ben Quartsin paints a positive picture of self-transformation to encourage those in dire situations. Throughout the text, he advises everyone to use their trials as opportunities to learn and grow. Therefore, in consideration of all its attributes, I have chosen to give this book a rating of 3 out of 4 stars, and I recommend it to people who aspire to improve themselves.

******
Arise
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Harty Muli]

This sounds like a book I could benefit from given its sound spiritual teachings. Nice review.

[Valkyrie9]

As a psychiatrist, Dr Quartsin seems to be in the perfect position to author such a self-help book. He has clearly seen many cases from which he could draw to aid him in imparting this wisdom and guidance. I love the emphasis on "purpose" and "balance", and that balancing essential tasks and optional activities is also emphasized. You mention that the advice that the author offers seemed obvious; sometimes the "obvious" things are easily forgotten and a quick reminder is needed. Thanks for a great review!

[Josephe-Anne]

This sounds like a book I could benefit from given its sound spiritual teachings. Nice review.

Yes. If you are looking for guidance and motivation, then this book is a good choice.

Thank you for commenting.

[Josephe-Anne]

As a psychiatrist, Dr Quartsin seems to be in the perfect position to author such a self-help book. He has clearly seen many cases from which he could draw to aid him in imparting this wisdom and guidance. I love the emphasis on "purpose" and "balance", and that balancing essential tasks and optional activities is also emphasized. You mention that the advice that the author offers seemed obvious; sometimes the "obvious" things are easily forgotten and a quick reminder is needed. Thanks for a great review!

You are absolutely right! Sometimes we get so caught up trying to deal with life's mishaps that we can't see the clear solutions when they are right in front of us.

Thank you for your insightful response.

[Saint Bruno]

I really enjoyed your analysis of this book. I believe it's a title to read in these trying times. Thanks for your recommendation.

[NetMassimo]

Life's what you make it. Seriously, it's a question you can probably debate forever. Thank you for your great review!

[Josephe-Anne]

I really enjoyed your analysis of this book. I believe it's a title to read in these trying times. Thanks for your recommendation.

You're welcome. I'm glad you liked the review, and I appreciate your comment.

[Josephe-Anne]

Life's what you make it. Seriously, it's a question you can probably debate forever. Thank you for your great review!

That's true! Thank you for taking the time to read my review and leave a reply.

[Sou Hi]

Thanks for your insightful review. A live without a clear purpose is quite empty and boring.

[Dreamer80]

What I really love about your review is that you even commented on the book review and how it caught your eye. This was such a detailed review, loved reading it.

[Josephe-Anne]

Thanks for your insightful review. A live without a clear purpose is quite empty and boring.

I agree! Thank you for commenting.

[Chigo Nwagboso]

Thanks for this detailed review. What an inspiring read that helps one to have a deep thought about his purpose in life. This book will be useful.

[Josephe-Anne]

Thanks for this detailed review. What an inspiring read that helps one to have a deep thought about his purpose in life. This book will be useful.

Yes, this book certainly forces us to evaluate ourselves and seek our true purpose.

Thank you for stopping by to comment.

[Prisallen]

This sounds like an aspiring book for many people, although it seems to just be basic information that a lot of people may already know. Thanks for your wonderful review!