I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Phil Rainwater shares a collection of quotes and lessons that will help younger generations connect with older generations greatly in the book “What Matters: Lessons Learned from Life”.
The Synopsis
What Matters is a book about the lessons learned from life, and experiences we all share. But it’s more than just a book. It represents the connectedness that we seek. It reflects our desire to share parts of our lives with those we love. What Matters allows us to look within ourselves in quiet, self-reflection… inspiring us to be the best we can. To evolve, to share, to learn, to love, and to parent are all ingredients in What Matters.
What Matters starts the conversation between parents and kids, grandparents and grandkids, and everyone in between. The experiences reflected in the book touch on many topics and stages of personal growth. They are a personal journey about situations, behavior, and decisions that really mattered along the way. These experiences are written as a series of quotes with each quote illustrated with a child s work of art. What better way to underscore the lessons we learn from life, than with artwork from one of our greatest teachers; namely children. It s their innocent, unexpected, and wide-eyed visions of all things possible that add to What Matters.
The Review
This was a fast-paced yet insightful read. The author does a remarkable job of conveying heartfelt and thoughtful messages and quotes that readers can learn to live by and write in such as way that readers from all walks of life can relate to. The honesty and inspirational theme of this book really will stick with readers both young and older as the book progresses.
A couple of things that really made this book’s message more impactful were the inclusion of children’s illustrations and artwork to complement each page, and the book’s proceeds benefiting cancer research. The need to combat this horrific illness made this book feel even more important than it already was, and the use of this artwork allowed the reader to feel that bridge or connection that the author was drawing between different generations, whether that is between parents and children, or grandparents and grandchildren.
The Verdict
Insightful, memorable, and engaging, author Phil Rainwater’s “What Matters: Lessons Learned From Life” is a must-read nonfiction book on parenting and self-help guidance. The heart and passion for which the author wrote reflect the importance and power of these passages and will stick with readers long after the book has been put down. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
Phil Rainwater was inspired to create a roadmap for his children to realize and benefit from the experiences and lessons they would learn throughout their lives. Throughout his life, Phil accumulated valuable lessons and wrote them down in the form of simple quotes. As his children came of age, Phil shared these quotes with them inspiring the book What Matters.
But Phil knew that there was more to What Matters than just a book. Knowing that serving others is part of his journey, Phil arranged for students in the Reston, VA school system to create the illustrations to support these quotes. In return, Phil has pledged to donate 10% of book sales to The Reston Arts Center and the PTA of Buzz Aldrin Elementary School. The other 50 % of book sales are being donated to The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) to help eradicate Pancreatic Cancer.
Phil lives with his wife and sons in Arizona. You can read more about What Matters by visiting his website at WhatMattersBooks.com
