Kushner, Harold

When Bad Things Happen to Good People

Rarely does a book come along that tackles a perennially difficult human issue with such clarity and intelligence. Harold Kushner, a Jewish rabbi facing his own child's fatal illness, deftly guides us through the inadequacies of the traditional answers to the problem of evil, then provides a uniquely practical and compassionate answer that has appealed to millions of readers across all religious creeds. Remarkable for its intensely relevant real-life examples and its fluid prose, this book cannot go unread by anyone who has ever been troubled by the question, "Why me?"

When Harold Kushner’s three-year-old son was diagnosed with a degenerative disease and that he would only live until his early teens, he was faced with one of life’s most difficult questions: Why, God? Years later, Rabbi Kushner wrote this straightforward, elegant contemplation of the doubts and fears that arise when tragedy strikes. Kushner shares his wisdom as a rabbi, a parent, a reader, and a human being. Often imitated but never superseded, When Bad Things Happen to Good People is a classic that offers clear thinking and consolation in times of sorrow.
Since its original publication in 1981, When Bad Things Happen to Good People has brought solace and hope to millions of readers and its author has become a nationally known spiritual leader.

Living a Life that Matters

Most of us need to feel that we matter in some way; perhaps this explains the high value placed on titles, corner offices, and even fleeting celebrity. But most of us also need to feel that we are good people. In this luminous yet practical book of spiritual advice, Harold Kushner bridges the gap between these seemingly irreconcilable needs, showing us how even our smallest daily actions can become stepping stones toward integrity.

Drawing on the stories of his own congregants, on literature, current events and, above all, on the Biblical story of Jacob, the worldly trickster who evolves into a man of God --Kushner addresses some of the most persistent dilemmas of the human condition: Why do decent people so often violate their moral standards? How can we pursue justice without giving in to the lure of revenge? How can we turn our relationships with family and friends into genuine sources of meaning? Persuasive and sympathetic, filled with humanity and warmth, Living a Life That Matters is a deeply rewarding book.

Most of us need to feel that we matter in some way; perhaps this explains the high value placed on titles, corner offices, and even fleeting celebrity. But most of us also need to feel that we are good people. In this luminous yet practical book of spiritual advice, Harold Kushner bridges the gap between these seemingly irreconcilable needs, showing us how even our smallest daily actions can become stepping stones toward integrity.

Drawing on the stories of his own congregants, on literature, current events and, above all, on the Biblical story of Jacob, the worldly trickster who evolves into a man of God -- Kushner addresses some of the most persistent dilemmas of the human condition: Why do decent people so often violate their moral standards? How can we pursue justice without giving in to the lure of revenge? How can we turn our relationships with family and friends into genuine sources of meaning? Persuasive and sympathetic, filled with humanity and warmth, Living a Life That Matters is a deeply rewarding book.

"A valuable companion... a set of guideposts for living a useful and fulfilled life, no matter what the future holds."
   THE BOSTON GLOBE

"A wonderful, much-needed primer on the truly important things in life. Many thanks to Harold Kushner for reminding us what we should never forget."
   MITCH ALBOM, AUTHOR OF TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE

"Full of great stories and subtle wisdom.... This is a book you don't want to put down or allow to be too far from you in times of crisis."
   THOMAS MOORE, AUTHOR OF CARE OF THE SOUL

Overcoming Life's Disappointments

From Harold S. Kushner, author of the inspirational #1 bestseller When Bad Things Happen to Good People, comes a book that shows us how to be our best selves even when things don’t turn out as we had hoped.

Kushner turns to the experience of Moses to find the requisite lessons of strength and faith — the lesson that teach us how to overcome the disappointments that life inherently brings. From the examples of his remarkable resilience, we can learn how to meet all disappointments with faith in ourselves and the future, and how to respond to heartbreak with understanding rather than bitterness and despair. With Kushner’s signature warmth, Overcoming Life’s Disappointments is a book of spiritual wisdom — as practical as it is inspiring.

To Life: A Celebration of Jewish Being and Thinking

The bestselling author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People makes a passionate and practical case for the relevance of Judaism today. For anyone who wants to know more about Jews and Judaism.

How Good Do We Have to Be? A New Understanding of Guilt and Forgiveness

1 cassette / 90 minutesRead by the Author"If there were a quick fix for our trouble globe, it would be the profoundly tolerant message, teeming with humanity, at the heart of this book."-Thomas Moore, author of Care of the SoulFrom the author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People, comes an inspiring new bestseller that puts human feelings of guilt ad inadequacy in perspective - and teaches us how we can learn to accept out selves and others even when we are less than perfect.Kushner begins by offering a radically new interpretation of the story of Adam and Eve, which he sees as a tale of Paradise Outgrown rather than Paradise Lost: eating from the Tree of Knowledge was not an act of disobedience, but a brave step forward toward becoming human, complete with the richness of work, sexuality, and child-rearing as well as a sense of our mortality.Drawing on modern literature, psychology, theology, and his won thirty years of experience as a congregational rabbi, Kushner reveals how acceptance and forgiveness can change our relationships with the most important people in our lives and help us meet the bold and rewarding challenge of being human.

When All You've Ever Wanted Isn't Enough: The Search for a Life That Matters

With the same compassion and wisdom that powered his phenomenal bestseller When Bad Things Happen to Good People, Harold Kushner addresses a need that is universal and timeless -- the wish for a meaningful life.

Why is it that, after attaining many of our goals, we are left with a sense that something vital is missing? In his deeply inspiring bestseller, Rabbi Kushner shows us how to live as human beings are meant to. He guides us to a heightened sense of joy, purpose, and meaning, and helps us to redirect our energies toward goals that will bring us lasting happiness and true fulfillment.

The Lord Is My Shepherd

Rabbi Harold Kushner believes that the Twenty-third Psalm--perhaps the most memorable and cherished chapter of the Bible--offers spiritual riches that can change a person’s life. He has found that these simple, beautiful verses, full of honesty and optimism, have an almost magical power to comfort and calm. The psalm does not pretend that life is ever easy, but it offers a masterful guide to living in the world with faith and courage. Drawing on over forty years of his own thinking, on other biblical scholars, and on history, Kushner gracefully demonstrates how this sustaining work can help us cope with every aspect of life, from mundane jealousies to the death of a loved one to unimaginable tragedies of global proportions.

When Children ask about God: A Guide for Parents Who Don't Always Have All the Answers

Who made God? Can God hear my prayers? Why does God let people die? The author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People helps parents understand their children's fears and fantasies, and offers advice on answering their questions about religion, the Bible, illness, and bereavement.

Practice Random Acts of Kindness: Bring More Peace, Love, And Compassion into the World

A course in compassion from the creators of Random Acts of Kindness, Practice Random Acts of Kindness is a compilation of inspiring meditations, affirmations, and true stories collected from the growing number of "kindness experts" in the world. Contributors include Cecil Williams, Billy Graham, Rosalyn Carter, the Dalai Lama, presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton, and a once-homeless millionaire in Los Angeles whose life was transformed by an anonymous act of generosity.

Kindness is a revolution whose time has come and, while most people sincerely want to be more caring, Practice Random Acts of Kindness brings it all home with simple suggestions of how to be kinder and why. From the wake of Hurricane Katrina to the tragedy of the tsunami to troops in Iraq performing acts of daily compassion, we see many glimpses of what a more benevolent world might look like. In Practice Random Acts of Kindness, the editors who flamed the spark of kindness tell us exactly how we can create this future and effect REAL change through kindness.

Who Needs God

If you have lost faith or have never known it, or if you have ever wondered "What can religion offer?" here are wise and thoughtful answers. With the warmth, insight, and understanding that distinguished his phenomenal bestsellers When Bad Things Happen to Good People and How Good Do We Have to Be?, Harold Kushner addresses a critical issue in the lives of many: a spiritual hunger that no personal success can feed. Rabbi Kushner shows how religious commitment does have a place in our daily lives, filling a need for connection, joy, and community.

For anyone who has ever wanted a more fulfilling life or wished to make a difference in the lives of others...for anyone who has ever felt guilty, afraid, or alone...Rabbi Kushner shares a path to faith that offers new sources of comfort and strength for all of us. Powerful, provocative, and persuasive, Who Needs God is a message of universal appeal.