Another Shot: How I Relived My Life in Less Than a Year

We got the audio book version of this (it is read by the author, and while abridged, runs about 6 hours over 5 cd's). It made for good listening. Do not expect an epiphany. This book does not contain the magic answer to "Life, the Universe, and Everything." Rather it is filled with simple, common sense reminders of what we can do (or try to do) to make life more pleasant and rewarding. Joe Kita takes a look at some of the regretes he has in life, and goes back to address them (with varying levels of success). If nothing else, it is an honest look into the life of another person, and that in itself can be helpful.

Joe Kita acted on twenty of his what-ifs and he reports on the process and the results in a fun way. I laughed a lot and shed a couple of tears. Then I began making my own list of things I've never done but want to do, or things I did which I'd like to do over and see if I could get different results. Seeing Joe try and succeed - or try and not succeed - made me want to try.

Many people in their middle-aged years (often between 35 and 45) decide to recapture their youth. For some, this means divorcing one's spouse and marrying someone much younger. For others, this means taking up sky-diving. Yet others take up landscape painting. In each case, the behavior is a response to the sense that time is getting shorter and that one had better gather some rosebuds while one still can. It was with that presumption about Another Shot that I picked up this book. What I found in this book was different from that sentiment, being rather a kind of desire to seek the perfection that had been missed so far instead of a blind seeking for lost youth. The results as reported here are fascinating. Have you ever wondered what if you had done A instead of B? If so, Another Shot will take you in interesting ways down some of those corridors of second guessing. The book opens with Mr. Kita recounting a story about Jeff Bezos thinking through how Mr. Bezos would look back on his life if he were 80. Mr. Bezos reportedly concluded that he would be better pleased with himself if he had tried great things and failed than if he had never tried very much and succeeded at small things. Mr. Kita was 40 when he had these thoughts about Mr. Bezos's self-examination. In a period of a year, Mr. Kita explored the following "what ifs"(1) He had not been cut from his high school basketball team.(2) He had become very rich.(3) He had asked a beautiful woman who spoke to him out on a date.(4) He had kept his first car.(5) He had kept his hair and its original color.(6) He had had a good relationship with his mother.(7) He had had a strong religious connection to God.(8) He was still at his sexual peak.(9) He had been able to say good-bye to his father, when he died.(10) He had become a surfer.(11) He had not had to work so hard.(12) He had become a target shooter.(13) He had developed his body into a thing of beauty with exercise.(14) He had overcome his fears of heights and lightning.(15) He had won the big prize in the games at a carnival's midway.(16) He had proven he was a "real man" in traditional ways.(17) He had taken better care of his health.(18) He had better cared for his first dog.(19) He had found a hero.(20) He had experienced his wedding more intensely.The book is organized around these twenty thoughts, with an afterword that explains the cumulative effect of these searches. Each section reminded me of a George Plimpton book involving a different sport. Mr. Kita shares Mr. Plimpton's talent for finding unlikely ways to experience what seems unattainable. The efforts were often very expensive and time-consuming. In most cases, he was able to get help with the finances, but he had to quit one job to try being totally without work. Mrs. Kita deserves a gold medal for going through this.Before the year was over, Mr. Kita was hiring private detectives to track down cars, trying out for his old basketball team with teenager

This book focuses on one man's decision to take a year and relive parts of his life that he still had regrets abut, major life experiences that he felt needed a "second chance" to get right. They're not always what you might think and range from Not Being Able to Find God to Never Having the Courage to Ask Her Out. My husband and I took turns reading chapters of this book out loud to each other and I am SO glad we did. Our favorite chapter was the one where the author decided to find his first car - and not just the same model but the EXACT same car, right down to matching Vehicle Identification Number! My husband nodded his head in understanding and appreciation when he heard the first car was a silver 1979 Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta and groaned in envy when we came to the section where the author tested the Camaro Z28, today's version of the Berlinetta. I was surprised, to say the least since my husband isn't exactly an auto buff. Other chapters range from the hilarious (learning to Surf) to the poignant (Never saying Goodby to My Dad). I guarantee that whether you are male or female, you'll love this one.

This book was a great reminder of how earlier this year I decided to start our marriage over. It was floundering, going no where and it seems like it would have been easier to divorce and just move on. But, we all have "another shot." With a lot of tips I found in The RoMANtic's Guide by Michael Webb I began our marriage courtship all over. Within a month we were deeply in love again. Now I know how to keep it that way.It you ever have any regrets, it is not necessarily a time to move on -- it might be time to try it again. This book is very funny, yet full of wisdom and insight.