Book Review: "The Butterfly Effect" by Andy Andrews

Can one person influence events well beyond their lifetime?  Can one person save two billion people?  It seems impossible to comprehend.  The idea that we are a miniscule blip in the grand workings of the universe is one put forth frequently, making us believe that our actions won't have much impact--the universe is much too vast.  That may be true, but the earth is much smaller, and the things we say, the things we do, can have a marked and lasting impact.  Such is the premise of Andy Andrews book "The Butterfly Effect."  Taken from one of his most popular speeches, this book showcases two separate events in which the world as we know it would be very different had it not been for the courageous actions of two men.

Presented as a pretty little coffee table book, "The Butterfly Effect" is well-written and easy to read (it takes about fifteen minutes), but it packs quite a powerful punch in its message.  It shows us that those small acts of kindness we think won't really matter, those courageous actions we don't take because of our fears, can and do make an impact on the lives of those around us.  Our creation, our very existence, is never for naught.  We are each put on this earth for a unique purpose, no matter how large or small we perceive that purpose to be.  A simple smile and a kind word each day can go a long way in the life of someone who needs it.  Overcoming our fear of the consequences of doing the right thing when the right thing is unpopular can have a far-reaching influence.  I can be just as cynical as the next person over the "feel good" messages in books like this...but this one definitely hit a nerve with me (in a good way).  I would fully recommend this brief read to anyone in the hope that they would overcome that feeling of "Psh...it doesn't really matter anyway, so who cares?"  It does matter, and we should all live our lives secure in that knowledge.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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