Nicholas Laborde is a young video game maker and entrepreneur, and he is the CEO of Raconteur Games. He can now also add “author” to his list of accomplishments, with the publication of Not The Worst Book You Could Read: Finding Purpose Through Mindset, Attitude, and Perception. Laborde opens his work (which is just long enough to meet Amazon’s requirement for having spine text!) with a story of having heard a priest once begin a speech with the phrase, “I’m going to die!” Laborde says he thinks back on that speech regularly. He acknowledges that “death” is something that he, like we all, will experience, but in the meantime, Laborde intends to make the most of his remaining time. (At a full 25 years of age, it seems he’s off to a good start!)

From his earliest childhood days, Laborde had an itch to be an entrepreneur. He tells stories of his dealmaking with his parents, working with his dad’s catering business, and even of learning from his dad’s unusual means of “creating” things (parking spaces) that he wanted/needed out of thin air, only to have those around him believe (perceive) and agree that what he said must be so. I believe many—in particular, the young—will find Laborde’s short and easy “lessons” engaging, entertaining, and even enlightening. They offer simple wisdom for life: expressing gratitude; earning the respect of those on whom the powerful depend; identifying and pursuing potential (and many!) mentors; the importance of relationships over anything else; reaching for new challenges; identifying when it’s time to seek help; acting with radical kindness; pursuing knowledge, and so much more. In many ways, the lessons in Not the Worst Book You Could Read, full of encouragement and simple truths, are realizations that one might come to on their own over time but Laborde sets them out for others to grasp as quickly and thoroughly as possible so that they might put them into practice immediately.

Not The Worst Book You Could Read: Finding Purpose Through Mindset, Attitude, and Perception by Nicholas Laborde was, in fact, not the worst book I have read. Honestly, it was up there with some of the better books I’ve read. Nicholas Laborde starts the book with a humorous tale of a priest proclaiming he will die. While it is funny and awkward for those in the congregation, Laborde points out that it is an eventuality for all of us and we shouldn’t misuse the time we have. The author then goes on to share stories with the reader that vary from him being sales-oriented as a young lad to sharing tales from his mentor. Most of these stories are generally humorous but punctuated with positivity and messages to take with you.

I quite enjoyed Not The Worst Book You Could Read. It was witty, engaging, peppered with positivity, and provided useful life lessons. Nicholas Laborde stresses that readers should use their time wisely, meaning readers should pick their battles, make meaningful relationships, have a positive attitude, exude kindness, and let go. I adored these messages and how they were presented in a friendly, non-biased way. I didn’t feel that the author was judging me for any choices I’ve made but was helping me move forward. One of the best parts, however, was at the end where the author provides an addendum of recommended books, which is great for a book-lover like myself, and workbook pages to help readers embrace the messages found within these pages.