The Little Book of Greatness: A Parable About Unlocking Your Destiny is a work of non-fiction that focuses on inspiration, motivation, and self-help, and was penned by author Ari Gunzburg. In this concise but informative volume, the author presents a series of stages within a system intended to improve both your outlook and quality of life: the 5 Keys To Greatness. Told in the form of a parable, we journey with a character named David who is feeling totally overwhelmed in his life and finds himself at a definitive crossroads where he needs guidance. As he learns about the path of Greatness, we too explore how to achieve our fullest potential in life.

Author Ari Gunzburg presents a fascinating work which should be highly accessible to readers of all kinds thanks to its narrative style presentation in the parable format. As a story, the prose work is succinct but immersive, giving us a deep insight into David’s personal life and emotional state. I enjoyed the idea that, no matter how dire the circumstances, there are steps that can be taken to make improvements and to thrive. Without wishing to reveal the 5 Keys To Greatness themselves, I can say that they really resonate within the emotional context of the parable, and can be taken right out of the book and into our lives with immediacy, and with the confidence that the author instills into every page. Overall, I would certainly recommend The Little Book of Greatness: A Parable About Unlocking Your Destiny to those seeking a practical and positive way forward.

The Little Book of Greatness: A Parable About Unlocking Your Destiny by Ari Gunzburg takes the traditional format of non-fiction self-help books and spins it on its head, creating instead a fictional account that embeds a clear self-help guide through the troubled life of a character named David. Gunzberg delivers his message of the five keys to success, lifting David up in stages at a moment in his life where almost everything, including his own life, is nearly taken from him. Left with little to show for and in a physical and emotional slump, David reflects back on a chance encounter and a promise made following a serendipitous meeting, ultimately committing to a journey with the keys to GREATness: Give/provide, Reason/purpose, Engage/presence, Amazing/positivity, and Tenacity/persistence.

I didn't know what to expect when The Little Book of Greatness found its way into my hands. I suppose in the same fashion that David is introduced to a message that's been successful in the lives of author Ari Gunzburg and those who are already familiar with his work, this was my own fortuitous inauguration. What stands out to me in this story is the accessibility of the Gunzburg system. There is nothing groundbreaking here, but somehow having it all compiled in a single book elevates the message. My favorite part is the full circle David makes after his pilgrimage toward a better and more fulfilling way of living is achieved. He starts on a cliff in one frame of mind and ends up finishing there in what is essentially a brand new start. He is a different David. I also loved that the book has a contemporary Dickensian feel, David being shown the power he is capable of harnessing via an Ebenezer Scrooge style awakening. This is an excellent book for readers who want something inspiring to read and it will no doubt be appreciated by those fortunate enough to pick it up.

I would like to share a couple of quotes from Ari’s book “The Little Book of Greatness”. I am a special education teacher. I have been teaching my students virtually since March. I hope these quotes help others as they have helped me through this difficult time.

The quotes come from chapter 10 which is about tenacity. In the chapter is a description of a waterfall where in a corner there is water dripping down on the rock below. A round hole had formed over the years where the water drips had hit the rock.

“One drop of water fell at a time, one minuscule drop, yet here was a hole in the rock. A space carved out in a hard substance, from something soft like water” “Ari Gunzburg

The writing on the next page of the book represents those of us who have been supporting our students through this pandemic since March...teachers, administration, counselors, teacher aids, custodians, office staff, translators, school psychologists/diagnosticians, social workers, cafeteria workers, bus drivers and parents.


“The progress we are making can be so small, so infinitesimal, that we don’t notice we are moving forward. We won’t notice how far we have come. Then all of a sudden, we see the shape of the bowl cut out , and the hole forming in front of us. From that point forward all of our progress is easy to see. This is only possible because we kept with it, day in and day out. Just stay the course, keep the destination in mind. Focus on the outcome and keep moving forward during the long hard moments. “. Ari Gunzburg.