A Simple Act of Gratitude: Book summary and reviews of A Simple Act of Gratitude by John Kralik

A Simple Act of Gratitude Summary

A Simple Act of Gratitude was previously published and reviewed in hardcover as 365 Thank Yous.

One recent December, at age 53, John Kralik found his life at a terrible, frightening low: his small law firm was failing; he was struggling through a painful second divorce; he had grown distant from his two older children and was afraid he might lose contact with his young daughter; he was living in a tiny apartment where he froze in the winter and baked in the summer; he was 40 pounds overweight; his girlfriend had just broken up with him; and overall, his dearest life dreams--including hopes of upholding idealistic legal principles and of becoming a judge--seemed to have slipped beyond his reach.

Then, during a desperate walk in the hills on New Year's Day, John was struck by the belief that his life might become at least tolerable if, instead of focusing on what he didn't have, he could find some way to be grateful for what he had.

Inspired by a beautiful, simple note his ex-girlfriend had sent to thank him for his Christmas gift, John imagined that he might find a way to feel grateful by writing thank-you notes. To keep himself going, he set himself a goal--come what may--of writing 365 thank-you notes in the coming year.

One by one, day after day, he began to handwrite thank yous--for gifts or kindnesses he'd received from loved ones and coworkers, from past business associates and current foes, from college friends and doctors and store clerks and handymen and neighbors, and anyone, really, absolutely anyone, who'd done him a good turn, however large or small. Immediately after he'd sent his very first notes, significant and surprising benefits began to come John's way--from financial gain to true friendship, from weight loss to inner peace. While John wrote his notes, the economy collapsed, the bank across the street from his office failed, but thank-you note by thank-you note, John's whole life turned around.

A Simple Act of Gratitude is a rare memoir: its touching, immediately accessible message--and benefits--come to readers from the plainspoken storytelling of an ordinary man. Kralik sets a believable, doable example of how to live a miraculously good life. To read A Simple Act of Gratitude is to be changed.

A Simple Act of Gratitude Reviews

"Is this book a preachy, condescending type book with fire and brimstone? No not at all, it is easy to read and hard to put down. As books go it is small, easy to hold, but the weight of the words and the deep message is what the gold here is." - Wattpad

"I think this book would be a wonderful gift for someone who is struggling to find anything to be grateful for. I found the book to be inspirational and I am so glad I for the opportunity to read and review it." - The Book Journey Blog

"It was a quick read, and one that I would recommend to you and anyone who might need a fresh perspective on life. It wasn’t overly optimistic, but rather simple and inspiring and it left me challenged to start becoming more thankful and to actually tell others in the written form." - Sincerely Paige, blog

Discussion Guide & Author Interview

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A Simple Act of Gratitude Reader Reviews

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Rated of 5 by Cindy M. (Raleigh, NC)
Gratitude
Gratitude has long been believed to be one of the best cures for depression and self-centeredness. John Kralik's book, 365 Thank Yous, is a testimony to the power of thankfulness to transform lives

I LOVED this book! It is a short, quick read but I read it slowly as his honesty and vulnerability touched my heart. Each time I opened the book, I felt like I was visiting with an old friend - a friend struggling in life that I desperately wanted to cheer on and to cheer up. His transparency in sharing his life served as the perfect backdrop to the honesty of his heartfelt thank you notes. By looking for and grasping the smallest glimmers of light in his life, he was able to be grateful for the many previously unnoticed, wonderful things he had been given, transforming himself (and ultimately his circumstances) in the process.

This book would appeal to anyone who has ever struggled with depression, discouragement, or a temporary lack of vision. It is a wonderful book of encouragement. It will make a great friendship gift and should prompt a new movement in appreciating the many blessings of daily life.

Rated of 5 by Teresa M. (Naples, FL)
365 Thanks yous
I loved this book! I loved it so much that I recommended it to my book club and it is going to be our November selection. In preparation for our discussion we all agreed to participate in our Thank You Project. Over the summer we are going to write thank you notes, keep track of them and share the results with the group in November.

Rated of 5 by John D. (Garland, TX)
365 Thank Yous
Well written and enjoyable. Even though the author's motive for writing the thank you notes began as a quest for his own personal gain, he eventually learned to write the notes for the right reasons. It would be a better world if we all, including myself, followed his example.

Rated of 5 by Randi E. (Walnut Creek, CA)
Positive Energy!
John Kralik's life could belong to any of us....relationship problems, health problems, money problems, stress! What I enjoyed was the simplicity of his exercise....write one thank you a day and mail it off. I'm a big fan of "positive energy", and can imagine how it can work wonders in one's life. As it did in John's. Can it solve all problems? No. But the simple act of daily gratefulness was very powerful in his life. A great read for today's uncertain times!

Rated of 5 by Cecile G. (Mansfield, TX)
The benefits of saying "thank-you."
Thank you for the opportunity to read Mr. Kralik's book. Once again our mothers' encouragement of good manners has won out in the end. Thank yous are never given enough and the title character found some encouragement in his life with a simple gesture. Well written and a quick read which is always a good thing.

Rated of 5 by Joan L. (Palm Desert, CA)
365 Thank Yous
This is a gem of a book. The author has taken an oft-neglected good manners - Thank You note writing - and used the exercise to produce a very heartfelt and valuable book. The reader will want to discover the joy of note writing for him/herself after reading this book. All of us can follow his example and find more in our lives for which we can be grateful.

...15 more reader reviews

John Kralik was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and attended the University of Michigan for college and law school. He practiced law for thirty years, and was a partner in the law firms of Hughes Hubbard & Reed, Miller Tokuyama Kralik & Sur, and Kralik & Jacobs. In 2009, he was appointed a judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court. He lives in the Los Angeles area.