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Living, Loving, and Learning A Book Review

 


Living, Loving, and Learning

By

Leo Buscaglia

1982

We gathered around an old black and white TV. Someone had a videotape of the charismatic Leo Buscaglia talking about love. We were graduate students in counseling at the University of Missouri. And it was the 1970s when love was exploding after the Vietnam War ended. Leo touched many lives then and his ideas are still worth considering.

The Author

Leo Buscaglia was born 31 March 1924 in Los Angeles, California. During WWII, he served in the US Navy. He earned his PhD in 1963 and was a professor of Special Education at the University of Southern California. He was widely known as Dr. Love. Leo died 12 June 1998 from a heart attack. He was a popular motivational speaker and his works were so popular that five books were on the New York Times Bestseller List at the same time!

Book Summary

Living, Loving & Learning by Leo F. Buscaglia is an inspirational collection of his informative and entertaining lectures, delivered between 1970 and 1981. In this thought-provoking and highly readable book, Buscaglia shares timeless wisdom about living a meaningful life filled with love and personal growth.

Here are the key points from Buscaglia’s lectures:

 

Embracing Vulnerability: Buscaglia encourages readers to embrace vulnerability. He emphasizes that life is an ongoing process of change, and adjusting to new obstacles is part of the joy of living. The journey of becoming is continuous, and it’s a fantastic adventure.

 

The Power of Touch and Connection: Buscaglia advocates a return to spontaneity in human interactions. He believes in touching, holding, smiling, and caring for one another. Hugs, he asserts, feel nice and are essential for human connection.

 

Trust and Belief: Buscaglia challenges readers to trust and believe again. Despite the risks, he emphasizes that everything in life involves some level of risk. Going beyond mere existence, we must reconnect with our humanity and engage with life fully.

Living, Loving & Learning is a heartfelt exploration of what it means to be human, how love shapes our experiences, and the importance of genuine connections. Through insightful anecdotes, Buscaglia inspires readers to overcome fears, cultivate meaningful relationships, and embrace the wonder of love.

 Other books on love

Positive Psychology

Living Well

Related Posts On Love

Attachment, Attachment Theory

Compassion

Five Love Languages


How Psychologists and Psychotherapists Measure Love

Adult Attachment Scale

Compassion scale

Love- How to measure

5 Love Languages Personal Profile for Couples


References

Buscaglia, L. F. (1982). Living, loving, and learning. New York: Ballantine. AMAZON page 

Sutton, G. W. (2024, February 2). Living, loving, and learning: A review. Interdisciplinary Book and Film Reviews. Retrieved from https://suttonreviews.suttong.com/2024/02/living-loving-and-learning-review.html


Geoffrey W. Sutton, PhD is Emeritus Professor of Psychology. He retired from a clinical practice and was credentialed in clinical neuropsychology and psychopharmacology. His website is  www.suttong.com

 

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