This is an interesting take on generational differences, aging parents, unconventional lives and the opportunity to assess one's values both within and without our families and work. This cranky professor did indeed change his views as he followed his bliss.

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would! It starts off a little slowly but then we realize we need the build-up to see Professor Chandra's take on his life and his family which has slowly crumbled a little. His wife has left him for another man, his children have taken different paths in life, and we see his academic life shattered when he doesn't win the prize he hoped for. He's incredibly intelligent, arrogant, and "0ld-school," and yet there's a vulnerability we see from the beginning that we know he must come to recognize if he's to become a happier man. As a parent, it's both heartbreaking and heartwarming to see that he attempts to reconcile his life as an aging professor with the fact that his children are adults and don't always buy into the concepts that he has ingrained in their lives. Generational differences are always hard to accept. As an aging parent myself, I have always believed that you can never take credit for your kids' successes or take blame for their failures. We can only instill in them the belief that we are all only human and we should strive to be the best we can be--and accept others as they are. So hug your "children" and read this book! It's inspiring!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of book. It deals with insight and enlightenment which can change long held beliefs and relationships for the better. It was not the light hearted, amusing book I was expecting. 3.5 stars

The story gives us insight into our self image may be a drawback into seeing our true selves and how much more we could be.

Professor Chandra’s work has been built around his life as one of the world’s foremost experts in economics. He is egotistical, argumentative and a workaholic. He expects each year to win the Nobel Prize which he feels at age 69 would validate his life and profession. His wife has left him for another man and moved from England to California and he is estranged from his three children.

After being upset the Nobel Prize for Economics has again been awarded to others,he pretends he doesn’t care. Following an accident he is in hospital where the doctor tells him he needs to take it easy and ‘follow his bliss.’

Chandra decides to go to California and work as a visiting economics lecturer. He tries to reconnect with his ex-wife,Jean,and their troubled teenaged daughter. Another daughter is traveling and will have no contact with Chandra or let him know where she is. His son is in Hong Kong running a very successful business based on the concept that positive thinking will bring financial rewards. After an altercation with Jean’s second husband he is manipulated to spend time at a New Age self help retreat. He begins to gain a more positive attitude towards himself and change his attitude to how he relates to others.

He feels that his own father’s relentless pushing him to succeed has affected his life and work. He believes he has caused his own children to try to keep up with him and as a result they have rebelled against his economic beliefs and lifestyle.

He visits his son in Hong Kong, and finally the entire family reconnects at an isolated meditation retreat in the mountains for Christmas. It was pleasing to see the changes in Chandra and how his family now understood his past attitudes and became more accepting of him. The family had also transformed and relationships were better. Chandra could now reassess his life and establish a better future for himself after returning to his home in England.

I would have liked more humor between all the economic discussions and arguments and all the self help classes and meditation,This was a well written book which might cause the reader to reflect on their own attitudes towards themselves, relationships with others and their careers.