The first few chapters of Ray Johnston’s The Hope Quotient: Measure It. Raise It. You’ll Never Be the Same are well worth reading. His insights on the power of hope, how it can be shaped within us, and it’s impact on our world are very good. Hope can be developed, strengthened, even measured. It’s an uplifting and insightful start to the book.

Somewhere along the way the book drops a notch. Not that it becomes a bad book, but it becomes much like any other self-help collection of cliches. Of course some people desperately need to hear the good news in this book. Hope really is powerful and central to our existence. I’m just not ready to give the book a blanket recommendation for all to read.

Which is a shame. I’ve been looking for a book on hope that helps us understand how it is shaped inside of us. What influences around us shape our sense of hope? So many books on the topic are shallow pop-psychology nonsense, or deep theological volumes you need a dictionary to get through. There isn’t much in the middle. Johnston takes a stab at it, and his Hope Quotient (HQ) online evaluation tool might be helpful for some folks. But for me, at least, it seemed hollow.

If you know of a book on the topic of hope I should read, please let me know!