Jon Shattuck, a former hospital administrator and community volunteer, has released a new book titled Choices to Live By, a personal exploration of how to live a life of purpose and integrity. The book, announced this week, draws on Shattuck’s varied experiences—from manual labor after college to a long career in healthcare administration and decades of community service—to offer readers a thoughtful companion for life’s biggest questions.
Shattuck is clear that the book is not a set of rigid rules. He describes it as “not a cookbook of requirements,” but rather an invitation to examine the values and choices that shape a person’s character over a lifetime. The book covers themes such as truth and authenticity, the nature of love, forgiveness, listening, humility, and grief. Shattuck writes with the authority of someone who has lived through these experiences: he has been married for 64 years, led grief support groups, and navigated career shifts and personal loss.
Central to the book is a principle Shattuck calls TWTA—The Way Things Are. This framework encourages responding to life as it actually is, rather than as one might wish it to be. Through vivid stories, such as a woman with multiple sclerosis who decided to make every day her best and a retired schoolteacher whose four-word question redirected Shattuck’s career, the book grounds its wisdom in real-life moments. These narratives make the lessons compelling and believable, avoiding abstract theorizing.
In a statement, Shattuck said, “Your life is or has been a culmination of the choices and decisions you have made. At any point, you decide how to react, how to respond, and how to move forward. My hope is that this book helps readers make those decisions with more intention, more honesty, and more joy.”
The book also addresses difficult topics like escape, victimhood, and the temptation to avoid hard truths, but does so with tenderness rather than harshness. Shattuck’s approach is unflinchingly honest yet never judgmental, reflecting his belief that clarity about reality, combined with intentional choices rooted in strong values, is the foundation of a life well lived.
The final chapter offers a meditation on faith. Shattuck shares his Christian journey openly but emphasizes that his goal is not to recruit readers to a particular tradition, but to encourage them to seek a foundation in something larger than self-interest or shifting cultural trends. It is, like the rest of the book, written with integrity and love as its bottom line.
Choices to Live By is available now and is positioned as a resource for parents, educators, counselors, mentors, and anyone navigating a significant life transition. More information about the book and the author can be found at https://jonshattuck.com/.
In a time when many people are searching for meaning and direction, Shattuck’s book offers a grounded, generous, and enduringly useful guide. It does not promise a perfect life, but rather invites readers to ask the questions that matter most and to make choices with greater intention. By sharing his own story and the stories of others, Shattuck provides a roadmap for living with honesty, purpose, and joy—a message that resonates across generations.
