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Summary: rhetorical question
Review: In a perfect world, a person dreams of a "good" future, makes decisions and lives happily ever after. In the real world, careers are lost or unfulfilled, relationships broken, and many are left wondering with Po Bronson's question: What should I do with my life?The question appears to be a rhetorical one -- Bronson's book was descriptive rather than prescriptive, somewhat like MBA case studies with no solutions. There is however a common denominator among the 50; they are profiles in courage in their own right, the courage to change (or not to change) and the courage to act and deal with the consequences of their decisions i.e. the rich Harvard kid who became a policeman, the teacher who became a lawyer at 70, the lawyer who became a truck driver, the trader who became a doctor, and the urban yuppies who literally watched trees grow. Bronson, of course, did not attempt to dissect life and its meanings; it is instead a modern-day reflection of the perennial paradox confronting people at the crossroads (though it can be argued that some people in the world don't even have the luxury of asking themselves the question). The book's substance and the presentation, the prose and the respondents sampling, and the author's editorializing are debatable. Nevertheless, the book is thought- provoking and introspective and although we may never find answers, it forces us to look at ourselves from a detached, critical point of view, perhaps in a manner similar to Shakespeare's thoughts: "To thine own self be true."
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Summary: Thanks so much
Review: I loved this book. When you don't know what to be when you grow up and most of the world thinks you're already grown up, it's painful to answer the what do you do question. This book confirms that those of us who are still searching are not alone, that the search is worthwhile and that the answer may be out there. Thanks so much to Po Bronson for taking and sharing this journey.
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Summary: Boring romp
Review: If you read the Fast Company article profiling this book, then don't read any further. That article summed it up. It felt like Po went on a quest to find something truly meaningful in all his encounters with these people, but found little. I think his goal was simply "write another book no matter what" and so he did. Yawn.
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Summary: Read SB or God
Review: I cannot place enough emphasis as to how simple minded this book is. This book is based on a very unstable and short term premise. I was very impressed with the fact that a book like this got past the screening process. However advertising has made the difference here. Truthfully, very few persons in my opinion can benefit from this extremely over rated title.
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Summary: Po Bronson - What Should I Do with My Life
Review: The notion of searching for purpose has intrigued me and as a consequence I purchase and read a broad variety of books on the subject. This book is one best left in warehouses left gathering dust. It is superficial hype and damages the broader reputation of the industry and writers interested in providing perspective and programs dealing with the subject of calling and purpose.
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Summary: A real let-down
Review: This book is over-hyped and overrated. It did nothing for me. It should have been titled, "Boring stories."
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Summary: Very poorly written, but unique and extrodinarily compelling
Review: This is a very strange book. The farther you get into the book the more you realize why people dislike it. It is very poorly written. Having not read his other nonfiction work I can't speak to his skills, but this book is truely awful from any sort of literary perspective, so I very much understand the hate reviews. That said, the stories themselves are incredibly compelling and make the book feel worthwhile. From a pure readability standpoint I would have given this book 1, maybe 2 stars. But simply because this book is so unique, and it's stories so compelling I have to recomend it. The book's strenght is that it is a self help book, without the 'Joe-Ra-Ra' Tony Robbins sensibilities, that is, in fact, not a self-help book at all, but rather a series of oral histories and case studies. It won't give you many concrete answers or analysis. In fact, the biggest thing I would fault in the book is that it what little analysis it does give is too much. Rather it tells stories that have immediate currency with people asking the very same question, especially since most of the people in the book haven't quite answered it yet. The stories are so provacative and unique that it both reassures you and inspires you to think, without giving you cut and dry advice. For that reason I had to give it a 4, and I have to recomend it. I can honestly say, I've never read a book that was so painfully bad reading in places, and yet still so incredibly compelling and thought provoking. So, in spite of all that, it is a book that, if you ever ask the question in the title, has to be read.
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Summary: excellent motivational guide
Review: Po Bronson has had to live in the shadow of his more famous brother, Pierce Bronsan, ever since Pierce landed the role of Remington Steele on American TV. But with his new book, Po definitely comes into his own. "What should I do With My Life" is a reminder to everyone who has suffered the humiliation of less-than-flattering comparisons to a superior sibling that, hey, I can do something meaningful myself. I don't really know for a fact that Po Bronson is Pierce Bronson's brother, but I have never heard of another Bronson, except Charles Bronson. But Charles Bronson is pretty old, and I would think if he had any brothers, they would be too old to be writing books. So I am assuming this Po Bronson is Pierce Bronson's brother, and I applaud him for breaking out on his own and making his mark in this world. My wife tells me that Remington Sttele was played by Pierce Brosnan, not Bronson, but I think that is incorrect. But if that is the case and Po is not Pierce's brother, than I don't think I can really recommend this book because I haven't read it.
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Summary: Don't look to it for the answers
Review: Trying to find your calling? Want more happiness and fulfillment in your life? You won't find it in this book. Bronson interviews a bunch of people who, for the most part, don't know what they want to do, and are still searching blindly. I have to suggest "Finding Your North Star" by Martha Beck for those who want more but aren't sure what. Then you can read this book for further motivation. But Bronson's book doesn't give t you those answers. The answers to the question, "What should I do with my life" lies in your heart, not this book. And Bronson doesn't tell you how to listen to your heart. And if there is any grammatical problems with this review, blame Amazon.com.
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Summary: The answers to your questions can only come from with-in.
Review: I find it interesting that many of the people who posted negative reviews of this book did so because they claim the book failed to give them the "answers" and/or "inspiration" that they were looking for. What they fail to consider is that they may have misunderstood the purpose of this book from the get-go. The book, in my opinion, is meant to be a sociological study of how random individuals struggle with the question of "What should I do with my life." I don't believe it was meant to be a self-help instruction manual or a "Chicken Soup for the Soul" type compilation of motivational memoirs.
Mr. Bronson quite clearly states that the purpose of his book is "to raise our awareness of the process by which some people have struggled with the choice and figured out their life" and "to tune our ears to the nuances, and recognize shades of ourselves in the stories, so we can be more aware on our own journey." I believe the author has succeeded on both points.
There are plenty of books out there that are meant to inspire through the telling of success stories - this book was not meant to be one of them.
Sometimes it's much more helpful to recognize the mistakes that we make in our own lives when we see those same mistakes being made by others.
The point that this book is trying to make is the very point that most of the negative posters here have failed to grasp; namely that you will not find the answers you're searching for in a book, and you won't find them by attempting to emulate the success of others. The answer to the question "What should I do with my life" can only be found within yourself.
By sharing the stories of others who struggle with that same question, Po Bronson has succeeded in removing some of the feelings of isolation that those of us "in flux" feel.
That in itself is makes this book a worthwhile read despite the so-so writing that others have mentioned.
If you're looking for answers, look in the mirror.
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