Rating: 
Summary: Brilliant.
Review: The book consists of mini-biographies of people who have asked thesmelves what their purpose in life was and were unable to come up with an immediate, unambiguous, and definite answer. If you fall into that group (why else would you even consider looking at the book?), then reading Bronson's work will likely prove to you that you are not a freak for being unsettled in your career choice regardless of your age or current financial status.
Rating:
Summary: good read
Review: I liked this book a lot and found it fascinating. It didn't provide any answers, but reading other people's stories made me feel like it was okay to be wondering about this question all the time - that a lot of people are wondering, and it gave me hope that I'll eventually find the answer through one of the myriad of paths that these people did. I'd highly recommend this book.
Rating: 
Summary: stereotypical motivation book, but worse!
Review: Summary:
The book is supposed to be Bronson's findings after having interviewed hundreds of people about what they felt they should have done or did with their lives. But I didn't really find this to be the case. What it seemed like to me was more a strange mixture of Bronson summarizing the lives of some of the people he interviewed and then adding his opinions about their situations. Add to this mix Bronson's self-adoration about being invited to a conference of business big whigs where he encouraged all of the CEOs present to make sure their employees liked their jobs (like that is going to happen) and Bronson's ideas about childbirth and you have 'What Should I Do With My Life?' Comments:
I absolutely hated this book. This is definitely one instance where I am glad I listened to the CD version instead of reading the actual book because it was abridged and shortened the misery. The problems with this book are so monumental I can't believe it was even published. Oh wait, yes I can, he's on the board of directors of a publishing company - he can probably get anything published, including this drivel. My biggest criticism of the book is that Bronson is falling back on the idealized notion that everyone can do what they want. This is such a ridiculous notion that I can't even believe people are still claiming it's possible. Does Bronson really think that someone desperately wants to be a garbage collector? I know the job of my dreams is to clean toilets. Come on! If everyone can have the job of their dreams, who is going to do the menial work like cleaning his office while he vacations in the Caribbean? This notion is often proclaimed by the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity (this is the first reason I came to believe Bronson was a subtle Republican propagandist). Social democrats, on the other hand, recognize it's impossible. Rather than encourage everyone to 'make it big', they try to help the little guy so he can at least eke out a bearable living. My second biggest criticism is that there is absolutely no sense of organization to this book. This leads to a follow up criticism, which is that the thousands of other motivational books that say the exact same thing at least have an organization to them. Bronson's book doesn't present a coherent message and what can be understood of the message is no different from thousands of other books that just tell you to 'be whatever you want to be' (see criticism 1 above). The longer I listened to this book, the more I questioned why Bronson was qualified to write this book. If I'm not mistaken, Bronson is a successful fiction writer who writes novels about the business world. Maybe in Bronson's mind writing fiction equates to expertise in psychology and career counseling, but not in my world. And even though Bronson claims to have interviewed hundreds of people, I was thoroughly convinced by his inability to organize his 'findings' that he has no idea how to do social-scientific research. Fiction writer does not equal expert. I think what we have here is another case of someone getting a little fame from his novels and POOF! the fame goes to his head. Bronson seems to think he knows everything, or at least his opinion is important enough that everyone should hear it. Bronson goes so far in his pipe dream that he even begins giving advice about having children. What makes his advice even worse is that the advice he gives really just echoes Dr. Laura, which is the second indication that Bronson is a closet Republican propagandist. Overall, I don't think anyone should be subjected to this incoherent claptrap. This is a poorly written book by a non-expert who is moonlighting as a Republican propagandist in between writing novels. I highly recommend any thinking person avoid this novel like you would an Al Qaeda training camp if you were George Bush, Jr. Absolutely terrible!!!
Rating: 
Summary: It Doesn't Give Answers -- That's the Whole Point
Review: I loved these CDs, and I would have liked to have heard them sooner. The audio set is abridged, so perhaps the author chose from the best in the book for his reading, but I was not disappointed as other reviewers have been.
The author set out to find a collection of rules for making successful career choices, and found out that there really are no rules. No one can give you a set of guidelines that will spare you from uncertainty or heartache in your career decisions. In fact, the people he encountered seemed to have found heartache and emptiness from making their choices as if their lives were entirely within their control. For me, their stories re-told the same lessons: you can't know everything, you're probably going to have to give something up. You need to be honest with yourself about whether you're being prudent or whether you're just making your choices out of fear, because playing it safe can be unbelievably costly. Pursuit of money (or security, call it what you want) at the expense of your other values is deadening.
The other valuable reminder I got from these CDs is the knowledge that you can carry away some wisdom and know a new part of yourself from any experience, even an experience borne of poor or misguided choices.
Perhaps Po Bronson could have chosen his words and actions more appropriately, I don't know. I do know that the people he talked to had something truly valuable to say about the decisions we face in life, about which of the platitudes floating around are true and which so much garbage.
Rating:
Summary: Makes you think (if you're open to that sort of thing)
Review: I picked this up about 6 months ago and found myself reading it in fits and spurts--an easy thing to do, given the anecdotal nature. As a collection of stories about the 50 or so people the author interviewed, each telling of his or her own quest, it worked very well at helping me examine some of the career choices I've made and why I made them. I've had about a half-dozen jobs of substance in the 15 years since graduating college. I've liked them all in one fashion or another, but none ever felt like a calling. In reading this book I became more self-aware and hope to turn that into something meaningful. I came to buy a copy for my 65-year old Dad today and found numerous comments from disappointed readers. It's true that this book is NOT a guidebook for new college grads. It's not going to TELL YOU what you should do with your life. Also, the author inserts himself into the picture a little too often, as though using his connection with someone's story to absolve himself of past sins. But, in the end, if you've worked a variety of jobs and you're looking for that common thread and like reading about other's stories--for better and worse--you'll enjoy this book. And maybe think a little bit.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Enlightened But Entertained
Review: What should I do with my life? Who hasn't asked this question? I ask it about once every 5 years. This book is not going to answer that question. It is not a self-help book. I wasn't enlightened but I was entertained. It is a nice collection of essays and interviews of people who for one reason or another chose to leave comfortable careers and make a drastic change. Of particular interest are the stories of the science professor who at 70 years old becomes a lawyer, the Harvard Business Grad who became a police officer, and the lawyer who became an organ donor activist after her own transplant failed. The only criticism I have of the book is in the author's writing style. Often in the middle or at the end of the interviews the author seems to go off on dream sequence about his own life. I guess this is supposed to provide some kind on introspective into what the author is going through but I just found it confusing and disjointed. Other than the above criticism, I found it to be an enjoyable read. Some of the stories are inspiring. I think sometimes we do sell ourselves out. We choose the career that feeds our bank account rather than the career that feeds our passions. Some of the people in this book are proof that it might not ever be too late to go after your passions.
Rating:
Summary: A Lot Like Sniffing Your Socks
Review: The opportunity to peer into other people's lives and learn from their experiences is certainly one of the biggest selling points of this book. It was for me. I was initially very excited to be delving into a question that plaques many of us and hoped to learn much from my protected vantage point. Unfortunately, this book didn't enlighten as much as it entertained. For the most part the book is a disconnected anthology of second-hand stories that in the end leave the reader struggling to understand the lessons to be learned. Bronson himself admits the difficulty in finding themes that tie the stories together in a meaningful way. While the stories (for the most part) are interesting, at times touching, and on a rare occasion inspirational, they are also over-burdened with dialogue from the author that exposes more about the interviewer's process than the story underneath. Often, the reader is left feeling distant, having never really connecting with the subject. Caution to those that are looking for a relaxing read...this is a book that has to be read in small chunks. The start and stop nature of the stories combined with the missing glue holding the parts together can lead to frustration and disappointment. However, I always found myself coming back as if to a bad sock for just one more sniff, hoping to discern the smell.
Rating: 
Summary: Bland Memoirs
Review: The title of this book is totally deceiving. It would lead one to pick up the book thinking it'd at least begin to answer questions, helping the reader to lead on their own path. It's definitely not a self-help book by all means. It's not even very inspirational, most people don't come from semi-rich backgrounds already in a very good job. I'm sure a lot of 20-somethings fresh out of college will pick this up - I advise them NOT to! I read 80 pages and put it down feeling like I can't take a risk if I'm not already in an insanely great paying job. Also, the stories are far too short to give any depth into the person's life or why they took the risks. Bronson's interview style is also a huge turn-off, as he criticizes and second-guesses everyone's words and reasoning.
Rating:
Summary: Do you want Self-Help or Personal Experiences?
Review: I must agree with the reviewers that say this book may not be what many--attracted to the title--anticipated. In fact, this work should be renamed something like "Chicken Soup for the What-Should-I-Do-With-My-Life Soul."
This book contains mostly interviews--personal accounts of purpose-searching-- that the author has collected. It is far from answering any questions, particularly the question posed by the title.
If by any chance, you are a young twenty-something, looking for some direction or advice on 'what to do with your life', I would NOT get this book. It especially is of little use to those of us that REALLY have NOOOOO idea at ALL what we want to do with our lives. The anecdotes in the book are mainly from older individuals who have had many different jobs, and not "young people" jobs either. Many of the subjects are married, or have children. There was little that I--a 22 yr old, NON-college educated young person-- could relate to. I am STILL trying to figure out: What Shoul I Do With My Life?
Rating:
Summary: Get a glimpse of the various people who change careers
Review: In today's rapidly changing world, many people find the need to change careers. This book provides different scenarios and describes people from all walks of life who have answering this calling. This is not a self-help book, but is valuable because it makes you realize that others feel the way we do and have succeeded in doing something about it. If you want step-by-step help, I recommend Optimal Thinking-How To Be Your Best Self to understand the feelings that get in your way, make the most of them and every situation, and design and create your best life. I also recommend What Color is Your Parachute to help you with your career search. These three books are the perfect trio if you truly want to answer the question "What should I do with my life?"
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