Honest Business Book Reviews (Part 4)

More honest thoughts on work-related reads

Today’s edition of Wishful Working is a 4 minute read.

Since my backlog of business book reviews is always growing, it felt like a good time to do another edition of Honest Business Book Reviews. This newsletter will contain 5 mini-reviews of books that are somehow related to the world of work. If you’re curious, check out Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3

Most “business” books I read focus on one or more of the following topics: creativity, productivity, entrepreneurship, economics, history, and the future of work.

Let’s gooo!

(Btw, links below will take you to Bookshop.org, but I would encourage you to find these books at your local library or local independent bookstore.)

By Rainsford Stauffer

This really resonated with me, but I don't think the title, subtitle, and cover really convey what this book is actually about. Yes, ambition is a central theme, but this book struck me as a manifesto for reimagining work altogether. The strength here is in the research and the interviews, not particularly in the personal anecdotes. I would like to write a book like this someday, so I really admire the work done here. 4 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

By Ali Abdaal

This was a lovely book, and it definitely stands out in the crowded productivity/self-help genre. The title is really accurate — the tips in this book have nothing to do with hustling/grinding or gritting your teeth and getting stuff done through sheer willpower. The author focuses on tips for making tasks more enjoyable and sustainable. I listened to the audiobook originally, but I enjoyed it so much I recently bought my own copy to have as a reference! 4 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

By Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy

The core idea in this book is solid, and afterward I definitely felt inspired to look for areas where a mindset shift could unlock growth opportunities in my freelance business. However, the book suffers from some of the same issues I mentioned in my review of their other book, The Gap and the Gain — weak interviews with a rambling Dan Sullivan and a very individualistic focus that feels almost greedy. It’s probably one to skip or skim. 3 stars. ⭐⭐⭐

By Christina Wallace

This was an excellent book about the concept of diversifying your work activities and finding ways to incorporate your many interests and talents into your career. Great anecdotes about a variety of people who have built a "portfolio" career. I appreciated that the author acknowledges things like the downsides of capitalism/consumption and the impact of inequality on people’s opportunities and experiences. I find few career-related books do this. 4 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

By Kristi Coulter

This book is a memoir written by a former Amazon employee, so it was a bit different than my usual work-related reads. It was fascinating to get both a behind-the-scenes look inside the ecommerce behemoth, and it was also great to have confirmation that I'm not missing anything by choosing not to pursue any sort of corporate ladder-climbing in my career. The wild working conditions and toxic bullshit had me cheering for the author when she decided to leave but also scratching my head at why she stuck around for so long. 3 stars. ⭐⭐⭐

As always, please send any book recs you have or let me know your thoughts if you’ve read any of these!

See you next week,

Kara

Wishful Working is inspired by my desire to see more people enjoy a life not centered around work. For some, the path to freedom and flexibility is through self-employment, but we also need to challenge cultural norms and champion healthier working conditions and work/life balance for all types of workers.

Who am I? I’m a freelance writer and entrepreneur based in small-town Saskatchewan. I write longform content for B2B clients, and I help founders and independents name their brands and projects through a new venture called Naming. Connect with me by replying to this email or finding me on LinkedIn or Twitter.