What Should I Do With My Life? by Bronson - Po (2004) Paperback

For a book that supposedly addresses "the most meaningful answers to that great question", this is a huge disappointment. I really didn't find any meaningful answers in this book. Neither did I find any really meaningful questions, because the stories felt too much focused on the surface of people's lives. The author claims that a large percentage of the people whose stories he tells here are "devout" in terms of religion, but you'd never guess that from reading the stories. THere's barely a hint of spirituality in them. Nearly every story seems to be just another version of "I did that, and had this problem, and then I did this", sometimes summing up this great profundity with a great piece of wisdom such as "and so George learned to care about people other than himself", or "and so Mary learned that she could still work even though she was 65." So much of these stories are just so incredibly banal and boring! This book is essentially a very long Hallmark Card. One story actually ends with this quote: "I waited a long time to work. And from my perspective, regardless of the unemployment rate, it's a good time to be working." (pg 181). With profundities like this, who needs more?!?!

What is it that the author calls "meaningful"? Apparently, for one woman (pg 232), it's a meaningful awakening to realize she wants a home, a partner, and a job that doesn't destroy her. Oh.
Another woman's apparently compelling and profoundly meaningful story is that after being a model, she became a corporate recruiter. (pg 220). Why should I care? The author then inexplicably ends her story not by saying more about her, but by describing how her father, who'd worked as an insurance broker, had retired into horse ranching, and "found in himself a sweetness and thoughtfulness he'd never expected." Am I supposed to care about this? Why?

THe main problem with this book is that the author himself doesn't seem to have an appropriate inner compass to determine what is really meaningful and moving. Apparently every banality seems equally interesting to him.

I'm struggling with this question myself, and a lot of the stories in this book have really resonated with me. Not all have a clean and tidy ending, but each still has a little lesson for those of us who are questioning what we're doing with our lives. I find Po Bronson's commentary very earnest and real, and he ties the stories together nicely.

This is a great purchase for anyone who is mid-career and wondering why they're not satisfied, someone contemplating turning a hobby into a career, someone happy with their career but unsure if they should be doing more, etc. Anyone who is questioning!

This book has great potential and the author really means well, but things keep falling into the sappy world of bookstore self-help that Bronson says he's trying to avoid. Bronson presents the stories of dozens of people, some inspiring and some less so, who really did decide to find their true calling in life. Some of these stories can be inspirational for those who are at similar crossroads, like myself (that's why I decided to read the book). Unfortunately, the entire endeavor becomes rather unfocused, as Bronson can't stop talking about his own quest for self-direction, under the guise of reporting on other people. Bronson also says throughout the book, and especially in the introduction, that he does not wish to give advice or crank out self-help mantras. Well he does just that throughout the book anyway, writing about how he gave real advice to his subjects (while telling us how uncomfortable he felt the whole time), and bloating the book with especially convoluted and rambling philosophy about finding yourself. The book could have been a greater success if the people profiled were left to tell their stories with less padding from Bronson.

And though I've been praising the real people covered in the book, on average their stories show some variety of situations and outlook, but a general lack of real struggle. Everyone battled personal demons, to be sure, but only a few of the dozens of people profiled here had to struggle with real-world unemployment, bankruptcy, or severe personal trauma. Besides those few, most of the folks here were able to quit jobs they hated and open up their own businesses, go to college, or take extended vacations of self-discovery. Well guess what - that all takes lots of money, and many people reading this book won't be able to identify with that kind of opportunity. And while Bronson keeps saying that he wants to paint a bigger emotional and spiritual picture of what one should do with one's life, this book really boils down to people deciding to change careers. Many of the interview subjects truly found happiness this way, but we're still stuck with our culture's habit of defining ourselves by our jobs. This all worked for Bronson and his subjects, but I think what he rambles on about here has limited usefulness for most people, who are stuck in grittier realities. [~doomsdayer520~]

This is an important book. It takes a sober view, and is an honest, though not easy antidote to the common thinking, that "you can do whatever, I mean WHATEVER you want, you just have to put YOUR mind to it". That collective mentality is not true, and it doesn't help anybody in the end. Who's doing the wanting? Is it truly you or are you filled with the ideas of another? This is not an easy path, and if you choose to take it, you will open yourself to all sorts of failure, doubt, wrong turns, etc. But is it worth it? Only you can judge.

Interestingly, I read this within a year after reading Studs Terkel's "Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do." The tone was so different.

A large number of the people in "Working" talk about hating their jobs and their lives. Because it is edits by Terkel, it has that tone that no one likes their jobs because of Big Business/White Men/Republicans. Congress should mandate that everyone be able to find rapture in their jobs.

Bronson's book doesn't guarantee solvency, but actually does a much better job. He actually offers different ways of looking at problems.

The problem is that when one is sincerely seeking one's calling, one can become desperate. "Let this be the magical key that unlocks the universe for me." But no book can do that. So we feel let down, and because it usually comes after a lifetime of similar disappointments in things that we thought, each time, would bring The Answer, we feel backstabbed. So we are angry with the book.

So just read it as an interesting story, to you know "you are not alone" in your quest. I only give 3 stars, because my standards are pretty high.

I agree with the previous review that too many of the people interviewed for the book are people from Ivy League schools and/or with lots of savings from their high-powered careers, who now have the luxury of easily changing careers. It is frustrating to me personally to read such stories, as I am struggling to go back to school after 14 years in a field I hated. It's damn difficult to change your career, but you'd never know it from the privileged people in this book.

I guess it could be helpful to some people...maybe reading one of the stories will strike a chord and help you realize your dream. However, too many of the stories are not really inspirational...they just fade out with no conclusion, and you're left wondering, well, what DID she decide to do with her life? (such as the doctor who realized she wasn't cut out for medicine.)

And some are stories of, basically, failures - people who never ended up in the right career. I don't need to read those stories, I can just talk to most people I know for that. I wanted to read stories that would be inspiring.

The writing also seems a little amateurish at times.

First of all, I have to declare an interest because I am actually IN this book. I was one of the original six members of the Writer's Grotto in San Francisco, before moving to New York. Po refers briefly to my making the transition from cleaning lady to journalist to jazz singer and bringing out my debut CD Listen Love. I document it in more detail in my own instructional how-to book, Anything I Can Do... You Can Do Better, along with the experiences and advice of many other artists -- including plumber-turned-novelist Mal Peet (winner of Carnegie Medal among other honors) for Tamar: A Novel of Espionage, Passion, and Betrayaland women's fiction writer Veronica Henry, who wrote Wild Oats. Po's book is an inspirational read! I highly recommend it. I'm not just saying that because I'm in it -- honest!

This book is categorized under self-help/careers, but I thought it had little to do with either, and was more of a psychological probing, a study of what's important, a cross-section of people who (mostly) are past concerning themselves with how to feed their stomach and are instead focused on trying to feed their souls.

This country has become so rich in the last fifty years that for the first time virtually in history the average person need not worry excessively about putting food on the table. Rather than be an unqualified boon, however, it has instead been the source of anxiety and tension because many now struggle to figure out what indeed they SHOULD be doing, what is really going to be a satisfying life to lead or goal to strive for, since the previously obvious requirements have all been met. Bronson's asking himself this question led him to uncover the stories of others who have searched or are searching for that missing piece in their own lives.

This is the story of those lives. Well, not quite. This is actually the story of how those lives intersected with Bronson's. Bronson is no quietly probing but uninvolved psychologist trying to get the heart of these people. No. Bronson is in fact the most important character in many if not most of these stories, a regular presence who cajoles, listens, advises, befriends, and even acts as a confessor to his subjects. This is both good and bad.

The stories are all over the place, and can't easily be pigeonholed or categorized, though Bronson takes a stab at doing so very generally. They are different enough that most readers will likely find at least a couple of people they may be able to relate to in a rough way. The stories are of lives, and as lives are open-ended, so the stories themselves sometimes resolve, and sometimes do not. Bronson is a sympathetic and sensitive interviewer most of the time; I felt he had a pretty intuitive touch, or feel for people.

Along the way we learn quite a bit about Bronson, maybe more than we want or care to. He comes across as every bit as human as his subjects, and no doubt every bit as prone to do dumb things and then justify them later. Some of the reviewers here on the store seem to hold this strongly against him; I do not. His honesty and openness (and ability to forgive himself past transgressions) is a bit new-agey, but in this type of book that is simply inevitable.

It is a thought provoking book that challenges the reader to ask him or herself some basic questions. There are no right answers. The process of constant asking and delving into oneself provides its own reward.

I felt the book was worth reading, and that although not perfect, it was unusual enough in scope and treatment to cut it and its author some slack.

As a 40 something who has been struggling with this question for sometime, I picked up this book. I didn't do it for guidance or answers, but for some possible inspiration. Within the first few pages, it was apparent the author thought quite highly of himself and of his accomplishments, and I felt he was trying to emphasize, "see what I did?" a little too much. This alone left me a little cold.
Continuing on with the stories, I began feeling DEPRESSED, rather than inspired. The reason for this was most of the subjects already had high powered careers, and made respectible livings. That's not my gripe. They apparently worked hard, and have earned their salaries and respect. My problem is that if there is money there to begin with and one or more college degrees behind us, most of us will already have more choices in our lives. I was looking more for the "average Joe or Jane" story who makes $50,000 a year raising 3 kids and gave it up to work with children with autism for $12,000, why, made it work, and how. I don't think most of us can relate to, say for instance, an astrophysicist who always wanted to work for NASA but is "stuck" and unhappy at Kennedy Space Center. This example is a fabrication, but most of the stories were along these lines. And Bronson certainly has an affection for those who already had several successes and accomplishments.
However "unordinary" these people were to me, it was not an uninteresting book. I just think somewhere, out there, there's something more useful and helpful for the "average Joe" who wants to make a difference, and wants to be happy doing it. This is not the book to find that kind of inspiration.

I was thrilled by this book, because I ask myself the title question all the time. I'm not sure, but it seems like not everyone does. And, perhaps, asking the question itself is an indication that you're not doing what you should be. So, to read about other people asking the same question, people actually doing things to change their lives was inspirational. And, although, I'm not sure the book changed my life, I'm really glad I read it. I think about things differently now. I'm always in a hurry. I want everything right now. But, that's not the way it usually happens, Bronson says. People slowly get there, and when they're there, sometimes they don't even know. And, shockingly some of them throw it away, and end up starting over again. It made me think that my passions are attainable.
However, the book is not perfect. I liked that Bronson injected his own story into his stories about other people. I found his story the most interesting of them all. He came off as likable, and his fear of commitment and having a child is one I think many of my generation can relate to. I also liked that Bronson befriended his interviewees and perhaps even steered them closer to their goals. I thought that Bronson treated his subjects with compassion, although at times I felt like he was a tad condescending.
Sadly, the people in Bronson's book seemed really similar to each other. First and foremost, they all seemed to have money. And, it's a lot easier to achieve a dream with money, and thus not quite as interesting or inspirational or realistic. Plus, not all, but many were from the San Francisco and L.A. areas of the United States, like Bronson is. I would have been interested to read about people less like Bronson. I couldn't relate to a large number of the people he chose for the book.
That said, most of the people he chose were interesting. It was intriguing in a slightly voyeuristic way to get an inside view into the lives of normal people, not celebrities. The lesson is important: don't lose sight of your passion. And, it's a lesson I needed when I saw this book. So, I recommend it to others asking themselves the title question. You won't wake up the next morning with an answer to the question, but it will probably help you redefine your goals and show you that there is no one definition for success, no one American Dream. One man's paradise is another man's hell. You have to carve out your own happiness. And, most of all, it will comfort you that finding your passion tends not to happen overnight.

First of all, the biographical anecdotes that Bronson presents are great. They are pictures of interesting people who struggle with real issues. These stories are entertaining and well written. With that said, I was disappointed with the suggestions (or lack there of) found in the rest of the book.
Bronson writes that, "We all have passions if we choose to see them,". This is certainly true. However, it would seem a book with this title would provide a means by which a person can differentiate their passions. What I mean is, it's impossible to follow all of our passion, and neither doest it seem that we `should' follow all of our passions. I know it would be a major mistake for me to follow some of my passions. So, how can a person know which passions to follow? I wish Bronson had spent some time on this instead of merely pointing out that passions exist in all of us - by this he almost takes an `it's all good' attitude.
Bronson writes about `callings', but doesn't explore where these callings come from. Additionally, he strangely writes about self-acceptance. He doesn't seem to acknowledge that there are some things about ourselves that we should accept and others that we shouldn't. This would be essential in a book like this. Furthermore, he refers to moral guilt as always being negative. He misses the fact that moral guilt is sometimes very good and inhibits us from doing what we should not do.
Lastly this book comes across as promoting an essentially self-centered life. You find your dream, and then you go get it for you so that you will be happy. This approach short sells the importance of others, and doing things for other people. That is, altruism can be an incredible source of peace and satisfaction. However, Bronson feeds the "me-first" message that is so strong in our culture today.
In short, this book deals with a very important and much needed subject. Unfortunately, the conclusions presented here leave much to be desired. If you want to read his 'bottom line' check out page 362 - the first full paragraph.

This is a collection of anecdotes - most of which are unresolved and go nowhere. While this book may contain some inspiration for those asking this question of themselves, it may also be a source of discouragement.

The author asks, "Why not get rich, then build your dreams? When I started this book, I assumed I'd find numerous examples of that path... But I didn't find any."

To save you some hassle of reading this, take note: the author concludes that if you haven't had the guts to go for your dreams early in life, you probably can't do it later. The author turned down $300k/annum as a bond salesman to pursue his dreams of becoming a writer. If you haven't shown that kind of mettle at 21, you're unlikely to show it at 45. People may discover their dreams late in life, but if you've put yours on hold to build resources, you will become "emotionally invested" in that lifestyle and won't be able to cut yourself off from "that pipeline of cash." So get over it. You've already sold out.

Some of the stories were interesting, others snoozers. Many of the stories largely involved accounts of the words of wisdom Bronson had for his subjects and, after a while, this self-serving writing style became annoying. If you are looking for inspiration to take the leap, keep looking.

Po Bronson has fearlessly turned toward one of the most baffling and discouraging problems American people face today: job dissatisfaction. I don't mean the job dissatisfaction experienced by people who turn patties at a fast food restaurant, or who hang up the clothes at Wal-Mart, or who trim the hedges in gated communities. These are simply people trying to gain a foothold on the sometimes slippery American dream, and while they may gripe from time to time in their colorful foreign tongues its pretty likely they haven't lost sight of exactly how lucky they are to be here in the first place. What Po Bronson means is the job dissatisfaction of what I'll call "real" people, people who actually earn plenty of money, had the gumption to make it through four years of college, who own their own homes and separate their trash for the recyclers, who watch public TV and sometimes even turn out to vote in local elections. That kind of person is very prone to job dissatisfaction. And what Bronson does is say, "Hey, I understand. I was some kind of honcho or other once upon a time and I said, 'I really want to write best-selling novels.' So I did." And I can really appreciate Bronson's "creative affirmative visualization" method. What it entails is for you to in a creative way visualize something affirmative about your hopes, dreams, or ambitions. If you would like to design dresses for miniature dolls--think about it as vividly as possible. If your wish is to open a restaurant that serves cuisines of Eastern Europe--there is something to be said for picturing yourself as you move smoothly from table to table, greeting the high-powered guests who drop in for a plate of goulash or whatever. Bronson talks to a group of disgruntled executives who had realized a few hundred thousand worthless stock options later that their real dreams lay in the area of being pastry chefs or special education teachers in beleaguered public school districts. One executive even became a "big brother" to a young person of color and found that to be a very rewarding and gratifying experience. And then there was the story of the young lady who left a job as a Assembly Marketing Materials Handling Director to assemble paper airplanes. Her Paper Airport, a store in beautiful Los Gatos, California, was even written up in the local paper! So, you may sacrifice some money by following your dream but there's a even chance you'll get famous. If you see Po Bronson's car heading down your street, wait around--maybe he wants to interview you! This book is highly recommended.

Reading the inside flap of the book, the author says this is a book on how fifty people try to answer the question: What should I do with my life? It continues that most people have failed, some are still in the process, and two have actually succeeded. Now, a person skimming over this would say, "Okay, interesting book". But wait. It say MANY have failed and only TWO have succeeded. Is this the stuff that will help you answer what you should do with your life?
Nooooooo way. Each chapter contains a profile and is very short. For instance, there is a chapter about a woman trying to figure out what she should do with her life and frustrated, the chapter ends! Holy cow! Am I supposed to feel better because she is as lost as I am?! And who are all these people? They are ordinary people like you and I. This book would be no difference from you going around the streets asking people about their stories. The author only puts in his two cents in the introduction and closing chapter. The book is huge but it is a fast read because there is nothing important you need to pick up. It reads very much like a fiction book because the author writes it as such. The writing is not concise and to-the-point as most non-fiction books are. It is definitely not a self-help book because it does not help you at all, but, more a "self" book to help the author make some quick bucks. Can you say PRICEY?
Before reading this book, you asked, "What should I do with my life?" After reading it, you will answer, "What should I do with my life?" No kidding. But nice unity of plot.

I started to read this book thinking "this must be full of inspirational stories that of people who made meaningful, mid-life changes and found more fulfillment." I was ready to be inspired and energized.
Basically, the point of this book is "questions about what you're really supposed to do with your life are a common experience, so don't feel like you're the only one." Doy, I already knew that, in fact I assumed that more people struggle with this than not.
Overall the book is disappointing and depressing. It tells story after story of people who hit a crisis point, got stuck in a meaningless job, or a fast track, high-paying career that didn't feel fulfilling (I never feel sorry for those people, because it's almost guaranteed that most low-paying jobs aren't fulfilling either, but at least the fast trackers get to weekend in the Hamptons or can give money to charities). It has details about their lives, the story of how they got there, but most of them are unresolved. The chapter ends and the person is still wondering.
I agree with one of the other reviewers that said the title is misleading. I know no one can answer the question in the book's title, but title suggests that it teaches by example by telling the stores of people that have answered that question.

This book obviously caught my eye because of the title. Everyone asks themselves this question... no matter where you are in your life's journey, it is a question that arises. Many of the stories were very inspiring, little bits that you remember through the day... some were definitely better than others.
I bought the audiobook format which was perfect for my commute to work. The worst thing about the audiobook? Mr. Bronson tries to imitate his interviewees in the recording, and I found his accents quite annoying... the overall story was very good, but the delivery made me cringe! Sorry Po--stick to the writing, not the recording!
Other than this flaw, I found the book enjoyable and inspiring. It gives you a sense of empowerment and inspiration.

Several reviewers here complained that "What Should I Do With My Life" is weak as a self-help book. They are correct, but Bronson is very clear in his introduction that he has no experience in this area. As he says at one point in the book after comparing this project to a box of confections that everyone wants to try, he is "NOT XRAYING THE CHOCOLATES".
Instead he says he writes of people who are being honest with themselves in answering the question, in most cases with his prompting and interaction. He intertwines his own experiences in all the stories such that he too answers the question as well through the course of the book.
Each interviewee generally is given their own 4-5 page section, so the book seems to read fast. Sometimes the sections are too concise and disjointed and other times the sections provide just enough information to communicate a message.
What a fantastic project this must have been for him. While for the reader there are no real pearls of wisdon, it makes one reflect, and and it is very enjoyable to read.

While the subject is an inspirational concept, specifically the introduction with the Dalai Lama, quite a bit of Bronson's book seems unreasonable and a bit naïve.

Kat didn't care about money, and obviously she had it, so she was capable of making the decision to follow her dreams. Another woman switched careers. Of course, she was previously a doctor; so, the switch was painless, and more importantly, possible. A lawyer decides he is unhappy, the change is next. A bank executive wants to help others. Several other examples of affluence and luck lead to opportunities not available to the majority of society.

This book screams of upper-class guilt, people with opportunities, careers, and plenty of money, looking for some sort of redeeming quality which they previously lacked. They desire validation and the approval of others. They want people to see them and say, "Hey, I can do it too." Only, they don't tell the whole story, about the money and position that led to the epiphany.

On top of all the patronizing executives, lawyers, dot-com folks, and doctors, Po Bronson is a bit too eager to squeeze his life experiences and stories into the "lessons on life". The combination of the two distractions severely lessens the impact this book could have had. Yuppies and wannabe bo-bos need not preach about their experiences and self-importance; thank you.

What to do with your life, it should be more a question about the mental aspects of change than it is about a fulfilling career change. Regardless of a person's care of the importance of money, not everyone has the means to make the BIG change.

Why give this book 5 stars? Because the message you receive is worth the read. There are some flaws, but not in the bottom line. On a lark, I picked this book up to see how this psychologist was going to answer such a huge question with their "12 steps to love, riches, and happiness", thinking of how sad it is to see people trivialize a question like Bronson's into a bumper-sticker philosophy. What a surprise NOT to find a psychologist with an agenda, but a writer with pluck that addresses a monstrous question.
I have reservations about the term, "research", and as other reviewers have done, noted that much of the author's own life was used for example, or intruded on the telling of another's tale in the book - but in the end, I didn't feel that it lessened the bottom line of the book's missive. It will not give you answers, just tell you how others have faced this question and handled the results. Bronson's reflections on their stories and organization of the "lessons learned" were in my opinion apt and insightful. He is an intelligent author, and is deliberate in his conclusions.
The value I received was that it gave me different ways of approaching the question that most career guidance books and programs fail to reach. I am in a transition in my life, and have been giving serious time and energy to what I want in my life. You can find answers in many places, but I have not found anything that has given me as much genuine counsel as this book has. It's cliché to say all the answers are inside yourself - and in the end they are - but seeing how others brought their answers out, can help you with yours. Notice that I said in my first paragraph that it is the message you receive, not the message Bronson is sending. If you're looking for what you should do with your life, this book is extraordinarily valuable.

Other reviewers seem to have expected things from this book which I do not believe fit into the author's purpose in writing it. This book is not meant to inspire. Nor is it meant to be a self-help guide to career change. It is certainly not a how-to manual. If that is what you want, there are better books elsewhere.

This book is essentially a collection of stories about people struggling to find their place in the world. Each chapter briefly tells of one person who either changed or contemplated changing the direction of his or her life. Some failed; some succeeded. Although the author offers his own personal commentary and insight into each case, he does not provide answers or even suggestions.

I found the book interesting and thought-provoking because of the breadth of the cases covered. People may change directions because of a drive for financial succeess, a desire to help others, a search for meaningfulness, a guilty conscious, etc. Some fail because of fears, financial burdens, family responsibilities, pressures from others, lack of commitment, or other factors. Others succeed because of an inner drive, hard work, clear vision, access to resources, and sometimes a little luck.

This is an astonishing collection of stories of ordinary people who "had unearthed their true calling, or at least those who were willing to try." They are stories of "individual dilemmas and dramatic gambles," not always successful. The tales of the author's subjects are interesting, and at times, inspirational. Unfortunately, Po Bronson tends to intersperse his own story from time to time, making it more personal and emotional to him, perhaps, but distracting and often irritating to the reader. If one skips lightly over these interruptions, the tales of his subjects are fascinating, all the more so for being grouped together in one volume.

Vaughan Evans, business and career strategist
Author, BACKING U! A Business-Oriented Approach to Backing Your Passion and Achieving Career Success

I was really liking this book early on, the first half, but as I continued further the predominance of people in business and politics just didn't sit well with me. I also continually wondered how the people who didn't start in high dollar careers (i.e. didn't have a bankroll to start something knew) afforded to go back to school and get a new degree, or whatever it is they decided to do.
I'm ending (layoff) a job that has been a career and I have no desire to look for another job in this field, and most of all I don't want to leave where I live. I am however a casualty of the economic downturn, invested in real estate and have only debt to show for it. To go back to school for 3,4,5 years to get a degree in a new field hardly seems an option. How on earth would I pay for that?
The book also focused primarily on folks in the author's generation, a bit younger than I am, that were making these changes in their mid-30's for the most part, some were older, some younger, but although I could relate to many of the components of many folk's stories, I didn't find 'my' answer here, I didn't find a story that addressed where I stand today.

At first glance, you might think this is a career self-help book. It is not!! If you are looking for an effective how-to book, I recommend The Pathfinder by Nicholas Lore.
I passed this book by in the bookstore and picked it up out of curiosity at the library. I'm very glad I did. The author sought to find out about a wide variety of people's paths toward answering the question "what should I do with my life?". I have asked this question of myself my entire life and more actively sought the answer in the last year. I found it fascinating to read about other people's real life paths. The book is written in a very honest and heartfelt manner. It doesn't try to be objective and it doesn't have any rah rah, pep talk, self help language which I found very refreshing. It tells the real stories of many people from all parts of the country and all types of backgrounds. It showed me that we often sell ourselves out to fear. After reading it I feel encouraged and more willing to be bold in my career choices and put my values at the forefront when making career decisions.
I didn't think the book was perfect, but I'm giving it five stars to hopefully up the three star average I saw when I got to this page. This is a 4-5 star book, in my opinion.
(P.S. I found it very interesting that "coincidentally" I lost my job while reading this book - a job that I was unhappy with from the start.)

After reading numerous reviews and after the NPR interview, I was really excited to read this book. In the end, it was nothing like I expected it to be. Instead of reading essays about career changes and interesting occupations, I felt like I was reading essays about what the author would do in each of the given situations. I find this to be rather arrogant given most of the circumstances. The book has much thought-provoking potential, but it falls way short. I found Bronson's observations to be a bit short sighted and not always on target. In the end, I was just annoyed. This definitely would have benefitted from a more "hands-off" approach on the author's part. What a disappointment.

This book is a delectable collection of anecdotes about people who realized that the jobs they were doing were meaningless and how they found happiness by finding an occupation that they loved. The anecdotes are well chosen, cover a large spectrum of professions and from that perspective it's a good book. You'll learn about investment bankers becoming fishermen, hollywood execs becoming doctors, saleswomen becoming massueses. The anecdotes generally adhere to the following format:
The protagonist works really hard to make money and/or acquire power and prestige then there was a life changing event that made him realize that what's really important is such-and-such (family, leasure, helping people) and then he gives up the lucrative but empty profession and does something that they love or allows them to do what they love. If you are at a cross roads yourself it is quite instructional to see the various creative ways other people found happiness. Don't look here for philosophical epiphanies though - the central theses of the book however are mostly rather banal:
1) If people do what they really love as opposed to what society dictates is desirable and prestigious they will bring more energy and creativity to their jobs and productivity will rise.
2) Money isn't everything. Learn to live on less and you'll be happy because it will allow you to do what you love.
3) Work does not have to be fun. The important question is whether you find it meaningful and rewarding. If you believe in what you do putting up with gruntwork will be easy.
4) Surround yourself with people who share your values. You'll be happier that way because you won't need to compromise your values (eg by selling someone a widget you know they don't need).
One insight I found deep and valuable is that when you choose a profession you are not only choosing what you will do but also who you will become in a sense that you will inevitable by transformed by the kind of people that inhabit that profession and what kind of values they have.
So final rating: 4 stars for the well researched fun stories. One star is lost for excessive moralising.

I like Bronson's idea for this book--- interview scores of people who are in some stage of career transition, and relay their stories. Some of the people are fascinating, and their struggle to find meaningful work, or rather, to figure out what is meaningful for them, touches on issues that are important to a lot of people. I disagree with the reviewers who claim that he only included highly educated, wealthy white people, and I suspect strongly that those reviewers didn't read the entire book. There are a few people of color, some people who don't have degrees, and several whose "dream job" ended up paying a very low salary. Those are the exceptions, but they are included nevertheless. What was more of a distraction for me was the author setting himself up as an expert on career change, human growth, and ways to happiness. His analyses and personal observations didn't seem especially insightful to me, and by halfway through they had worn thin. I was also surprised at the sloppy editing, considering this was published by Random House/Ballantine. In a description of the Apostle Paul's conversion, the book of Acts is quoted this way "Why persecute thouest me?" If you're going to quote from a 17th century version of the Bible, at least get the suffixes on the right part of speech. Several other odd/incorrect grammar usages scattered throughout, and lots of awkward sentences. Overall, it was worth it to me for the view into lives we don't normally read about, but I wish Bronson had done more reporting and less interpreting.

This book is fabulous. It's only the second that I've had the attention span to read continually on plane flights (the other being The Alchemist).

If you're trying to figure out where you're going career-wise, and just in the world in general, this book could be helpful to you. It consists of stories of different people who have made their missteps, found their true callings, are still looking, etc. The author's voice is great through this. He tries not to influence the person's telling of their story, but yet knows that he inevitably does. That actually makes the book stronger.

You may recognize pieces of yourself throughout the book - I know I have. If you're unsatisfied with one-size-fits-all career advice workbook kind of things that have little acknowledgement of your life outside of work, and would like to hear stories but not promises of a quick fix for anyone's situation, get this book.

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 the store.com.

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.

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.

Reading this book changed my life.
The stories continually inspired me to be more open to the instincts within me, the "crazy" ideas that most people dismiss when the voice whispers within them. It reminded me over and over, story after story, that people CAN succeed by living outside of the lines.
I am surprised that the average number of stars from these reviews is only 3. It makes me wonder if perhaps some readers are feeling bad about themselves and the path they've chosen, and misdirecting that criticism to the writer instead of honestly confronting themselves. If you approach this book with an open, willing mind, it has the potential and power to change your life. Po Bronson's comments are insightful as well.
All in all, I'm incredibly thankful that I came across this book.

I ran right out and purchased this book after hearing
about it on Book TV. That will teach me NEVER to buy
a book without checking the store.com reviews. I find these
are very much to the point. I agree with the reviewer
who found most of the individuals profiled annoying
at best, disgusting at worst, totally self absorbed
and that must be the common thread that inspired the
author to interview these particular people. He also
drifted often into his own story and I was not looking
for nor interested in a biography. Watch for repeats on
Book TV. That's all you'll need to experience about this
book

This is not a traditional self-help book, which is exactly why I enjoyed reading it so much. It's a compilation of many stories of people who were unsure of what to do with their lives and how they found something they were passionate about, or planned career changes. The stories may inspire, or they might just be interesting life stories. Each story is only about 5-6 pages so they're quick, manageable reads, and easy to skip over if you so desire. I also like that there's a photo of each person whose story is being told.

I think that Po Bronson is a fine writer, and get the feeling that many of the disappointed reviews come from people who expected advice, which this book doesn't directly give (but it's definitely there, between the fine lines).

I saw the author on ... and decided I really should read the book. I really loved the book. I feel connected to each of the people in each of the stories in some way. It really does show that there are second (and more) chances in life. There are many stories that helped confirm my belief that we are meant to have many life chances and explore the people who we are meant to be, but also that who we are meant to be can change every year, every day, every decade. The stories were short. Some I felt left me wondering what happened to a particular person. Others you knew where they were and they were happy. My favorite story is about Sidney Ross. He said, "I do what I want with my life and when I want to do it." I felt compelled to read this book and discover the many possibilities that life can have.

You know, this wasn't entirely a bad read. Certainly, I could identify with several of the situations listed in this book, so it was apparent that I was not alone in the trenches of the early 2000's job war... I mean search.

But really, there was no direction in this book other than, "Hey, look! Other people are having employment problems too." There was no advice other than, "Keep on truckin'" which, really, isn't that what everyone does when they are unemployed and depressed as all get out? I mean, when we're not wallowing in self pity and tracing our veins with an exacto knife... but I digress.

What irked me is that this book did not account for things that are completely out of your control... have a plan, plan falls through, scramble to procure employment, more schooling, then more unemployment as no one wants to hire an over-educated youngin. We're threatening and perhaps our breath stinks... But you know, keep at it. Be a trooper!

Po knows!

About 6 months ago, I found out that a friend of mine was reading this book at age 27 and I asked her how she felt about it. The conversation went a little bit like this:

Me: So. What's ol' Po up to these days?

Her: The same thing; encouraging us to find a true calling using sappy true stories and gumption.

Me: Yeah? His cover photo makes my good bits tingly.

Her: The man IS hot.

Me: But his name is Po... er, yo.

I wanted to like this book because, gosh darn it, Po is just a sweetheart. There are good intentions interspersed when you read between the lines, but unfortunately, I didn't feel like I got anything out of this book.

Oh, but I'm gainfully employed now and switched fields, so at least the back cover served me well during those, um... dry spells.

Please do not stop reading this based upon title of this book. Trust me, you will thank me later! Admittedly, this cringe-worthy title question has become the bane of this second-semester senior's very existence. So when I happened upon it in an airport bookstore, I regarded it as yet another reminder of my looming, uncertain future. Considering I had some time to kill (my flight was delayed...again), I figured a book couldn't damage my morale anymore than my parents had already. Thirty pages later, I threw some money at the cashier and was running to make the final boarding call for my flight. I was hooked.
In his New York Times best-selling book, What Should I Do With My Life, Po Bronson bravely breathes new life into a topic previously overshadowed by confusion and doubt. Bronson observes that while preaching the importance of career-minded thought, society rarely permits us the time to explore what it is we are actually passionate about. After interviewing nearly a thousand people, Bronson condensed his research to 50+ short anecdotes investigating the experiences of those who stopped passing through life and started actively engaging it. These career changes range from drastic 180s to small alterations: A career counselor who ironically hated his profession, a lawyer who found satisfaction in making cakes, or a businessman who discovered he was happiest in Hong Kong. Bronson is quick to point out that although not all were successful, each person faced this ultimate question head-on and came out with greater personal clarity.
This is not a how-to book of answers. As Bronson points out, to assert such an arrogant claim would be insulting to the reader's individuality. Instead, Bronson interjects his own battles to abandon bond sales for the unstable yet stimulating world of writing. The author even admits that during the creation of his book, he "...learned to see the extraordinary in the once cast-away ordinary." These are everyday people yet their accomplishments make them uniquely attention worthy. Prompted from his diverse research, Bronson dares the reader to ignite his or her own pursuit of self-discovery.
The energy this book generates is infectious. By revolutionizing a once clichéd question, What Should I Do With My Life has generated exceptional feedback worldwide. His book has prompted thousands to take the time to better understand themselves, and in doing so, has inspired a movement of people no longer settling for `good enough' but instead demanding a personally rewarding career. Ultimately, Po Bronson conveys that although "obvious questions don't have obvious answers," it's the essential struggle with these questions that will yield the most fulfilling outcomes.

This book is one you'll carry around everywhere--from the bus to a gathering with friends--and after you've had time to reflect on the variety of folks who've started or stopped and paused or re-created their particular lives, you'll want to pass it around to all the people you know who may be in need of a nudge to make a change. Po wrote and published this book at just the right time--there's not another book like this on the market with this degree of compassion and yes, to be trite, it *is* inspirational.

We're always looking for the "hard luck" stories of triumph - rags to riches. The stories in this book touched me, because these were ordinary people who may have achieved a certain economic status or other measure of success and still were not satisfied.

There are a lot of us out there who feel like phonies or walking zombies or ungrateful, because we're keeping up an appearance of contentment. We beat ourselves up by saying, "get over it." But we can't.

This book reminded me not to settle for enough to pay my bills and go on the occasional vacation. It reminded me of the struggle we all have: to get to the very thing we're here to accomplish, the thing that comes naturally. It reminded me how hard it is to find that thing, or acknowledge it. It reminded me that it takes courage to start over, even if to onlookers starting from scratch is stupid.

I thank Po for reminded me to seek to answer the question rather than blowing it off as existential drivel.

If you have an amiable or expressive social learning style this book would interest you. I have an analytical driver style so after the first chapter I was bored. I thought the book would be more like 'What Color is Your Parachute' or 'Whistle While You Work'. I expected some interesting means/methods to discover what I want to be when I grow up. If you find yourself lacking self-esteem or seek the comfort how others finds themselves, try this book. There was too much emphasis on the Generation 'Why' crowd in the interviews. Maybe the author feels more comfortable interviewing his generation.

When I first started reading this book, I felt that the author was really onto something. I love reading books with examples of people who are struggling with life's big questions, as we all are. This book has that and a lot more. In the early chapters there is even a logical progression in the examples.

As you proceed further, something unpleasant happens. Rather than being an unbiased observer, Mr. Bronson interjects himself into the story, both by giving advice to his subjects (he's a writer, not a therapist!) and by telling us details of his own personal life. What you take away from this is that the author wants the book to be about HIM, and he wants us to acknowledge what a pithy writer and sensitive overall great guy he is. example: p. 279: "The Nudist on the Late Shift [his book about Silicon Valley] put me on the cover of magazines. I was interviewed hundreds of times, and I was held up as one of the foremost experts on the Valley." Even if this were true (I've lived and worked in Silicon Valley for over 20 years and never heard of him), you HAVE to assume as a writer that a statement like this will be taken the wrong way. In the context of the book, Bronson was trying to say "I wrote a successful book and some people pegged me as another hi-tech guru, but I was a lot more interested in the act of writing instead of what I was writing about". What he says instead is "I had a lot of ego strokes, which any of you peon readers would die for, but I had my eye on a more noble target".

I also got very tired with his stories of soccer, basketball and heavy drinking. He comes across as a modern-day Hemingway, who I pretty much detest. All of this is unfortunate, because Bronson has hit upon a very timely subject with lots of cross-generational interest (I'm a baby boomer). He also has a lot of unique observations, instead of the typical "Find your passion, get in touch with your inner spirit, let go and let God" found in most self-help books. Unfortunately his self-promotion and self-pity overshadow what could have been a valuable contribution to society's debate about what's truly important in "our modern lifestyle"

I usually read customer reviews before buying a book on the store. Today, I thought I would look at the reviews for a book I have already read to see if I agreed with the comments. I was so appalled by the most recent 20 reviews of this book that I felt compelled to write my first review. (I'm also going to be more than a little suspicious of customer reviews in the future!)
The author of this book tells you upfront (and over and over) that he is not going to answer the question in the title. He is not going to help you answer the question for yourself. You can't read this book expecting that result.
Instead, he describes the career choices of folks that he has interviewed. Some of the people make changes that work, some make changes that don't work, and some don't make changes at all. He isn't writing a novel; he doesn't describe every detail and he does not follow every story through to conclusion. He writes enough about a subject's career path to illustrate the point of the chapter.
Previous reviewers object that many of the subjects interviewed were wealthy or privileged. To me, this only shows they have missed the point. The book is extremely well structured. The themes of each story are so universal, anyone should be able to relate. For example, in one chapter, a woman intellectualizes her job change to the smallest detail, yet the point is that she can't know every variable until she actually tries the job. This idea should resonate with a reader regardless of whether the person interviewed was running a copymachine at Kinko's and decided working for a dry cleaner would be a better fit or the person was running a Fortune 500 company and decided owning a vineyard would make her happier. I don't think the particular details of the job choices should matter, unless the depth of your analysis is simply, "Well, this doesn't apply to me, because she had a nest egg saved up for a vineyard and I don't!" Similarly, the author is not advocating that you should do whatever makes you feel good without taking into any account your responsibilities and relationships, as suggested by another reviewer. I don't think the author would agree with that statement at all.
The author does a terrific job of analyzing the stories of several workers and using them to illustrate recurring concerns and challenges we encounter as we contemplate our career paths. I appreciated the author's honesty and candor. I read the book slowly, because I wanted to consider each chapter, but it was so well-written and easy to read, I could have read it in one sitting. I have read a LOT of self-help career books, none of them ultimately useful for anything more than cheerleading to "follow your dream" (which you had to already know somewhere deep down inside). This book does not try to be one of those. Still, it helped me to identify and consider a lot of the emotional issues that are wrapped up with finding a new career or being happy with the one I have.

The stories shared in this book are interesting and inspiring. Po is an excellent writer, and gives the reader a glimpse of others who have taken risks in their careers in order to find something that they find meaningful. I saw a few negative customer reviews here, all of which completely surprised me. I actually can't fathom how someone who read this book would have such negative reactions! I think some people might have been under the misconception that this is a book that actually TELLS one what to do with their lives. To the contrary, it is a collection of profiles which serves to give the reader insight into the risks and rewards others have found on their paths to fulfillment. A highly enjoyable read.

I picked up this book hoping for some answers. Honestly, it did have a lot of good nuggets and kernels of wisdom woven into the wordy and sometimes self-indulgent prose. However, I was somewhat disappointed by the narrow scope of the people who made it into the book. All tended to have graduate degrees or people who'd make lots of money in their old jobs who now had the luxury of whiling away the hours deciding what to do next. Although I do not believe it was an intentional slight to the majority of Americans who earn an average of $30-50,000 a year, I don't think he exactly did the readers any favors when on page 316 he states matter of factly, "He'd been passed over for partner and didn't make much money, forty or fifty thousand a year." That statement, in my opinion, is very telling of the priveleged background that Bronson is coming from. So, if you're a college graduate who's done well in life, this could be a great book. If you never went to college or don't have a mint stocked away to start your own fish farm, I'd save your time for a more down-to-earth book like "Working" by Studs Terkel who is the real master at this type of writing.

I didn't begin reading this book to find answers. So I'm not disappointed that there are none. But what has surprised me is how guilty I now feel about even asking the question: "What should I do with my life?" I haven't read all the stories yet (maybe 1/3). While interesting, most of these people come off as spoiled and self-indulgent. I blame the author for that, as everything is filtered through his lens. I imagine many of these interviewees are cringing at their caricatured selves.
I'm most bothered by how everyone seems to make decisions in a vacuum. Where are the stories about couples who each are trying to find their paths without their relationships disintegrating? What about being concerned for how your choices affect your partner, children, parents, friends, etc. I'm not suggesting that people should only worry about others, just that those considerations are usually part of the equation. We all have to struggle with the dichotomy of pleasing others vs. pleasing ourselves, while we define what 'pleasing ourselves' really means. And your life is more than just your career.
I was hoping these themes would be addressed. I was interested to hear how other people grappled not just with the "what should I do" question, but with questions like "is it worth it?', "how should I do it?", and 'can I find a compromise I can live with?' I'd like to see people's creative and fresh approaches to balancing the mix.
Instead, what I garnered from this book so far is that unless you've been able to sock away a bunch of cash from your ridiculously high paying job/book royalties, or, you have absolutely no one depending on you for anything, then "What should I do?" is not a question you have any business trying to answer! The subjects hardly seem like real people weighing tough choices. They've been romanticized to fit a very American and millennium notion of self-determination. It's Horatio Alger for the new economy, sans the bootstraps. And it's not reality for the majority of us (even if I sometimes wish it could be).
I guess a part of me has always felt it was a "privilege" to be unfulfilled in your profession. Not everyone gets to worry about such things. Yet, is it wrong to want your work to have meaning? I don't want to dismiss putting time and energy into this type of self-reflection. Obviously, it resonates with me; but so far, this book has made the quest seem frivolous. I'm not sure I can finish it. I think I'd rather spend my time contemplating "How should I balance my life?' I'd definitely buy a book that tried to create an honest dialog about that question.

Sure this book is not for everyone. Not for those who feel bitter about their helplessness in an increasingly capitalist world. Not for those who are refugees to a new country or those on welfare...But it is a good book for those of us lucky enough to be in a position to take control of our destinies and for those of us who have resigned to the fact that hell we live in a capitalist/consumer society and what we do does define us. We spend most of our waking life at work so what we do is very important.

For critics who say that this book is just for rich people - this is a little too defeatist. I was a bottom middle income earner who was possibly on the way up to being a middle middle income earner, when I just realised my job was not for me and that it was making me miserable. I downsized considerably, changed my lifestyle and gave myself the time to explore other options. I found this book inspiring because there were other people who were in similar situations. While my aspirations may not be to build a multimillion dollar cosmetic industry, this book has affirmed my decision to make these changes for myself.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is thinking about making some life changes.

I also recommend this book to aspiring writers. While some people may find Po's rants narcissistic, many people chasing their personal dream will find that his story really resonates with them.

Good luck.

For anyone in transition, Bronson's book does a great job of taking a broad view on approaches to finding your path, your life's work. And while I wouldn't consider it self-help (Bronson has as many questions as answers),

the stories capture how varied and intricate the American work experience is. Bronson even steps into the book himself, telling his own story and critiquing his own path. Ballsy to be dropping the aloof objective view. This addition rounds out the experience: instead of blindly enthused to conquer the world or so beaten as to think no hope exists, What Should I do with my Life left me satisfied understanding a little better my place in the world knowning how much variation in paths exists.