An inspiringly hopeful book.
A distinguished social entrepreneur offers insights on how to responsibly transform the interconnecting worlds of technology, business, and politics to elevate “individual and collective dignity."
The early 21st century is an era characterized by increasing economic inequality, crumbling sociopolitical systems, and the looming threat of climate catastrophe. Drawing on her experience working with change-makers and lessons learned from her own humanitarian efforts, Novogratz outlines a set of principles grounded in the idea that a better world can only emerge when individuals seek to serve others rather than themselves. She begins by highlighting the need to cultivate a moral imagination, the ability to “view other people’s problems as if they were your own." This kind of sensitivity helped a young Japanese entrepreneur build meaningful relationships with Colombian cacao farmers who had suffered through decades of political violence and who also wanted to maintain natural balance in the lands they farmed. The process took time, but, in the end, the entrepreneur was able to launch a business that was both socially conscious and sustainable. Listening to “voices unheard”—especially those belonging to the poor—is also critical, as is making a conscious effort to transform oneself into “a bridge…that others might walk across." To help break down the polarities that have come to define our modern age, the author suggests the need to “reach across the wall of either-or and acknowledge the truths that exist in opposing perspectives." The courage to act independently is also necessary for a moral revolution. Novogratz’s story of a privileged female entrepreneur who created a clothing company that trained and employed poor Indian women shows how one person avoided the “conformity trap" while also bearing witness to the value of those shunted to the margins. Wise and optimistic, the author provides a benevolent tonic for those looking to rise above the troubled waters of the age and embrace the “beautiful struggle” of rebuilding our broken world.
An inspiringly hopeful book.Pub Date: May 5, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-22287-9
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: Feb. 23, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
Career and business advice for the hashtag generation. For all its self-absorption, this book doesn’t offer much reflection...
A Dumpster diver–turned-CEO details her rise to success and her business philosophy.
In this memoir/business book, Amoruso, CEO of the Internet clothing store Nasty Gal, offers advice to young women entrepreneurs who seek an alternative path to fame and fortune. Beginning with a lengthy discussion of her suburban childhood and rebellious teen years, the author describes her experiences living hand to mouth, hitchhiking, shoplifting and dropping out of school. Her life turned around when, bored at work one night, she decided to sell a few pieces of vintage clothing on eBay. Fast-forward seven years, and Amoruso was running a $100 million company with 350 employees. While her success is admirable, most of her advice is based on her own limited experiences and includes such hackneyed lines as, “When you accept yourself, it’s surprising how much other people will accept you, too.” At more than 200 pages, the book is overlong, and much of what the author discusses could be summarized in a few tweets. In fact, much of it probably has been: One of the most interesting sections in the book is her description of how she uses social media. Amoruso has a spiritual side, as well, and she describes her belief in “chaos magic” and “sigils,” a kind of wishful-thinking exercise involving abstract words. The book also includes sidebars featuring guest “girlbosses” (bloggers, Internet entrepreneurs) who share equally clichéd suggestions for business success. Some of the guidance Amoruso offers for interviews (don’t dress like you’re going to a nightclub), getting fired (don’t call anyone names) and finding your fashion style (be careful which trends you follow) will be helpful to her readers, including the sage advice, “You’re not special.”
Career and business advice for the hashtag generation. For all its self-absorption, this book doesn’t offer much reflection or insight.Pub Date: May 6, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-399-16927-4
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Portfolio
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2014
Maher calls out idiocy wherever he sees it, with a comedic delivery that veers between a stiletto and a sledgehammer.
The comedian argues that the arts of moderation and common sense must be reinvigorated.
Some people are born snarky, some become snarky, and some have snarkiness thrust upon them. Judging from this book, Maher—host of HBO’s Real Time program and author of The New New Rules and When You Ride Alone, You Ride With bin Laden—is all three. As a comedian, he has a great deal of leeway to make fun of people in politics, and he often delivers hilarious swipes with a deadpan face. The author describes himself as a traditional liberal, with a disdain for Republicans (especially the MAGA variety) and a belief in free speech and personal freedom. He claims that he has stayed much the same for more than 20 years, while the left, he argues, has marched toward intolerance. He sees an addiction to extremism on both sides of the aisle, which fosters the belief that anyone who disagrees with you must be an enemy to be destroyed. However, Maher has always displayed his own streaks of extremism, and his scorched-earth takedowns eventually become problematic. The author has something nasty to say about everyone, it seems, and the sarcastic tone starts after more than 300 pages. As has been the case throughout his career, Maher is best taken in small doses. The book is worth reading for the author’s often spot-on skewering of inept politicians and celebrities, but it might be advisable to occasionally dip into it rather than read the whole thing in one sitting. Some parts of the text are hilarious, but others are merely insulting. Maher is undeniably talented, but some restraint would have produced a better book.
Maher calls out idiocy wherever he sees it, with a comedic delivery that veers between a stiletto and a sledgehammer.Pub Date: May 21, 2024
ISBN: 9781668051351
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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