Thursday, March 24, 2011

The Adventures of Johnny Bunko - Review


Daniel H. Pink, author of A Whole New Mind, wrote this innovative career guide that is easy to read and offers some great advice. Some of the other reviews on this work complain that the claim "the last career guide you'll ever need" is too much, but I think it lives up to the full title.

This book is obviously directed towards new graduates and 20-40 something's who are dissatisfied with their current job. I recommend books all of the time, and often to people who fall into the 18-40 age bracket. If there's one thing I've learned about this age bracket its this: most of them don't want to read long books. Of all the titles that I recommend, maybe 1% take me up on it (and that's generous). Most people are too busy to read or they just don't believe that the books I recommend put forward any real solutions.

Pink solves this problem by keeping it simple. He only offers 6 tips to guide your career path, and he does it through a manga comic book. Sure, there is more information available for those who want career guidance, but Pink has created a book that people will actually read, remember, and implement. As far as I'm concerned, that makes it a success.

The 6 tips are simple, but are also complete. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to come up with a list of 6 items that would be more helpful than the list that Pink gives. I don't want to give away too much because it is such an accessible book, but the first tip is "There is no plan". Bunko's "chopsticks genie" explains how are best-laid career plans are often derailed and how we should react instead. The other 5 tips are laid out in similar fashion.

This book succeeds where many others fail. It offers valuable, real world advice in an engaging, readable way. If you are struggling with your career path, or if you need a gift for a young graduate or dissatisfied laborer, this is a great book to pick up. 

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