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Most Helpful Reviews
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Liked It “Motivation and positive thinking!” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “I heard Michael Gates Gill tell his story at my local library and it was funny, compelling, and nuanced. The book is not. It is trite, constantly repeating the least interesting aspects of the story while never delving deeply enough into the rest. He spends way too much time reminiscing about...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
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“Motivation and positive thinking!”
Sarjana P wrote this review Friday, August 7 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Easy to read, charming story but it could have used 2 more editing sessions before publication to make the writing seem less contrived. ”
Gina C wrote this review Monday, July 27 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I didn't like the fact that when things got tough, he cheated on his wife and got some other girl pregnant. The book as a whole was good and I liked learnnig about his job and struggles, but it seemed to me, it was too much of a back story about how this once really rich guy lost it all. I wanted to hear about his struggles in his current life. I wanted to know about his relationships with his family, what happened with his tumor and what happened after he left the Broadway store. Not that he ran with the bulls and once met Hemingway. ”
Beth Garvin Loflin wrote this review Monday, July 13 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“did not care for the book”
lillibet wrote this review Tuesday, June 23 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“great inspirational quick read!!!”
suzanne s wrote this review Sunday, June 21 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This was definitely an interesting book, and would be a great inspiration to anyone who is forced to start their life fresh from scratch.
Sarah B wrote this review Wednesday, May 20 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
It's a quick read with a fairly uncomplicated story. ”“I heard Michael Gates Gill tell his story at my local library and it was funny, compelling, and nuanced. The book is not. It is trite, constantly repeating the least interesting aspects of the story while never delving deeply enough into the rest. He spends way too much time reminiscing about encounters with famous people in his previous life and recounting in tedious detail uneventful events in his current life such as a Starbucks corporate day. It's like he could not identify the important parts of his own story. I listened to it on tape and the schmalzy music they layered over the end of the chapters just added insult to injury. I gave this as a Christmas gift; I am so ashamed.”
Rebecca P wrote this review Tuesday, April 28 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Quick read and interesting”
Sarah H wrote this review Friday, April 17 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Not a bad read at all! I enjoyed most of the book and my gripes are few.
Maureen F wrote this review Thursday, April 9 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
First, the positives. I loved the way Michael was open and honest about his arrogance during the high points of his life. Mostly through acts of his own, his world fell out from under him. He was laid off from his job, had no cash reserves to survive the layoff, chated on his wife, and suffered through a health crisis. After hitting bottom, he literally stumbled in to a job at Starbucks. He went from living the high life in Manhattan and rubbing elbows with rich executives, to serving those very same executives their morning coffee.
The work proves to be physically challenging, but he never lets his ego get the best of him. The truth of his carachter is revealed in my favorite line of the book: "I initially feared this job was beneath me. Now I fear that it's beyond me.". You have to love his honesty.
My biggest gripe? Michael does a serious amount of name dropping in his memoir. It almost seems as if he's trying to prove that even though he's an average joe, just like any one of us, he was at one point a real somebody. It got annoying, but the book is still an enjoyable read.”
