Journalist Shell (
Cheap;
Hungry Gene) examines how rapid economic change has affected not only how jobs are performed, but also the meaning of work. Surveying advice commonly given to those seeking first employment or retraining for new jobs, Shell finds persistent ideas about the meaning of work that are radically at odds with current economic realities. According to the author, these outmoded myths often carry over to the educational and political systems that fail to prepare individuals for the new world of work and accentuate the difference between ambition and reality. Early chapters of the book present grim stories of disillusionment within the workplace. As Shell moves through her discussion of the changing world of work, she also explores distinctive educational, entrepreneurial, and economic models that attempt to disrupt accustomed patterns, such as the educational approach of Berea College. The book concludes with a degree of optimism that contrasts with the apparent hopelessness of early sections. While not breaking new ground, Shell nonetheless will stimulate thinking about new approaches to the inevitability of work.
VERDICT A highly readable book that will appeal to general readers trying to understand the rapid changes in the nature of work.
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