Four Hour Work Week (book review)

[pedorrero]

I thought I'd share a quick (?) review of a book. Disclaimer: I have no commercial connection with the book, its web site, or Books-a-Million. I don't own BAM stock, but I am a frequent customer there...at least to buy coffee and read books for free.

Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss
The 4-Hour Workweek and Timothy Ferriss

Not a ER classic in the same vein as Terhorst, or even "Your Money or Your Life", this is an interesting book that has some interesting angles and game the system ideas for those still working...especially the is- or would-be small business owner. Interesting, often unconventional ideas on time management and Ferriss does seem to make a convincing case that many people can downsize the amount of time per week their business requires attention (I think that was a run-on, sorry). All the better, then, that there are many suggestions on how to squander the new-found time. This advice, then, might appeal more to the confused ER (I'd be a good example). Ferriss advocates a very busy lifestyle. When he's not not checking voice mail (his outsourced personal assistants and all-but-autonomous business structures do most of the heavy lifting), he has been kick-boxing in China, visiting Europe or Argentina (note the tie-in to Terhorst. Booya!!!) or doing any of a number of other recreational things, and he claims they need not cost very much money. Overall this is an interesting book. Although I certainly have none of his ambition (thank God for that family Trust.... Good Lord! Having to work for a living? What a distressing thought.), his writing and arrogance shine through. There is something for everybody in this book, not just the whipper-snapper Generation X'er (or Y, what the heck are we on now) high-tech overworked wage slave or entrepreneur that Ferriss claims to be escaping from. Read it at your leisure at your favourite book store, or hell, even buy it if you want. Peace.

 

[wildcat]

While this idea for a book sounds great, I think it falls under the "too good to be true" theory. With that said, I think Ferriss is a lucky SOB.

 

[tightasadrum]

While this idea for a book sounds great, I think it falls under the "too good to be true" theory. With that said, I think Ferriss is a lucky SOB.

You may be right about "to good to be true," but I heard an interview with the author and practitioner of the theory on NPR last week. Bet that didn't hurt sales a bit. You know, maybe that's the whole gig anyway...dream up a weird topic that people want to copy, write a book and make a zillion dollars, and RE.

 

[pedorrero]

I think "Too good to be true" applies to a lot of what one sees in the Media. "Life is a banquet; most people are starving" said the wisdom on the hippie bus. True enough. Applied to media, perhaps the answer is "eat selectively." Ferriss even has a section to address that: "selective ignorance" = he claims to be on a low-information diet, minimizing exposure to the distracting (and often useless) mass media. That is definitely something that applies to me, who reads, surfs, and TV's too much.