48 Days To The Work You Love,   ISBN:9780805431889

Customer Rating: 

NOTE: my one-star criticism is largely of the way the book was communicated, not of the merit of the message contained within! It's an important point, however, so please read on....

Firstly, the book was eternally helpful to me in it's message: Be creative and take the reins in your professional life, but remember that your professional life is only one part of a full life. That's how I read it at least.

Secondly, however, the book is horribly and irresponsibly written. It is obvious (although speculative on my part) that Miller juices the advice and insight he's gained and read through his life, plagiarised it, and spit it out in a sloppy mess of a notepad-turned book without the benefit of thoughtful development, organization, or meaingful revision. Shame on him for referencing dozens of "facts" and "statistics" without actual reference. It's poor form, a poor precedent, and irresposible. Miller flaunts his success like a steroid fueled athlete beats his chest in celebration of hollow triumphs, seemingly to say, "Suckers, see my hints, realize my con, and join my team of literary corruption! It's the destination not the journey that counts!".

It is my humble estimation that we should be giving thanks not to his original thoughts (a theme he often beats upon in the book), but to those who he failed to cite in his blabberous stream of profit driven pages. At least he could have disclosed that he didn't cite anything except for his mini-quotations. Transparency was obviously not a concern of Miller's when he wrote this contradiction of a book. To list a number of recommended books at the end is useful at best.

To provide license to my point - in the smoke-and-mirrors style of Miller - I will quote; "A real writer learns from earlier writers the way a boy learns from an apple orchard - by stealing what he has a taste for and can carry off."
--Archibald MacLeish

Customer Rating: 

There's a lot of common sense reminders in this book (I'm about halfway through it so far), but they are well worth the read, especially if you're in a time of questioning. And there's enough new and challenging information to make it relevant. For Christians, there's good and bad: there are good scriptural references that have good backing, and there are bad references that are bent to the author's liking, so just take it with a little salt. Overall, though, it's been a very good read, and it's worth getting or borrowing from a friend.

Customer Rating: 

This book is a good starting point if you are looking for a new career. It is helpful to get you started thinking, and I recommmend to continue to do the activities on his website after you finish the book.

Customer Rating: 

At some point in life, you want to hit pause on things and figure out why you've allowed circumstances and events push you down side road after side road until you're not sure how you ended up so far from the starting line...the imaginary line crossed as you grabbed your high school diploma and passed over the stage. Nowadays, like me, you learned some things the long, long, veerrry long way around and wish you would've "come to yourself" a long time ago. Well, this book helped me to not feel like I was stuck with only myself to lead me out...which would result in the blind leading the blind.

I didn't want a "pep rally" type of reading...or a "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade" story...not even one of those study of personality types blah blah blah. You see, I am and have always been a hard worker with no criminal history, no addictions, no health problems, and I even say "I Love You" to my wife in public situations. My problem was not having any push toward education or college during the school years. 10 Years later, I finally "bloomed" and craved learning after realizing that I could learn and make A's in college on the very subjects that I had flunked back in the day. For too long, I had worked the hard way to get by, but I could also write with my opposite hand, too...but that would take way more concentration and tire me out faster than doing it with my correct hand. Same goes for "getting by," It has wore me out, and I want to do what is correct for me, my family, and my talents.
This book and that new-found passion to make up for lost time matched perfectly.
Thanks to Dan Miller & Dave Ramsey for providing the book for those of us have hit the brakes on the wrong path and are hauling butt in the right direction.
Be sure to view the videos by the writer on Youtube
Great book.

Customer Rating: 

A previous reviewer left a negative review saying this book was just filled with common sense. Well, when you have worked a job you have hated for so long that you have become emotionally numb and can't see a way out, common sense is exactly what you need. Or, at least, it was what I needed.

This book helped me to reconnect with dreams and goals I lost touch with. I began to feel like creating a work life that I really loved was possible again. And while this book is more directed to those who are looking for a job, I used the inspiration I got from it to quit mine and give myself six months to build an online business before considering going back to work for someone else.

This is a book that reminds us all to not settle for less than what we deserve. For that I thank Mr. Miller and Mr. Ramsey for writing this book.