What Should I Do with My Life?

September 9, 2002
In this elevated career guide, Bronson (Bombardiers; The Nudist on the Late Shift) poses the titular question to an eclectic mix of "real people in the real world," compiling their experiences and insights about callings, self-acceptance, moral guilt, greed and ambition, and emotional rejuvenation. Bronson crisscrosses the country seeking out remarkable examples of successful and not-so-successful people confronting tough issues, such as differentiating between a curiosity and a passion and deciding whether or not to make money first in order to fund one's dream. Bronson frames the edited responses with witty, down-to-earth commentaries, such as those of John, an engineer whose dream of building an electric car crumbled under his personal weaknesses; and Ashley, a do-gooder burdened by the unlikely combination of self-hatred and a love for humanity. Bronson wants to understand what makes these people—among them a timid college career counselor trapped in his job, a farmer bullish on risk-taking, a financial expert grabbing an opportunity to rebuild her brokerage firm devastated by the World Trade Center tragedy and a scientist who rethinks his lifelong work and becomes a lawyer—tick. He occasionally digresses, musing on his own life too much, and frequently hammers points home longer than necessary, but neither of these drawbacks undercuts the book's potency. The "ultimate question" is a topic always in season, worthy of Bronson's skillful probing and careful anecdote selection. Brimming with stories of sacrifice, courage, commitment and, sometimes, failure, the book will support anyone pondering a major life choice or risk without force-feeding them pat solutions. Photos. Agent, Peter Ginsberg. (Jan. 2)Forecast:The galley features a hearty endorsement from Random House bigwig Jonathan Karp, and the publisher has announced a national media and print campaign, an eight-city author tour and radio interviews. A veteran of national bestseller lists, Bronson should be prepared for another run at the top, spurred on by buyers' New Year's resolutions.

September 1, 2002
Bronson leaves behind The Nudist on the Late Shift to talk to people with dreams, like the lawyer who opted to become a trucker so that he could spend more time with his son.

Copyright 2002 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2003
Adult/High School-Some of the individuals Bronson interviewed have not found the answer to the title question, some aren't sure there is one for them, while others think their answer may be only temporary. The 55 pieces range from a woman who had wanted to be a doctor since age six but changed her mind abruptly after realizing her dream, to a Native American who wrote a 20-year plan for his future that would enable him to devise and implement ways for his people to wean themselves from government handouts. Bronson has both bad and good jobs behind him, and his interviews include his own insightful reactions to and thoughts about his subjects' ideas and personalities. The discussions of mistakes, lessons, and hard-fought decisions on the iffy road to occupational fulfillment will be valuable for teens.-Judy McAloon, Potomac Library, Prince William County, VA

Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2002
Novelist and writer Bronson made his name chronicling the rise of cybercareers and attendant fortunes, which later evaporated with the downturn in technology companies and their stocks. In this book, he offers profiles of individuals searching for meaning in what they do for a living, drawn from interviews and personal observations. The subjects include a spiritual leader recruited by the Dalai Lama who nonetheless had to learn his purpose in life for himself; a corporate attorney who had a kidney transplant and then searched for the perfect job where she could use her passion for advocating for other patients in need of transplants; a woman who cast aside a career as a surgeon because she couldn't learn to disconnect from the demands of the profession; a college career counselor who fell into his position and was so fearful of making any changes in his own life that he was of questionable use to his student-clients. Throughout the book, Bronson explores the many fears and misconceptions arising from the search for a career.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)