Invisibles

March 24, 2014
Building upon his 2012 Atlantic article “What Do Fact-Checkers and Anesthesiologists Have in Common,” in his nonfiction debut, journalist Zweig presents an entertaining, good-natured exploration of the mindsets and psyches of “invisibles”—people whose passions have required years of training and experience, but who happily toil in obscurity for the love of the work itself, rather than fame. As Zweig notes, it’s this very single-mindedness in the quest for excellence—and the emphasis on getting the job done—that research suggests correlates with both happiness and business success. The book’s strength is in Zweig’s portraits of those dedicated workers behind the scenes, including a ghost writer; a perfume maker for celebrity brands; a structural engineer; an interpreter at the United Nations; a cinematographer; and a guitar tech for rock bands. The author’s genuine respect for his subjects shines through and keeps these stories lively. Agent: Eric Lupfer, WME.

June 1, 2014
An encouraging salute to the world behind the scenes, where the "Invisibles" allow the show to go on.Journalist Zweig suggests, with considerable merit, that, in our culture of wanting it all, we have forgotten the hard work of getting there-that to be Tom Brady quarterbacking on Sunday, you must also be a game-film drudge and a gym rat. More to the point, that invisible work has its own beauty and meaning. The author points to people who take pride in elevating anything to an art, who lose and find themselves in projects that make a significant impact on our lives, leaving us happy while delivering the pleasure and self-respect from doing the job properly. Zweig profiles a handful of highly skilled individuals "whose roles are critical to whatever enterprise they are part of"-e.g., the perfumer behind Sean Combs' fragrance Unforgivable (Combs became "the first male celebrity with a prestige cologne"); the structural engineer who enables the architect's vision of a skyscraper; and, perhaps most impressive, the U.N interpreter who "hears one language, interprets it into another language in her head, then speaks the new language while at the same time continuing to listen to and interpret the next lines of the original language, a practice known as simultaneous interpretation....As long as the speaker is talking, she is interpreting." Zweig notes three traits that these unsung individuals possess: responsibility, meticulousness and ambivalence regarding recognition. These traits are fine, to be sure, but the author's vignettes really drive the point home. Guitar tech, fact checker, piano tuner, cinematographer, ghostwriter et al.-it is workmanship, curiosity, demanding internal standards, deep immersion and cooperative instincts that bring a rewarding life.In Zweig's fascinating world, the limelight doesn't hold a candle to the satisfaction of hard work well done.

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June 1, 2014

Writer (Atlantic, New York Times), composer, and lecturer Zweig delivers an engaging read in his debut nonfiction title. He introduces readers to individuals whose jobs, when done well, keep them "invisible," e.g., anesthesiologist, guitar tech for a touring band, perfumer, cinematographer, UN simultaneous interpreter, skyscraper engineer, and magazine fact-checker. The author notes that these employees do their jobs in a way that has catapulted them to the top of their professions while exhibiting the same core traits of all invisibles--ambivalence to recognition, devout meticulousness, and a desire to shoulder responsibility. Zweig contends that these traits run counter to our noisy culture of self-promotion and microfame and yet are the traits that most support job satisfaction, individual fulfillment, and positive self-perception. He urges Americans to consider a cultural corrective. Enthusiasts of Malcolm Gladwell's works will appreciate Zweig's writing style. VERDICT This well-researched and accessible title will be of high interest to business, psychology, and sociology students.--Jane Scott, George Fox Univ. Lib., Newberg, OR

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May 1, 2014
Zweig's stint as a fact checker at a magazine no doubt inspired him to look closely at the unsung, behind-the-scenes workers he calls the invisibles. They disappear into their work on two levels, the devotion to excellence and the fact that the more flawless their work, the less it is noticed or recognized. Zweig profiles several individuals who are highly skilled and essential in their jobs but relatively unknown. Among them are the guitar technician for Radiohead, the lead engineer of the tallest skyscraper in China, a cinematographer, and a UN interpreter. He focuses on three traits of the invisibles: no need to be recognized, meticulousness, and a high sense of responsibility. Zweig touches on philosophy, religion, and psychology in exploring the satisfaction derived from work exceptionally well done in contrast to the noisy self-promotion now prevalent. He offers historical context for our current obsession with attention-getting via social media and the Internet and uses the profiles to offer some quiet and thoughtful space to consider the inner value of high-quality work.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)