Jan 31 2008
Week #1: How Starbucks Saved My Life
Any comments about pages 1-144? Post a comment below with your thoughts or suggestions on discussion topics… like maybe, is the former Executive Vice President Michael Gates Gill’s employment at Starbucks believable? Or how about, are all of the flashback-flashforward scenes confusing? And maybe, what is up with Michael’s unforgiving high-and-mighty daughter who couldn’t wait to see her old Daddy in action at Starbucks? Your thoughts?
24 Responses to “Week #1: How Starbucks Saved My Life”
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I actually made the halfway point.
This is supposed to be a true story. I can see where the daughter is unforgiving, if you can see where he did not have time for his children when he was busy climbing the corporate ladder and basically crushing anyone who he deemed as unworthy. Look what he did to the family. He cheats on the wife, which she would have dealt with, not sure that I could have, then had a child with the woman. Then she finds him as cold, old, I don’t know. The flashback and forth scenes were confusing at first until I got really into the book, and it started to flow. It is cheesy, that he goes to work at Starbucks and finds himself, and how he makes so many contrasts between his rich, white upbringing, and that of the clientele of the Starbucks and his coworkers is at times shocking, and at times something somewhat out of “A Christmas Carol”.
Or am I just too cynical that it could be too easy for someone to find their humanity just by losing your corporate job and going to work for Starbucks?
Becca
Michael had to hit rock bottom - poor, no health insurance, brain tumor, no family - to be forced to examine his conscience and life history. It seemed that to him, working in a blue collar job was the ultimate in low after working as a corporate guy for so long. Yet Starbucks not only allowed him to appreciate the way clients were coming to him (as opposed to chasing them down!) but also provided an environment where Partners and Guests supported dignity and respect for all, a concept completely against his former ways.
Had he gone to work for any other coffee house, I don’t know that he would have learned the life changing lessons that he’d learned at Starbucks.
Who’d have thought?
I think part of the point was perhaps that he was learning to find value in hard physical work, and in truly connecting with people. He also found inspiration in folks that he would have never given the time of day to before.
One thing I found disconcerting about this book was an odd lack of depth. Maybe it was the language choice? It seemed to be written on about an 8th grade level. Of course, advertising teaches you to do that so it probably comes naturally. He talks about the destruction of his marriage, about his girlfriend’s pregnancy, almost with detachment - there’s no sense of deep pain or shame.
I do find the Starbucks training program to be pretty cool, from his perspective.
And yes, I finished the book, but there should be no spoilers above - I complete most books in a single sitting. Unless they’re like 1000 pp.
I haven’t finished, but a bit over half way through. Is it just the three of us reading the book?
@JeriM - I agree that so far the book is lacking in the ‘depth’ department. It’s like I keep waiting for him to let loose and show some character instead of flashing back to scenes devoid of emotion, then coming back to the present… sometimes talking to himself out loud, other times snapping back to reality like he was in another zone.
And the writing. *ouch!* Very well could be from the advertising background, much like I tend to write in a technical way as a result of my work. Perhaps he should’ve contracted out and had someone write the story for him? Methinks so.
We need you to challenge our group next time - but please no 1000 pp. I’d never last. I’m thinking maybe King’s latest, Duma Key. A friend of mine is working on it right now. So tempting.
@Becca - I’m on page 177 and counting. And yes, it’s just the 3 of us as far as I can tell. (At least on the first 2 books.) We need to get more members to join - anyone bloggers you know who might be interested?
I read a review on the book that said that very thing - ie. lack of depth and that he didn’t really make his point all that eloquently.
I don’t normally listen to reviews but then another review was equally bad, so I decided to pass. As much as I love Starbucks and all.
But I’m totally on the memoir kick so keep picking those memoirs.
I really want to hop on this bloggerville bandwagon but I suppose I’m a pickier reader than I thought. I’m just into bestselling fiction - minus sci fi, fantasy and Steven King.
I’ve just started Jesusland, which is supposed to be an excellent memoir about a blonde girl and her African-American adopted brother and their harrowing tale through on the road with missionary parents.
And I have Pillars of the Earth just sitting here but it’s so huge.
Anyways, here’s my list of upcoming reads:
Whistling in the Dark by Lesley Kagen - (I just read it - very enjoyable)
Fat Girl: A True Story - by Judith Moore (I’m a sucker for addiction memoirs except for James Frey, that is)
Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet (I read Augusten Burrough’s brothers book but this would be really good too)
The Senator’s Wife by Sue Miller (great reviews)
The Child in Time by Ian MacEwan
Anyways, that’s enough of a list.
Cheers!
@Holy - Like you, I prefer the bestsellers. If the books sells like hotcakes, it must be worth something! And I want you on the bandwagon… picky is very, very good.
The Senator’s Wife looks like a winner.
Shall we go with it for book #3?
Hey wait a min - what about the long-promised SF pick?
I’ll see if I can find a few that might be fairly universally appealing.
I’m actually the reverse - if it’s on the bestseller list I typically avoid it. It’s not an elitist thing, I just tend to prefer genre fiction to some of the uber-popular authors out there.
I just bought The Senator’s Wife on http://www.audible.com. For my IPod. We are going to be really busy, and this is something that I have wanted to try, so I bought in. Looking forward to hearing it. Does anyone have an issue with me listening to it?
Becca
@JeriM - Yes, you are absolutely right - I cannot go back on that promise after you so patiently waited to give us one! Please find one and we’ll table ‘The Senator’s Wife’ for the following go-round.
@Holy - Will you hang in there for us? Perhaps even read Jeri’s SF while waiting?
@Becca - I have no problem with it… anyone else? Meanwhile, can we count you in to read Jeri’s SF next?
Cordelia’s Honor. This is a very accessible omnibus by one of the best authors in SF today. It actually contains two shorter books. If we had to pick one of them, I’d choose the latter, “Barrayar” – it can stand alone.
Childhood’s End. This is a piece of SF classic literature, very well done, very thought provoking.
Time Traveler’s Wife. This was very recently on the bestseller list, the writing is amazing, but it’s possible most of us have already read it. They’re currently making a movie out of it.
Beggars in SpainAnother very compelling book by another one of SF’s best current writers. This is a bit more political than Cordelia’s Honor but also very readable.
. I’ve read several pieces by Elizabeth Bear lately and enjoyed them – she’s superb at worldbuilding and creating good characters. I haven’t read this one but it comes highly recommended.
A lot of these are fairly substantial in terms of challenging themes and provoking concepts - while still being very readable and not too “out there” or “technology oriented”.
Doggone it - I misconstructed that last link. Darn proofreading!
Carnival. I’ve read several pieces by Elizabeth Bear lately and enjoyed them – she’s superb at worldbuilding and creating good characters. I haven’t read this one but it comes highly recommended.
Becca, the one thing to check on w/ your audio book - and you can read it anyway you want to, although my preferred method is having Liam Neeson read them to me in person - is to see whether the audio version is abridged.
The abridged version leaves out part of the book’s content for a faster listening time.
The full version would be a longer listen, but contain all the same content as the written book.
But either way - it works for me!
@JeriM - Thank you for generating the SF book list for us! I’ll check out the links to see which one I like best, but please do feel free to send your favorite choice. Since SF is more your area, I’d love having your personal selection as our pick. (Plus, remember my ‘Brenda’ choice?)
I chose the the best version for my IPod. Oh good grief am I going to hear about this, first book on there, and do I stop at one? Nope, had to buy 4! 3 of them are not book club worthy, trust me, hot chick lit this time!
Becca
That would be Cordelia’s Honor, then… awesome book, fabulous author. (I’ve read them before and will read them again… gladly!)
The two books are Shards of Honor - and Barrayar. They each stand alone, although they feature the same character chronologically. The second one, Barrayar, is the one I’d pick - it’s amazing and engaging and profound and funny - although folks can read both if they want to.
@Becca - You go girl! I’m noticing a pattern in your shopping ways.
@JeriM - Perfect, I’ll post your pick(s) as soon as we’ve wrapped up Book #2, which I anticipate to be earlier than the scheduled closing date. I can’t wait to get started!
Unfortunately the two are no longer available as single books - so you gotta buy the omnibus version.
But they’re worth it!
So, we are doing what for the next book please?
Thanks,
Becca
@JeriM - Get this, I bought them both separately through Amazon Marketplace last night! Used but in new condition with expedited shipping, thanks to Amazon Prime. You sure we don’t want to start with ‘Shards of Honor’?
@Becca - Jeri wants us to go with Barrayar, but I’ll make the official announcement after we wrap up Book #2. Will you be done with it this weekend? I’m finishing today while watching my daughter’s cello rehearsal.
Sounds like you guys are mixing up the montly reading in fun ways.
I’ll definitely hang on beyond next month’s SF…the closest I’ll come to SF is magic realism - ie. Life of Pi and Time Traveler’s Wife kinda stuff. I loved Time Traveler’s Wife - a movie would never do it justice but it would be so fun to watch.
And Jeri, I hear ya on the best-seller thing but I tend to the error on the side of, too many books, not enough time to weed through crap. You’d make a good book editor….:)
@Holy - We are! Reading Jeri’s SF choice will be a huge stretch for me after focusing on Dan Brown, Sophie Kinsella and J.K. Rowling books over the past several years. Although, I was into SF back in the college days… let’s see if it catches on again. A mixer-upper in reading tastes is exactly what I need.
We’ll do ‘The Senator’s Wife’ next with you on board. *woohoo*
BTW: I’m with you on not wanting to weed through to find a good read. Best-seller lists are my form of laziness, if anything.
My husband has Shards of Honor and Barrayar in paperback…lol! So which book do we read first?
Becca
@Becca - Cool! Let’s go with Barrayar. I’m still waiting to receive it from an Amazon seller. Stay posted tomorrow - mail arrives for me @2:30 CST.