One Red Paperclip: Or How an Ordinary Man Achieved his Dream With the Help of a Simple Office Supply
by Kyle Macdonald
book data
165 ratings,
3.45
average rating, 64 reviews
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published
August 21st 2007
by Three Rivers Press
binding
Paperback, 272 pages
isbn
0307353168
(isbn13: 9780307353160)
description
Kyle MacDonald had a paperclip. One red paperclip, a dream, and a r?sum? to write. And bills to pay. Oh, and a very patient girlfriend who was paying ...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 267)
All ratings
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5 stars (31)
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4 stars (51)
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3 stars (54)
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2 stars (20)
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1 star (9)
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avg 3.45
editions: all | this edition
editions: all | this edition
Read in May, 2008
What a sweet little book! The writing style is a bit clumsy (which at first I attributed to that I started reading it from page 130, finished it and then started again at the beginning, but it's actually just awkward writing) but when I read it as a long, chatty email, I didn't really care. My tiny mind is warmed by how excited people get about each other doing cool things. I'm not going to say the story is "inspiring," but it's very affirming, and reminds you that people actually ...more
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Read in August, 2008
What a great book! A funny, fast read just perfect for a long flight. There are plenty of lessons to learn, too. After all, it's all about the journey. Next time you're faced with a big decision, ask yourself: What would you do if you weren't afraid?
I'm afraid I may have to read this book again!
I'm afraid I may have to read this book again!
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Read in September, 2007
That guy who traded up from a red paperclip to a house in Saskatchewan tells his story. Unfortunately, he doesn't tell it particularly well. It's a great story, don't get me wrong, but MacDonald's style...I don't want to call it too "bloggy," as there are a lot of well-written blogs out there. But I could understand someone leveling that criticism, because MacDonald's writing, whether the product of blogging or not, is unfocused, not terribly descriptive—none of the places he visits ...more
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Read in May, 2008
Oh, how I thought I'd love this book. Twenty-something embarks upon a quest to trade for a house. A house! Starting with a paper clip. A paper clip! And the story is very interesting. But oh, the writing! Glib, ironic, oh-so-clever and witty! Way over the top. A lot like this paragraph. I seriously considered throwing in the towel about 1/3 of the way in.
Luckily, as the story improves with each bigger & better trade, so does the writing. To be fair, our author Kyle was, at the time, ...more
Luckily, as the story improves with each bigger & better trade, so does the writing. To be fair, our author Kyle was, at the time, ...more
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Read in January, 2008
It takes a special kind of person to look at a red paperclip and think “house.” And Kyle is definitely that kind of person. His book chatters to the reader at full speed, screeches to sudden stops (sometimes in the middle of a thought), and spins off in new directions seemingly at random. Just imagine a grade schooler hyped up on sugar and you’ll get the idea. It’s a friendly, quick and somewhat schizophrenic read that, if you don’t let it get too distracted, is most enjoyable.
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Enjoyed it but I could have found out the story from a long article. Very padded out. Very repetitive. He tells you something at least three times in three different ways just to make sure you've got it and that is in the same paragraph. The tips at he nd of the chapters don't mean anything and I didn't even bother reading them after the first couple. I'm sure that if I met Kyle Macdonald he would definitely say 'Dude' !
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I love the book, I love the cover, I love the message.
This is an entertaining one day read that I absolutely could not put down. The author's sense of humor is spot on and his novelty is refreshing, as he trades one red paperclip for something a little bit better, then that for something a little bit better...
This is an entertaining one day read that I absolutely could not put down. The author's sense of humor is spot on and his novelty is refreshing, as he trades one red paperclip for something a little bit better, then that for something a little bit better...
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Read in January, 2008
This was a good, light, quick read and a lesson on how resourcefulness can merge with motivation (or procrastination, depending on how you look at it). I felt more like I was reading emails from a funny twenty-or-thirty-something friend than a book. I think it will appeal most to those who either know what Craigslist is, have ever had to live on the cheap, or have ever wanted to skip out on their job to do something more interesting that they don't otherwise have time to do. The author gives ...more
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Read in December, 2008
This is a book about a great idea - trading up from a red paperclip to eventually trading in a house. The book is really all about the idea and his real life journey, than any kind of writing.
It's a quick read, and at times quite heart-warming.
It's a quick read, and at times quite heart-warming.
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My friend Jenny gave me this book while we were in Ireland. I read it on my flight from Dublin back home to NM. A very quick read (if you have nothing better while you're sitting on a plane!)...and a cute story.
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Read in December, 2008
recommends it for:
people who like real life adventures and trading
An interesting true story about a guy who trades a paperclip for lots of things and eventually gets to a house. It was a bit silly at some points and it would be very hard to do again.
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Read in September, 2007
Canadian slacker decides he'd rather play Bigger and Better (a game where you start with a small object and trade for progressively better things) than look for a job. He starts with a paperclip, and over a dozen or so trades, winds up with a house, and becomes an internet celebrity along the way. I think the synopsis of the story is more interesting than the actual telling, but maybe that's just me. I could have completely done without the bogus, high-school-motivational-speaker-esque affirm...more
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2 comments
Read in November, 2008
reserved from library - am squeezing this book in.
quotes#473592 One Red Paperclip
As soon as you believe there was someplace in the past where things were better than they were today, you won't operate at your full potential now. You are where you are, and if you aren't, it's probably a good idea to figure out how to get to yourself. p164
The grass isn't necessarily greener on the other side, but maybe it is. Listen to the advice of other people, but remember th...more
quotes#473592 One Red Paperclip
As soon as you believe there was someplace in the past where things were better than they were today, you won't operate at your full potential now. You are where you are, and if you aren't, it's probably a good idea to figure out how to get to yourself. p164
The grass isn't necessarily greener on the other side, but maybe it is. Listen to the advice of other people, but remember th...more
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Funny story, but Macdonald undersells himself as a "normal guy" at every turn.
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Read in November, 2007
What a great idea.
Good people and good ideas don't always have to be Pulitzer Prize winning writers. He is someone I liked getting to know because of his sense of joy and adventure.
This book was perfect for what it was, an entertaining look at one guy's successful realization of his dream.
I loved making the journey from one red paperclip to home ownership and meeting the people encountered along the way.
Anything is possible in America!
If you haven't read this-it is...more
Good people and good ideas don't always have to be Pulitzer Prize winning writers. He is someone I liked getting to know because of his sense of joy and adventure.
This book was perfect for what it was, an entertaining look at one guy's successful realization of his dream.
I loved making the journey from one red paperclip to home ownership and meeting the people encountered along the way.
Anything is possible in America!
If you haven't read this-it is...more
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Read in June, 2008
An entertaining story, but not really about being an entrepreneur. Guy had amazing amount of media coverage, support and benefit in most of his later trades.
Save yourself the money and read it on the blog for free. Not much to this book you can't find on the blog, in fact there's probably more in the blog now than in the book.
* Couldn't finish
** I had nothing else to do
*** Passed the time, would be **** for genre / author fans
**** Everyone could enjoy th...more
Save yourself the money and read it on the blog for free. Not much to this book you can't find on the blog, in fact there's probably more in the blog now than in the book.
* Couldn't finish
** I had nothing else to do
*** Passed the time, would be **** for genre / author fans
**** Everyone could enjoy th...more
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recommends it for:
anybody and everybody
Interesting, and definitely worth a read
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in June, 2008
i actually completely agree with Samilja below. fun to read but not a good writer, so almost makes you want to give up early. but then again, he's not a writer, so so-what. it's entertaining to hear of how this lazy twenty-something riding the easy-train of his live-in girlfriend's income and apartment finds yet another easy way out of working and succeeds to a ridiculous degree. ...and then is smart enough to capitalize on his silver plater success even more by writing it all down and getti...more
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Read in March, 2008
An interesting concept/story but very poorly executed. I found myself skimming this as the writing especially the self indulgent self-help little thoughts at the end of each chapter was beginning to irritate me from very early on. I much preferred "Save Karyn" (I think that was the name of it??) about the girl who raised funds on the internet to pay off her debts - it was quite amusing but this was, in comparison, as dull as ditchwater.
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