Should I Do What I Love?: Or Do What I Do - So I Can Do What I Love on the Side?

by Katy McColl

As a pragmatic reaction to the newfound “quarterlife crisis” genre, Katy McColl interviews real men and women “stuck” in their twenties and early thirties and solicits a variety of experts for advice on how to get unstuck. McColl employs a distinctively droll brand of humor and a “self-help without self-pity” approach to inspiring those disenchanted by their initial forays into the heady real world. The themes here are universal — how to negotiate that with a career, how to study a craft in an un-lucrative field, how to break into glamour industries, and what to do when laid off. Help comes via those who overcame the same problems and blazed their own trails in the most desirable fields, from noted fashionistas like Heatherette to successful musicians like Chris Conley. Organized by case study but filigreed with McColl’s comic commentary, the book offers ace advice on achieving that elusive career that’s rewarding in every respect.

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author is a magazine reporter for Jane, and the writing tried a little too hard to be hip and funny, at the expense of substance. The careers selected for review got only perfunctory interview coverage, and they seemed a bit random--examples of nontraditional careers, yes, but the material itself was not very illuminating to a reader who's spent 10 years living in the trenches of building a nontraditional and artistic career/life balance.

[Ryan Morton · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was OK. It consisted mostly of an assortment of short stories, grouped loosely by profession, that each said "well ____ worked for me". It was interesting to see the few stories that applied to me, but overall you just need to do it. I try to read one of these books per year, to make sure I'm keeping my inner self happy, and this one was a quick enough read that I ploughed through even though the information content per page was moderately low. The advice was well reasoned, but a stronger conclusion would have greatly strengthened the book and taken it from a collection of stories to a recommendable piece for career-changers.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was given to me by the mother of one of my college friends who happens to know the author. The book was 'okay', although I read it out of obligation rather than interest. I'm not particularly into the self-help genre and the writing was too casual for my taste. I did not walk away with any particularly special insights that aren't common sense. If you are truly lost, then sure, check it out. Otherwise, I'd take a pass...

[Kate]

I love quarterlife crisis books, but this one really sucks. It is like end-times Jane bloated to book size and punctuated by cringe-worthy humor and superficial interviews. Including one with DJ AM that is hard to read.

[Marlies · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm too old for this book. : )

[Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

The answers are, Yes, eventually; and Perhaps for now. Yeah, she's just as confused as you are.

[Debs · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is another “self-help” book that did nothing more than stress me out.