The Corrosion of Character: The Personal Consequences of Work in the New Capitalism
Author: Richard Sennett
List Price: $13.95
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ISBN: 0393319873
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company (January, 2000)
Sales Rank: 33,424
Average Customer Rating: 3.48 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 4 out of 5
Humanistic insight into the changed world of work
This is a highly readable book, informed by academic insights but not over scholarly. Its merit is that it makes you think-particularly by the chapter segmentations. Its scope is wide for a small book-employment,the nature of jobs, the career..Throughout Sennett provides a powerful counterblast to the rhetoricians of the right and also demonstrates the indifference of big business and politicians. His perspective on the Davos summits is beautifully written and acute. While respecting the advice of another reviewer concerning Hezenberg et al, I do not believe the books should be compared. 'New Rules' is a book largely about employment and does not attempt to assess matters of meaning and identity at work. Sennett does this admirably. I think his target audience is the layperson not the academic and reading this book can be a rewarding experience
Rating: 5 out of 5
Great book.. the tiltle is over bloated, though
Simply a great book. Richard Sennet cuts deep into work culture and ethics, and iluustrates quite elaborately how the modern creed of flexibility is depriving workers from their character. However, the book does not construct any grand theory on the subject, probably intentionally, as Sennett explains in his introduction to the book stating it was meant to be a long essay rather than a short book. In the light of that, the book is certainly insightful and provocative; I was extremely amazed by the accurate description of work life by the author although he belongs to a totally different world, academia. Despite the radical tone of the book, which automatically puts the reader in self defence on the other side, as you read along you cannot but surrender to its accuracy.It's an easy read, targetting the general worker (probably IT and Media Professionals more than any!) I hope to see more books on the subject soon written in a more scholarly manner.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Superb Resource for College Seniors
A book that helps college seniors understand the shifting patterns of employment, but also the shifting meaning of employment in peoples' lives. The book remains very readable, even entertaining, as it presents the historical background on how the meaning of work changed from the 1700s forward, and sociological data on current work and employment patterns. It makes the world of work come alive as a place of opportunity, risk, and disappointment. By its vivid narratives, it helps college students understand that their uncertainty and anxiety are appropriate to the world they are entering, but also encourages them in a spirit of healthy adventure. Super
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