#collaboreads: A Non-Fiction Book

Have you felt the pull toward a different career path, but allowed fear to keep you in your current situation?  Have you ever considered leaving your job with no Plan B allowing you nothing but time to figure out what's next?  Have you ever wanted to just take a leap...and see what happens on the other side?  It can be so easy to get stuck in a routine or want to ensure you have the next thing lined up before you move on. Honestly, it was refreshing to read Tess Vigeland's story as she made a huge leap of faith from a prominent radio host on NPR's Marketplace to the great unknown.  When I saw this month's topic was non-fiction, I was thrilled this book had just arrived in my mailbox!   

RIVETING.

What part of the book could you NOT get enough of?

Perhaps it is the current state of my life, but I absolutely could not get enough of this book.  So many of the thoughts and fears rang true for me.  I have been struggling for some time to figure out my passion.  While this book doesn't necessarily help with figuring it out, it does present a number of interesting stories and findings from studies as they relate to work and happiness.  Tess shares much of her own story, but also pulls from the experiences of others.  This was a great way to include different perspectives and make the book even more engaging. 

ELEMENTS.

How did you relate to/care for the characters?
What's your thought on the plot line and twists and turns?

While I enjoyed the overall theme and message of the book, I did find it a bit difficult to relate to many of the characters simply due to age and life circumstance.  Most of them were in lucrative careers pre-Leap and had a bit of a financial net to fall back on.  However, there were a couple of stories that related more to the average Joe.  Similar to Tess, I don't currently have any children, but I was happy to read stories about individuals who did and still made the Leap.  It was also helpful that Tess included the dark side of Leaping as well as the exciting, new, adventurous side. 

ASSOCIATE.
What other books are like this one? If none, did it remind you of a particular TV or movie with it's themes and characters? Does it serendipitous-ly line-up with things going on in your life or the news right now? 

I would classify this book in the self-help line.  It was a bit of a biography, but mostly it was set up to be a tool to help others going through the Leap process.  I can't think of any others that were like it exactly, but self-help was immediately what came to mind when I started reading it.  As I mentioned, it was very insightful for me.  Over the past couple of years, I have thought many times about other career paths that would be a good fit for me.  It was interesting to see how similarly my thought process and fears were to others in the book.  Additionally, I was fascinated by the information Tess presented in regard to how closely we associate ourselves with our work - how much of our identity is wrapped up in what we do from 9-5.

DESIGN.
You know you judged this book by the cover. What did you think of it? 
How did it relate to the contents of the novel? And the font and layout of the pages? 

The cover was boring.  It didn't really stand out at all.  I did like the tag line that was included on the cover though.  After much thought, I'm not entirely sure how the cover could be changed effectively.

STARS.  
How many out of five do you give this book? Would you recommend this book to a friend?  

I give this book 4 stars.  It was a quick read that kept me engaged and wanting to learn more with each chapter.  It was written in a way that made me feel like we were sitting down for a chat - very personable and honest.  If you have ever considered taking a leap of faith in your career, I highly suggest giving it a read. Click here to learn more about the book!  

Andrea :)

*I received this book from Blogging for Books in return for my honest review.