by Timothy Ferriss is a very interesting tome with some great food for thought. Timothy does a great job of balancing practical advice with stories, personal anecdotes, and resources. There are also some creative ideas for boot-strapping small businesses inside. I will definitely re-read this book in the near future and use it as a reference for my own business ventures. The practical advice Tim gives for utilizing Adwords to see if your business will be successful is almost invaluable. If it wasn't for the occasional expletive, this book would be at the top of my list of recommendations. Its around 370 pages and and medium read. 4.5 out of 5Update July 2014 - I'm reconsidering my review of this book. While it is well written and offers interesting insights into 'alternative' options for a career, the more I've considered Mr. Ferriss' premise in this book, the less I think it's good advice for young adults to follow. The 4-hour work week may work for some people, but I don't think it would work for the majority of the population. It does offer some creative insights into passive income generation, but I don't think it's practical advice for the majority of young adults out there. Certainly not when I compare it to books like Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott!
by Michael Gregory is a comprehensive reference book about 24 different types of careers. There is a lot of subjective feedback (so read them keeping that in mind) about specific careers from individuals current engaged in them. Michael also has objective sections for each career that give valuable and relatively current (as of 2008) information about them. The book is just over 260 pages and a solid medium read. I borrowed my copy from the library. 3.5 out of 5
by Karl Haigler and Rae Neslon is a great book, full of resources, stories, and encouragement about gap-year experiences. If you are considering doing a gap-year, I would strongly suggest either signing this book out of the public library, or purchasing a copy. It is well written, with good insights based on experience. And it has a lot of good suggestions for resources to tap in your quest for finding the right place to 'land' for you gap-year. This book has 240 pages and it's a medium read and will likely be a good reference if you plan on taking a gap-year. 4.5 out of 5
by Ron Bliwas is an encouraging book for people who didn't fit into the public education mold. It chronicles Ron's success story, along with others, providing creative, insightful, practical advice for new graduates. I thought his chapters on Taking Responsibility Seriously and Mastering the Art of Purposeful Learning were particularly applicable to his audience. I enjoyed this book. It's a medium read with a little over 230 pages. 4 out of 5
by Richard Carlson is part of the 'Don't Sweat the Small Stuff' series. This small book has 100 suggestions for (college) graduates to consider after they have finished school. Each chapter is self contained, so you can easily skip around and read what you feel like, when you feel like it. Richard's advice is practical and well rounded, but I didn't find it very engaging. This book makes a great gift, but I don't know if it would be read more than once. I'm giving it a 2.5 out of 5.
by David Chilton is a great read. David uses an engaging story format sprinkled with humor to get some essential points across about personal finances. In my opinion this is a must read for young adults. The concepts are introduced in a conversational format which makes understanding them practically effortless. This is a medium read at 190 pages, but well worth the purchase price. It's a 5 out of 5 for me.
by Richard N. Bolles is a classic that is reprinted every year so it's kept current. This book is full of practical advice, exercises, and resources to help anyone in their career search. While I don't buy into doing exercises to map your personality type so much, others may find it valuable. Certainly there are other parts of the book that are extremely valuable - interview tips, resume tips, job hunting tips, and more.
by Carol Christen and Richard N. Bolles is similar to 