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I am a first time reviewer. I don't know Tim. I only know his book. That there are so many first time reviewers speaks volumes about the book. That said, here is my review:
It took a kid to get the grown-ups to acknowledge what everyone knew to be true: the emperor was naked. Tim Ferriss is a kid relative to most other "self-help" authors but, like the young boy in the fable, his simple, uncluttered collection of "information we already know" more explicitly and successfully states the truth: our idea of achievement that requires a slavish obsession with working ourselves into the ground is a naked religion. Success is joy.
Few books have the potential to inspire passion and fuel personal revolutions. The 4-Hour Workweek is one of them. This book speaks the common yearning to be liberated from the punishing work habits that our society has convinced us are compulsory for success. In simple, often humorous, terms, Tim Ferriss tells us how most of us lie to ourselves about why and how we work and shows us how we can become free.
The modern age promised to bring freedom to humanity. Automation would liberate us from the drudgery of many common tasks, allowing us to complete our work with lightening speed, reserving the rest of our time for leisure. Like millionaires who can afford servants to do the drudgery, the common person would be able to forget the mundane and engage in the profound, to travel, to explore, and most importantly, to be free of worry. Unfortunately, we humans forgot about freedom and became slaves to our machines. Machines increased productivity and the availability of things. We reacted by convincing ourselves that we had to have them all to be satisfied and so became slaves to the jobs we believed necessary to obtain those things. More recently, email and cell phones, which were intended to increase productivity and communication, did so by making us instantly accessible and required us to be instantly responsive at any time of the day or night. Cable television and the Internet also increased communications and the flow of information, but also resulted in an information bombardment that left us catatonic, unable to disengage, yet unable to absorb it all. The result? At the end of our working lives - many times not by our own choice but because of downsizing and outsourcing -- exhausted and demoralized, we cannot enjoy the delayed gratification that has been our beacon of light, our holy grail, for so many years.
Tim Ferris has the audacity to set the whole paradigm on fire in order to illuminate its true nature. Tim questions our assumptions about what progress is and what progress has done for us by highlighting the terrific costs we have imposed on ourselves. With gleeful delight Tim opens our eyes to the fact that we have become the cyborgs, less human rather than more. In a clear, step-by-step fashion, he presents elegant concepts and applies them to life in practical ways that have profound results. He reminds us that "the opposite of happiness is not sadness but boredom" and employs Pareto's 80/20 principle to demonstrate how we can identify those aspects of our lives that hold us back from being happy. He urges us to understand that life is not about the acquisition of things for later enjoyment, life is about happiness, fulfillment in the present, rather than in some un-promised future. Unfettered by useless jargon and overly academic presentation, Tim demonstrates how we can return to sanity and achieve happiness by finally becoming masters over the technology that was supposed to free us. He challenges us to give ourselves permission to quit the rat race and rejoin the human race. These ideas are not entirely new, but Tim's particular expression of them is like sparkling water to the parched souls of millions who now labor incessantly to achieve success yet yearn to quench their thirst for freedom. You don't have to be a millionaire to live a millionaire lifestyle, Tim says. Do you have a dream? Live it now.
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Customers say
Customers find this book life-changing and easy to read, praising its comprehensive resources and thought-provoking ideas that open minds to new possibilities. Moreover, the book provides practical steps and actionable tips to increase productivity and streamline life, with one customer noting it helps achieve maximum productivity with minimal effort. Additionally, customers appreciate the book's value for money and consider it a must-read.
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2121 customers mention content, 1990 positive, 131 negative
Great book, but sometimes it doesn't apply for some businesses that will require more onsite presence, but overall this book is a must read for most...Read more
Good book. Gave me some great ideas and really challenges you to think about why you have not done things. The philosophy is similar to Lean 6Sigma.Read more
A Time and Money problem solver. This is an excellent book for those looking for an reproducible method of generating residual income: A modern "How...Read more
This is bar-none THE MOST exciting, inspiring, motivating, captivating, thought-provoking, possibility-providing text I have ever seen!...Read more
764 customers mention readability, 702 positive, 62 negative
Thanks Tim. I almost feel like I'm unemployed. Great read for everyone desiring to do things different. Coach Marc FeinbergRead more
Good read. There is some surprising information in this eBook that makes you take note and re-think some of the priorities in your life....Read more
Good concepts, easy read and perfect for a team. I personally got several ideas from the book to apply to my personal and professional life....Read more
Mind altering, must read! Recommend for anyone trying to break the daily grind. The cross references to other books are also valuable.Read more
481 customers mention informative, 452 positive, 29 negative
...Besides all the great information and step by step accounts, there are a ton of other resources mentioned to get you to become free of the 9-5 grind!Read more
This book is very informative and as I was using the audio I new I need the book so I could highlight the point he spoke highly of....Read more
...It was inspiring and informative and most of all...there was advice in this book that other "experts" out there would have charged you for at an...Read more
...It's thought provoking and a great resource. Some of the concepts and not for every situation, but definitely a great read and worth the time.Read more
418 customers mention insightful, 400 positive, 18 negative
It's a good book, thought provoking. My only problem is somewhat philosophical. For him to work 4 hours someone else has to work 50 for him.Read more
i like this book, funny, educational and insightful. I will be doing most of what he said and the steps are good to know for a start up businessRead more
...bar-none THE MOST exciting, inspiring, motivating, captivating, thought-provoking, possibility-providing text I have ever seen!...Read more
...Truly inspiration and insights that enable one to achieve financial and time independence. Karen Briscoe, author and podcast host 5 Minute SuccessRead more
356 customers mention ideas, 345 positive, 11 negative
...create a side business to finance your lifestyle but it has some great ideas that help put things in perspective. Purchase it and you won't regret it.Read more
...Lots of general and good ideas, most that have been said before in other books but hopefully I will get to the amazing part soon.Read more
...or a solid company person, this book has invaluable tools and ideas that will enable you to begin building your life to your own specifications -...Read more
Great book! Interesting concepts and experiences!Read more
232 customers mention value for money, 193 positive, 39 negative
If you're in a rush, Tim Ferriss' book, The 4-Hour Workweek, is worth every penny you'll spend on it. Buy it, read it, and re-read it often. Gushing?...Read more
...The sections on time management are worth the price of this book. Note: Avoid the audio version of this book....Read more
...Even if you just take nuggets, it is well worth the read.Read more
The steps are not all easy to apply, but worth it....Read more
161 customers mention productivity, 159 positive, 2 negative
...you, but you WILL find ideas to make your life easier, better, more productive, more profitable, and more enjoyable. UPDATE:...Read more
...are enough good ideas in here just for ordinary time management, productivity, and inexpensive product/message testing to make it worth the read....Read more
The best book on productivity I've read in a while! Great concepts and a map to build a new system in life around.Read more
...So are some of his ideas. Overall a good book for increasing productivity.Read more
161 customers mention strategies, 154 positive, 7 negative
...Great strategies and tactics.Read more
...Great and actionable advice if you want to get more time back to live you dream life in your current role and zip code or if you want to retire to...Read more
One of the most life-changing books I've read. Great, practical steps and plenty of resources....Read more
I come back to this book time and time again for inspiration and actionable steps I can take to be more efficient and effective with my work, so...Read more
This Book Changed My Life: I QUIT MY JOB & Made A Lifestyle Change After Reading This...
This Book Changed My Life, helping me quit my 9–5, build freedom, and live a digital nomad lifestyle. I LOVE all the Tips, tools, and personal notes included. I want to give you a quick review of The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss and why I think everyone who wants freedom and flexibility should pick this up. Honestly, this book changed my life (it's a Must-Read for Digital Nomads). When I was preparing to quit my 9–5 job and give up my BIG PAYING CAREER, I stumbled upon this book. I had all the degrees, licenses, and a “career path” everyone told me to follow — but reading this book gave me the push I needed to leave it all behind. I literally wrote notes all over the pages, highlighting every tip I wanted to implement. I talk about this book all the time, even brought it up with someone I met at dinner the other night -- after they told me about their lifestyle and work situations, along with their goals in life. I simply thought OMG, you have to READ THIS BOOK, it will change your life and told them! (Needless to say, they immediately added it to their reading list.) This book was life-changing for me, and it will be for you too -- especially if you want to Escape the 9-5, Live & Work From Anywhere — Then The 4-Hour Workweek is a must-read BOOK FOR YOU! PS I bought this in hard copy and as an ebook, so I can read it on the go anytime! I like to refer back to it from time to time!
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- Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2007
Top reviews from other countries
- Miss DReviewed in the United Kingdom on February 10, 2012
One of the most inspiring books I've read- practical & thought provoking
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase - Balaji InfosystemsReviewed in India on April 18, 2026
Must read book
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase -
antoinerevReviewed in France on December 26, 2011
Un livre qui fait réfléchir positivement !
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
