eBook Rework

E-Book REWORK Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Crown Business (March 9, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307463745
• ISBN-13: 978-0307463746
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds

One of my biggest gripes about the early reviews to come out about Rework is that they had no substance. Words like “inspirational”, “brilliant”, and “rethink” generally trigger my BS alarm, so I really did not know what to expect with Rework. I have been reading Signal vs. Noise, the design and usability blog by 37signals, for a few years now, and I have had plenty of time to become acquainted with Jason and David style. That I even refer to them by their first names should clue you in to their style. They come across in writing as they do in their live webcasts and presentations: familiar. Point is, I have been irked by the longest by those vapid early reviews to come out. They meant nothing to me. Hopefully you all find this review more much helpful for determining whether or not Rework is worth your time.

Long Version: If you have never heard of 37signals or read Signal vs. Noise and you are a business owner or someone who needs to buy a book for an “entrepreneur” (Jason and David prefer the term “starter”), then this is a pretty good book to purchase. It is 273 pages, but most of that is filled with white space and somewhat relevant artwork (almost too much artwork, really), so it an easy read. From start to finish I spent just over a few hours reading Rework, and I am no speed reader by any stretch of the imagination. Do not expect to be blown away by any revolutionary ideas, either. One of the early reviews to come out said, “The clarity, even genius, of this book actually brought me to near-tears on several occasions” (Tom Peters, New York Times bestselling author). I do not want to bad mouth the guy, because I do not know him, but that is some wicked crazy rad hyperbole. This is a simple book that just a by-product of the blog. Nothing more, nothing less.

If you are someone who is very familiar with 37signals and has spent a considerable amount of time reading the blog, then do not feel like you need to pick up this book immediately. Do not get me wrong, $12 (or however much it costs when you buy Rework) is entirely worth it, if even just to have some good night time reading material. But if you think that Rework will bring you any additional insight into 37signals beyond what is available online, then you are thinking incorrectly. Rework felt like a package of SvN blog posts from 2007 to 2009. I all explain why in a bit.

This book is filled with some great advice for those who want to start their own business, have their own business, or are just interested in the subject.

As a fan of 37 Signals the company and a frequent reader of their blog, I was excited when Rework was first announced (so excited I pre-ordered it). From the initial descriptions, I was excited to read a full-length book from Jason Fried and David Heinemeir Hansson. My hope was that they would expand on the ideas frequently discussed on their blog and elaborate on some more of their personal experiences in running a very successful small company.

Unfortunately, if you are familiar with the authors, their blog, or their previous book “Getting Real”, then very little of the content in this book is new. All of the lessons and chapters feel like retreads of previous material, even down to some of the analogies such as “be like a chef” or “be a curator”.

So while I think some of the lessons in this book are great, I feel that it deserves a 3 star rating because so few of these lessons are new material.

On a similar note, I think my biggest gripe here might be with the length of the book: it may appear to be 270 pages, but there are only about 100 pages of actual content in Rework. The book is really about 100 or so one-page essays, separated by a full page illustration between each section.

I really wanted to be excited by this book but having read their previous output, unfortunately I found very little new material to digest and the illustrations between sections feel like nothing more than filler.

So if you are not familiar with 37 Signals or their blog, and you dream of one day starting your own company, then this book is filled with great advice. But if you are familiar with the company, their blog, or “Getting Real”, there is almost nothing new here for you.