The Future of Success

By: Robert B. Reich

Narrated by: Robert B. Reich

If you think it’s getting harder to both make a living and make a life, economist and former secretary of labor Robert Reich agrees with you. Americans may be earning more than ever before, but we’re paying a steep price: we’re working longer, seeing our families less, and our communities are fragmenting.

With the clarity and insight that are his hallmarks, Reich delineates what success has come to mean in our time. He demonstrates that although we have more choices as consumers, and investors, the choices themselves are undermining the rest of our lives. It is getting harder for people to be confident of what they will be earning next year, or even next month. At the same time, our society is splitting into socially stratified enclaves--the wealthier walled off and gated, the poorer isolated and ignored. Although the trends he discusses are powerful, they are not irreversible, and Reich makes provocative suggestions for how we might create a more balanced society and more satisfying lives. Some of his ideas may surprise you; all should spark a healthy–and essential–national debate.
©2001 Robert B. Reich; (P)2001 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Reich is a big thinker and a great writer." –The Washington Post

“A valuable work. . . . Reich has a talent for mastering economic and social complexities and making them easy for the layperson to grasp.” –The Wall Street Journal

"A well-researched and documented analysis of the present state of working life in America." –The Plain Dealer

“Reich writes in ways unusual for an economist; he is self-effacing, witty and more interested in exploring the world’s complexities than in uncovering unvarying laws.” – The New York Times Book Review

The Future of SUCCESS??? Really???

I enjoyed the summary overview of the development of the western economy, mainly from the Industrial Revolution through the internet age. But when he made a sharp swerve to the left, I realized I'd been had, and the whole broadbrush historical overview was just setting me up for a litany of liberal social programs that will make everything OK. (Sorry, I hope that doesn't spoil the ending for anyone).
If you are a liberal, you will find all the great ideas that will take away the misery of the poor by taking money away from the evil rich, passing it through the highly efficient hands of government, and making everyone better off, with more time to spend with their families, no need to work very hard or very much, and no risk that anything bad will happen to you.
If you're a conservative, you'll find an articulate rendering of some variations on age-old egalitarian, social experimentation proposals. Even if you don't agree with it, it's well written, and easy to listen to. We should all give fair consideration of viewpoints we don't agree with -- there's too little of that in our country today.
I don't agree with the title of the book. Reich's outlook is quite pessimistic from every perspective. We're on the road to unhappiness and social ruin if we follow the current path, according to him. His solution, however, is to reduce risk through redistribution of wealth, which history has shown tends to bring everyone down toward mediocrity, rather than incent success. There have got to be better solutions than he proposes; otherwise, the future of success is failure.

What you knew, but hadn’t articulated

When the Secretary of Labor writes a book about work, maybe you should listen. Really a very good book; probably the best book I’ve read in a year.

The book is mostly about the sociology of success (not a how to book). But it is nevertheless likely to lead to personal insight. Heavy on micro-economics.

Food for thought

I heard this book, repeating some sections many times. I have followed Robert Reich even before he
became Secretary of the Dept. of Labor. I have always enjoyed his erudite exposition of american economy
and the choices we have to make to be part of such an economy. Therefore my review may be biased.
The book is certainly a basket of fodder for mind to ruminate.

an economist's world view

If you find discussions about economic factors that influence life enjoyable, then you will find this an especially exciting treat. If you are not an economist there is still plenty to enjoy and appriciate.

He tells great stories about our modern economy and what impact our daily choices have. He explains everything from why we have the number of children we have to why we marry or decide not to marry through the lens of economics.

Why do I hire a housekeeper?........ Economics.
Why do I have my son's birthday at Chuck E Cheeses?........ Economics
Why are african american women having fewer children?....... Economics, of course!

I did enjoy it, however, and in fact I quote this book often and play entertaining bits of it to classes. I am a college professor though.

One of the best books I have ever read

This book summarizes the consequence of globalization within the confines of our new economy with respect to our daily lives.

Thomas Friedman could learn a lot from Mr. Reich.

Full of meaningful statistics, analysis and insight and surprising entertaining.

Simply one of the best books I have ever read.