Customer Reviews

The Age of Unreason

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I read this book as part of an MBA programme, but it's far, far more than a business book. In a series of self-examination exercises, Handy teaches how we can all reassess our lives and change the way we live and work. All this is achieved in a slim, matter-of-fact volume that puts many other business and management books (as well as the slew of self-help literature) to shame, with its erudition and the well-read eclecticism of its author. Maybe half a dozen books in a lifetime make you change the way you think. If this isn't one of them, there's no hope for you.

Handy's reasonable tome unveils an argument for becoming questioning, seeking, unreasonable individuals. Written several years ago, Handy's ability to forecast the direction in which businesses are moving (adopting 'cores' and contracting out much of the work) is fascinating. I wonder what I would have thought of this book 8 years ago when it was first published. 'Is he for real?' Charles Handy is very real and so is the future about which he writes

I had to both laugh at and give a helpful vote to the review below which accused the author of citing half-baked fragments of myths and anecdotes as evidence. To a certain degree, it's a fair cop, particularly if you're looking for a book which is going to really stunningly predict the future.

_The Age of Unreason_ isn't about predicting the future, it's about training yourself to look at the future in ways that you might otherwise not have done. As such, I found it a valuable and interesting book which is clearly based in a lot of meditation on learning and learning theories.

Some of the things Handy mentioned turned out to have become true since the book was written. Other things didn't-- but it doesn't matter ultimately. What the book asks is this: Can you recognize the real causes for pain that you identify? Can you think differently to force discontinuous change? Is your vision of the future based on an accurate perception of the past, or are you looking past major factors because you don't recognize the role of gradual change?

People who like this book may like some of the books on developing strategies using scenario exercises. This book also contains a decent (if dated) bibliography.

When considering the jump to independent consulting, this book inspired me to leave the comfort (and confinement) of corporate life. Handy makes it clear how the business and social trends of today are affecting each of us personally and professionally. Anytime someone asks me for career advice, I recommend this book!

Very though provoking read. Even though written in '89 it has some very topical and relevant ideas. This is by no means a how to book, although there are suggestions and concepts to consider. Rather Handy gives arguments and suggestions on why adaptation to worn out approaches to organizations need to be considered. His writing style is informative without being overbearing, pretty quick read. If someone wants to understand more on why organizations need to adapt their designs and what some of the implications are then this is a good read, although some ideas are unique.

Age of Unreason appeared more than a decade after Mintzberg's "the Structuring of Organizations." In it Mintzberg described the strategic and technical core and the contingent outer-layers of an organization. This laid the theoretical basis for the dissolution of the fully integrated organization. Even so, while Handy's book is not wholly original it is a significant contribution to the literature, as he explored the implication of Mintzberg's concepts to a greater degree than did Mintzberg and then described the implication for the individual. He then prescribed constant self-investment. Nearly two decades later, his advice is still true. I'd say it's full of prescient insights such as that, even if it is heavily derivative of Mintzberg.

If you are an entrepeneur or a business man, you must buy this book, it was an incredible time I expend with it, I enjoy reading it, and now this author became one of my favorites, excellent.

John book eater

This book was a major inspiration behind CEO John Browne's revamping of oil giant BP during the 1990s -- paring the compay to its "core business," massively down-sizing and out-sourcing the "lower links of the value chain." Multitudes of engineers were laid off, those functions then performed more cheaply by contractors.

So, how is BP doing, these days? Any industrial accidents to speak of?

I first bought this book by Handy, after that I went bought all the other Handy books as it really make you think about what you do and what will happen in work-provate lives.

You will like this book only if you are a non-analytical thinker. It's not really a book that educates with facts, data, arguments, or insights. It's more of a book where the author says "Here are some bits of facts and myths that I have run across in my readings and here are some unsupported, unoriginal thoughts I have that may be related (or not) to what I just talked about."

If you are a well educated, thoughtful, reasonably creative person who has some insight into your life, you will read this book and say, "everything in this book is obvious." If you are a person who has difficulty thinking things through, you probably would find this of value.

I know MOST people seem to find this book of some value. I am probably in the minority. If you are trying to decide whether to buy this book, you might ask this question: when you read the book, "7 habits of highly effective people," did you think

A: I know everything in this book already and I can't believe there is anyone out there who doesn't

or

B: Wow this is a great book and I learned a lot from this book.

If you answered A, then you will find this book to be a waste of money.