How Starbucks Saved My Life

Critics

• How Starbucks Saved My Life By Michael Gates Gill

  A boomer's frothy ode to Starbucks Michael Gates Gill was accustomed to things going his way. The son of New Yorker writer Brendan Gill, he spent his childhood summers at a lovely country house, attended Yale, and, with help from his connections, lan ... (read full critics)

  bookpage published on Fri, 17 Sep 2010

• Bookreporter.com - HOW STARBUCKS SAVED MY LIFE: A Son of Privilege Learns to Live Like Everyone Else by Michael Gates Gill

  Have you ever heard the inspirational quote from George Eliot: “You’re never too old to be what you might have been.”? Well, 60-something Michael Gates Gill is the walking embodiment of it. Not too long ago, Gill sat alone with his thoughts in an Upp ... (read full critics)

  bookreporter published on Sat, 28 Aug 2010

10 Reviews

• 3 people find this helpful

  

  a really rather nice read - simply warm and inspirational. from the back cover, i wasn't aware the writer was a 64 year old out-of-work former executive. really, people don't get too many chances at that age...

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  Michaelkchan said on Mar 6, 2010 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

• 1 person find this helpful

  

  Not my favorite flavor

  Michael Gates Gill was born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth and for many years led a fairly pampered existence as a successful advertising executive. Fired in his mid-50’s allegedly due to age discrimination, he made a series of disastrous choices which led to his life spinning out of ... (continue)

  Michael Gates Gill was born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth and for many years led a fairly pampered existence as a successful advertising executive. Fired in his mid-50’s allegedly due to age discrimination, he made a series of disastrous choices which led to his life spinning out of control, while he clung to the fringes of personal & financial stability. Voila: follows the commencement of his relationship with Starbucks, where for the first time in his life he learns the meaning of hard and sometimes menial labor. I was initially drawn to this story because of my voracious love of coffee, and while I admire the basic premise of his story, it sometimes comes across as a little too contrived. Mr. Gill likes to name-drop a bit too much, telling of his former glamorous life and goings-on with the likes of Queen Elizabeth, Frank Sinatra, and James Thurber, to name just a few. I read where Tom Hanks had bought the film rights to the story. Maybe I'm being too hard on Mr. Gill, but his story reminds me of many high priced coffees, a lot of hype but not much flavor.

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  Marion the librarian said on Feb 9, 2009 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

• 1 person find this helpful

  

  It's all about perception.

  This book is making me want to go get a job at Starbucks. I think as we get older many people begin to realize that surrounding ourselves with good people and learning to appreciate the basic things in life can bring more happiness than a high profile career and lots of money. There is something to ... (continue)

  This book is making me want to go get a job at Starbucks. I think as we get older many people begin to realize that surrounding ourselves with good people and learning to appreciate the basic things in life can bring more happiness than a high profile career and lots of money. There is something to be said for just really loving your job and enjoying going to work everyday. Also being able to find the good in the things around us instead of always dwelling on the bad. Furthermore, our jobs do not define us as people, it's our character that does that.

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  Angie said on Mar 1, 2008 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

• Gill writes well in this lessons-in-humbleness and life-is-what-happens-to-you book. Gill tells his life story, in which he first was at the top the JWT add agency and ‘ended-up’ as a barrista at Starbucks. The real shock was when he realized that a great part of his previous and privileged life was ... (continue)

  Gill writes well in this lessons-in-humbleness and life-is-what-happens-to-you book. Gill tells his life story, in which he first was at the top the JWT add agency and ‘ended-up’ as a barrista at Starbucks. The real shock was when he realized that a great part of his previous and privileged life was full of meaningless activities.

  That add agency, JWT, seems to really exist, but no mentioning of this book or Michael Gates Gill on their website. A missed opportunity. Gill paints a picture of the world of ad agencies, where everyone is young, and young only. When he worked there, he saw more of his customers then he did see his children when they were young. Generally not a good idea.

  JWT seems a horrendous place. It was policy to complement colleagues and co-workers as little as possible. It could get them into difficulties in court.

  When the new owner at JWT came in, he cared more increasing profit for shareholders then about delivering quality work for customers. From an asset to the company, Gill quickly became an cost centre and was fired. It was a (personal) life changer for him. Years later, he was offered a job at Starbucks, and took it.

  Gill made a successful shift from being served, to serving others. Work as dignity, as his new mantra. It was also a step into diversity for Gill, who used to hire people who were just like him, from the same background. At JWT, diversity was only used when the government was listening in. At Starbucks, he was living it. Gill first thought that a job at Starbucks would be below his level of ambition, but soon found out a maybe was too high for him (mentally, emotionally and physically).

  From a company culture where fear was used as a strong motivator (JWT) to a culture where co-workers (partners) as asked to do something, not told. Where respect and dignity are daily keywords, a new experience to Gill. He was used to experiencing the paradox of a mission statement and daily corporate life.

  Gill’s father was a writer at the New Yorker. Gill himself met TS Eliot, Jacky Kennedy, Frank Lloyd Wright, Frank Sinatra; so many great names, it is almost sounds too good to be true. And Hemmingway, who pointed out writers are not journalists (…). And told him the true story about his scar. I am sure Gill’s father would have been proud of this book. It reads well and has a good flow.

  This books describes Starbucks as a theater, with ‘the good life’ on stage. Where employees are energized at an internal meeting as if at a rock concert (this does somehow sound familiar…). Where How are you?, is not a greeting, but a genuine interest in a customer. This book is very much an homage to Starbucks and its culture. I am ok with that (Grande Latte, low on the foam please). Very much appreciate (good) barrista.

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  Jw van Eck said on Aug 21, 2011 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

• It's a very inspiring book though I kind of doubt its credibility.

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  Elenajack said on Feb 7, 2010 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

• *** This comment contains spoilers! ***

  

  I'd been longing to read this fiction, as I love real-life encouraging story. However, it ends up disappointing me.......

  Well, I couldn't help thinking it's a promotional book for Starbucks while reading. I understood in order to enjoy the content, I should have got rid of this mindscape. But th ... (continue)

  I'd been longing to read this fiction, as I love real-life encouraging story. However, it ends up disappointing me.......

  Well, I couldn't help thinking it's a promotional book for Starbucks while reading. I understood in order to enjoy the content, I should have got rid of this mindscape. But things are just too good to be true and honestly, I don't experience the same things in the local Starbucks. Thus, the entire story is not convincing to me and the author is rather weak in narration which makes the whole book clumsy and hard to comprehend.

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  Bus Reader said on Jan 28, 2010 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

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Book Details

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• English Books
• Mass Market Paperback
• Edition: 1
• ISBN-10: 0007255454
• ISBN-13: 9780007255450
• Publisher: Harper Element
• Pub date: Aug 06, 2007
• Also available as: Paperback, Hardcover and Audio CD
• In other languages: other languages 繁體書, 简体书, Libros en Español, Nederlandse Boeken

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