MADreads

Starbucks to the rescue

November 16th, 2007 Mary K. - Central

I was not sure what to expect when I picked up How Starbucks Saved My Life: A Son of Privilege Learns to Live Like Everyone Else.  I had heard that Michael Gill has been criticized  for his lack of perspective about  and experience with the lives of lower and middle income workers.   But then as the subtitle says, he had a privileged life.  And although I did find his devotion to and uncritical view of Starbucks a bit extreme, I did enjoy the book because Gill at age 64 begins to realize what things are really important.

Michael Gill is the son of Brendan Gill, who wrote for the New Yorker for many years, and is a Yale graduate who went on to be an ad executive for many years.  The bottom fell out when he was rather summarily dismissed at an age when finding a similiar job is difficult.   When he started at Starbucks, he was divorced, without insurance, and living a small apartment, and running a small consulting business.  

Though the glimpses into his past life are often more interesting than the detailed descriptions of working at Starbucks, I liked his enthusiasm for his new job.  His unassuming approach to life and his relationships with his coworkers and the customers in the store (always called Partners and Guests at Starbucks.) make for enjoyable reading.  I suspect that Gill would have saved his own life, but that the job at Starbucks came along at the right time and it was a good fit for him.

Apparently the book has been optioned for a movie and Tom Hanks has been lined up to star in it.  I am looking forward to seeing how this story will transfer to the screen.

Entry Filed under: Nonfiction