Where I got the book: Audiobook from Audible.

This was a bit of an impulse buy because it was recommended by a blogger I trust, but for me it was the right book at the right time. I’ve been doing a lot of work on the B-word, branding, lately, because I’m at the point in my writing business where I’m beginning to get a grip on who I am as a writer and what I’m interested in. More than just a marketing effort, this whole branding thing is an attempt to communicate clearly to my audience(s) and ensure that neither I nor they are wasting their time.

And that, really, is what this book is about. It’s written in the “authority style” popular in the self-help category, but for all that there’s a lot of human in there. Henry provides some exercises (which I didn’t do because, audiobook) and tips to help you figure out what really matters to you, what sets you apart from the next guy, and then communicate this both to the world at large and to any team you happen to be working with.

That word “authentic” has become way, way overused, to the point where it’s now suspect, but Henry is definitely advocating authenticity. Don’t try to be someone you’re not, listen to your audience rather than make the whole thing about you, and never, never, sell out your team.

He lost me a bit in the last part of the book, which was aimed at applying what he was teaching to the corporate world. Because the corporate world and I are dead to each other, I sincerely hope. Been there, done that, got the knives sticking out of my back, thanks. But before that—and especially in the first half or so—I was listening enthusiastically and nodding my head. I’ll probably listen to that first half again at some point, and would buy another of his books. So all good! Narration by Jeff Cummings was standard Authority Voice, well suited to its subject and not in the least annoying. ( )