Starbucks saves a life
September 24, 2009 by Richard E. Kelly
Filed under Books, Current Events, Reviews
How Starbucks Saved My Life:
A Son of Privilege Learns to Live Like Everyone Else
by Michael Gates Gill
Before we started playing bridge last week, one of my reading buddies, Annette Vogelsang, dropped this small book on my table and said, “I think you’ll enjoy this feel good, inspirational read. Give it back when you’re through.”
As I moved from table to table playing east/west, my opponents commented on the title, How Starbucks Saved My Life, with a wide range of observations and questions, although I had no idea what the book was about. Several hours later, I read the following promo on Amazon:
“In his fifties, Michael Gates Gill had it all: a mansion in the suburbs, a wife and loving children, a six-figure salary, and an Ivy League education. But in a few short years, he lost his job, got divorced, and was diagnosed with a brain tumor. With no money or health insurance, he was forced to get a job at Starbucks. Having gone from power lunches to scrubbing toilets, from being served to serving, Michael was a true fish out of water.
“But fate brings an unexpected teacher into his life that opens his eyes to what living well really looks like. The two seem to have nothing in common: She is a young African American, the daughter of a drug addict; he is used to being the boss but reports to her now. For the first time in his life he experiences being a member of a minority trying hard to survive in a challenging new job. He learns the value of hard work and humility, as well as what it truly means to respect another person.
“Behind the scenes at one of America’s most intriguing businesses, an inspiring friendship is born, a family begins to heal, and, thanks to his unlikely mentor, Michael Gill at last experiences a sense of self-worth and happiness he has never known before.”
I must admit that this didn’t do too much for me, but I had the book and decided to at least read the first chapter. After doing so, I was hooked. It’s a unique, easy–to-read, not too “heavy” memoir about showing respect to others and the dignity of work. It’s relentlessly positive, inspirational, and well written; it brought tears to my eyes, although it may be because I’m an old white man too. Okay, it was a bit schmaltzy, bordering on corporate PR for Starbucks. But I liked the book very much.
After reading it, I decided to check out the Amazon reviews, which can often be as interesting as the book itself. Of the forty-five, the majority gave it accolades. However, two reviewers were less than gracious about the author, not the book, reporting: “Each chapter has a flash back of the author’s rich, arrogant life, with no reason or purpose, and he shamelessly name drops. While I gained a tremendous respect for Starbucks after reading the book, I have no regard for Michael Gates Gill.”
“Strange comments,” I thought, knowing you can’t please everyone. Yes, the book is a great testament about the culture at Starbucks. However, I liked Michael Gill. Sure, he was a pompous ass for most of his life, but in the end, he got it right. I have the feeling that most readers will feel the same way as I did. I know that’s how Tom Hanks assessed Mike, or at least that’s what his Starbucks’ partners called him.
How could you not like Mike, Crystal, or Kester? In fact, if someone would like to dislike a character in the book, how about Tawana? I suspect that Tom Hanks had the same likes and dislikes about these characters, because he just bought the rights to make the movie. Guess which of the characters he plans to play?
Promotional video for this book…
