Book Review: I'm Not The Boss, I Just Work Here

NOTE: I was not paid to review this book. It is an unbiased and objective review. If you have a book with Jewish or Israel related content and would like me to write a review, contact me for details of where to send me a review copy of the book.

Book Review: I'm Not The Boss, I Just Work Here, by Howard Jonas

I'm Not The Boss, I Just Work Here, by Howard Jonas is a small book, but, as they say, good things come in small packages.

The book is a new edition of the book Jonas wrote over 20 years ago. I cannot really compare and notice the revisions in this new edition, as I don't think I ever read the original (and even had I, I doubt I would remember it well enough to notice the changes, though at least I would have the two available to compare, should I want to).

In his book, Jonas explores his life and the travails he underwent. Howard Jonas, being a successful entrepreneur, was a little surprising. I would have expected he would have written about his methods, how he succeeded, how he worked hard, how he built his empire. And perhaps that is exactly what he did, but not in the expected way. This is more of a book of determination and faith, of personal exploration, and while it helped him build his empire, it is less about business and more about faith. Jonas does not separate the two, and discusses both in the book, as if they are connected - his personal faith and his approach to building his businesses.

And while it is perhaps both a book about his faith and a book about his business, it is neither a classic business book nor a classic book about faith.

Jonas reviews his life, all the way back from childhood, describing when he found his faith and how things fell into place and the belief system he developed from that. Jonas argues in favor of the faith he developed, and part of it is the best kiruv book possible - he is not just presenting the standard kiruv arguments, proof of Good, proof of Torah being divine, proof of the Jewish nation being chosen and all the regular arguments. I'm Not The Boss really reads as if this is his personal belief system and cannot understand how anyone believes otherwise - he is so sure of his beliefs and they ooze out of his writings. You learn a lot about Jonas and his beliefs, because you feel he is being authentic and really believes what he is saying, really personally, and how it formed him and his personality, and his business approach - he was not being intellectually convincing and persuasive - Jonas is being honest and vulnerable and authentic.

And along the way, while he talks about his developing faith, he talks about his business.

And his personal stories in each chapter are fascinating.

I'm Not The Boss, I Just Work Here is a book about faith and business, but it is refreshing to read this from someone who you can feel really believes it and really put his personal story into it, rather than just writing about what happened to him and what technical systems he developed over the years.

• buy I'm Not The Boss, I Just Work Here on Amazon.com
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NOTE: I was not paid to review this book. It is an unbiased and objective review. If you have a book with Jewish or Israel related content and would like me to write a review, contact me for details of where to send me a review copy of the book.

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