November 10, 2014
Public speaker Ducey (Into the Wind) gives an enthusiastic but overly familiar book-length pep talk about the importance of leading a purpose-driven life. He encourages risk-taking over being “smart, safe, and comfortable,” declaring that readers should place more value on the process of working towards goals than on their actual achievement. Though Ducey also endorses nonconformity, he draws rather heavily from his mentor, Jack Canfield, author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, providing bland platitudes like “Think your purpose” and “Do what you love and success will come.” Political diatribes about “the corporate agenda,” government corruption, and his detainment after a protest against the Keystone Pipeline, meanwhile, feel shoehorned in. He does have a winning collection of inspiring stories from celebrities and historical figures, including Jackie Robinson’s brave stance against racism, Sylvester Stallone’s uncompromising attitude in his early career, and J.K. Rowling’s perseverance during her pre–Harry Potter life. Ducey’s message is simple—goals are best achieved through active pursuit—yet his scope is so wide that the material feels unfocused. Agent: Bill Gladstone, Waterside Productions.