Rework by Jason Fried
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I honestly don’t think there was much in this book that I didn’t already know, or at least hadn’t already been told. But I’ve rarely heard these business truths put across more powerfully. Crisp, punchy language accompanied by edgy artwork means that every point hits home. It’s the equivalent of an espresso and a new pair of glasses: suddenly the world seems clearer.
The writing seems so effortless that you might not realise just how much work is involved in writing this well. In the section ‘Build half a product, not a half-assed product’, Fried and Hansson reveal:
‘Lot of things get better as they get shorter. Directors cut good scenes to make a great movie. Musicians drop good tracks to make a great album. Writers eliminate good pages to make a great book. We cut this book in half between the next-to-last and final drafts. From 57,000 words to 27,000 words. Trust us, it’s better for it.’
As Thomas Hood pointed out, ‘the easiest reading is damned hard writing’. But oh man, it’s worth it.
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