So my whole idea of reading one book a month that started a few years back fell apart rather quickly. Not entirely without purpose though. I have slowly gathered a list of blogs that I enjoy reading that help to feed my ADD-like personality with new bits and pieces from various topics that interest me: news, technology, programming, photography, finance, etc… So I now have a list of about 100 blogs that I keep up with and that has taken away from my book reading some. Anyway, enough about that…to the book.

So, I don’t always read tech books. I am also a fan of general business and career related material (thus my MBA). I don’t quite remember how I came across Never Eat Alone, but I believe it was on a top-sellers list at one point or another. Essentially the book bills itself as a how-to for networking and climbing to the top of the business echelons. Keith’s writing style is very informal, often veering into related stories from his life; which makes the book easy to read. The lessons that he gives are all great reminders of simply being a good business-person, but they are far from revolutionary. Essentially the lessons come down to:

1. Always be prepared to meet people and never brush someone off as unimportant because the consequences might not be immediately apparent for your actions.

2. Do your homework and get to know about people you are about to or could meet.

3. Follow-up, enough said.

4. Networking is a two-way arrangement. You have to give a little to get a little.

So that is all well and good, but it’s pretty standard stuff. The really annoying part of the book, which is littered throughout it by the way, is when Keith tells of his random dinner parties and meetings with CEOs of fortune 500 companies and how he “just happened” to meet them and suddenly they were BFFs, as if this were even a remote possibility for the people reading his book. He obviously has clout and has made a name for himself, but I doubt the doors that he opened for himself are a possibility for most.

Keith harps on his “poor” upbringing and how his dad pushed him into networking and started him off on the right path. First, he was no where near poor. His dad put him in private school and used every chance he could to push Keith in front of important people. Keith then went on to Yale and Harvard and from there directly into the high-class of business with Delloite. I have no doubt that Keith worked hard to get where he is today, but his road was well paved for him.

The book ends on a very sour note with a whole chapter devoted toward saying there is no such thing as life balance, essentially work becomes your life. That does not really mesh with my point of view at all, and probably explains why there is no mention of Keith being married or having children. Keith is obsessed with his network and business; fine for him, but I’d rather have a more reasonable and balanced approach to life and work such that I can provide for my family financially and emotionally.