The Elephant And The Flea: Looking Backwards to the Future
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Charles Handy is always a delight to read, and The Elephant and the Flea--his autobiography-laced analysis of business over the past two decades--is no exception. In his 13th book, the United Kingdom's pre-eminent sage on commercial and industrial matters looks within and at education, marriage, religion and society in order to assess the changing nature of employment. His literate and knowledgeable tale begins in 1981, when Handy decided to exchange a safe but stifling life with a corporation (the "elephant" of his title) for the riskier but potentially more rewarding existence of an independent (or "flea"). Mixing diverse experiences with cogent observations on the evolving workplace, he sets the scene for plausible projections about where we might yet be headed. "Just as the signs were there 20 years ago for those who wished to see them, so I believe we can glimpse the shape of the new capitalist world even if it may take another 20 years to develop," he writes. "We may not like what is coming but we would be foolish to think that we can plan our lives, or our children's lives, without giving some thought to the shape of the stage on which we and they will be strutting". Intensely personal yet remarkably universal, the result is another provocative, illuminating and enjoyable book from the oil executive turned bestselling author.--Howard Rothman
Review
"He has that rare gift among business writers -- able to talk sense and leave out the jargon." -- "Business and Computer Bookseller"
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence
I woke up early on the morning of 25 July 1981. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
I woke up early on the morning of 25 July 1981. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is an enjoyable and easy read. In this partial autobiography, Handy has written in a simple and articulate manner. His use of metaphor is an interesting way to predict how the future may look for organizational man/woman, as well as giving useful pointers about switching from the life of the elephant to the life of the flea. In the book, he asks key questions (which he doesn't always answer) about the work/life balance and finding sense of purpose in work. The anecdotes he uses are drawn from a wide range of experiences from around the world, and I found much of what he said was easy to identify with. Overall, this is a good book in that it gives you food for thought and makes you want to have a chat with the author after reading it!
Format:Paperback
I read this book several years ago and got a real buzz out of it. Excuse the pun! I was already embarked on a portfolio lifestyle, but only just setting sail at that stage. Now, several years later, I find I constantly refer to this metaphor, of the fleas and elephants, as I see so many people exiting the world of corporates and joining the swarms of fleas. If you are just moving into such a situation, I would recommend reading this book. I think you might find it quite heart warming and possibly informative
Format:Paperback
If you are seriously considering how you want to balance your work and private life then this is a really good book to get you thinking differently. The concept of 'chunking' is very interesting and I have recommended the book to several people (admittidly more mature friends in thier 50's, late 40's), to consider a different way of working.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
outstanding quality
Will certainly purchase used books from this supplier again as the quality of the book was outstanding and I received the book quickly after I ordered.
Published 18 months ago by fumbletrunk
Very Slight
I have enjoyed many of his books in the past but I wasn't really very impressed with this. There were some interesting autobiographical bits and some good advice on portfolio... Read more
Published 18 months ago by The Emperor
Personal perspectives on the paradoxes of natural selection
I recently re-read this book as well as Charles Handy's later work, Myself and Other More Important Matters, and thoroughly enjoyed both even more this second time around than I... Read more
Published on 7 Nov 2008 by Robert Morris
an enjoyable and at times illuminating book
Unlike other business books this one has the advantage of being an easy and fast read. Because it it at times autobiographical, it is one of those books you may read on your couch... Read more
Published on 31 Jan 2003 by "tatapatata"
A Paean in honour of the life of a freelance.
This personal yet not especially innovative work is written primarily in a reflective and autobiographical manner. Read more
Published on 31 May 2002
Confused Handy
The book is mostly an authobiography and reflection on Handy's religion. Handy clearly had no real thoughts on the Internet age bursting since he both said it was good and bad . Read more
Published on 16 Nov 2001 by obarritt@hotmail.com
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
