"If there was an opportunity to complain, we complained. The creative team complained about the account team. The account team complained about the client. Everybody complained at one time or another about human resources, and human resources complained among themselves about each and every one of us"

A book about retrenchment and the perks and pitfalls of working in a corporate setting, I was apprehensive about reading this. Too close to home, I thought.

I scanned the first few pages though, and I was hooked instantly. I like the way Ferris writes, with his unnamed protagonist telling the story and shifting from various corporate-drone tones ranging from sympathetic and endearing to annoying and condescending. Just your average cubed co-worker. The setting is an ad agency, and I happily devoured the well-crafted ad pitches scattered inside.

Each chapter also started with an outline of short phrases containing what to expect in that chapter, a nifty device that I've never seen before. Think of it as a pre-minutes of the meeting, which is fitting for the office setting. It's amusing and creative, but is a bit distracting sometimes, since I kept thinking of it as a spoiler.

Behind all the catty office gossip and the drudgery of work , this tale, for me, hints on some greater good though--the triumph and resilience of the human spirit, and I liked it for that.

If you are having a quarter-life crisis, or confused about which career path to take, or if you hate working, or hate your job, or work (or have worked) in an ad agency, or work in general, give this book a shot. I have come to better appreciate the idea of working in general and my co-workers after reading this. You just might, too.

What I think: 8 and a half unicorns