Flip the Script: How to Turn the Tables and Win in Business and Life

A sugar-coated pep talk for success in business and life delivered by Wackermann, Condé Nast’s publishing director, argues that too often we allow ourselves to accept the script that has been written for us rather than forging our own path. But if we “flip” that script, we can see ourselves more objectively, taking the good along with the bad in order to make choices with greater freedom. While that general message is certainly admirable, the insights basically stop there. Sprinkled among platitudes about developing self-belief and displaying solid leadership qualities, Wackermann shares stories of colleagues and his own working-class beginnings, giving the book the feeling of an interview transcription rather than something more practical or utilitarian. Between the sound bites and the attempts to puff his audience up, this falls short of being a substantive guide and ends up serving as the story of the author’s own achievements. Agent: Jan Miller, Dupree Miller & Assoc. (May)