BOOK REVIEWS

The media today bombards the American public with images

of the rich and famous—people living charmed lives and supposedly achieving

great things. U.S. society worships such individuals, and countless research

studies have pointed out that envy and dissatisfaction are commonplace

emotions for a vast majority of people. However, in this collection, Johnson

takes the time to remind readers that this is not the whole story. What the

media offers is a skewed and deeply flawed picture that fails to celebrate the

ordinary men and women who help make the world go round. This compilation

offers up stories drawn from the lives of such common people—bus drivers,

baggage handlers, hairdressers, fishmongers—as they help keep New York City

ticking along. Each story is not only a deeply entertaining glimpse into a

fascinating life but also a reminder that everyone is interconnected, and each

life is special, important, and unique.

Johnson’s compilation is a beautiful volume in so many ways. The stories

themselves are heartwarming, reminding readers that the people and

experiences many people disparage and take for granted are complex, joyful,

and fascinating. At the same time, Johnson’s message is critical. There is so

much research demonstrating that striving for unattainable perfection is

detrimental to mental health and happiness. The author’s book encourages

readers to break that trend, embrace satisfaction, and celebrate themselves.

The stories are also beautifully written, with lively prose that gives life to the

myriad characters. Overall, this is an outstanding collection and well worth

diving into.

You rarely have a chance to read an incomparable book. I’m not sure that it fits a genre

besides the most basic descriptor of non-fiction. It is not entirely clear if the stories in

this book are non-fiction or entirely a figment of the author’s imagination but they are

detailed in a way that leads one to believe they are true. Either way, this is an exciting

book that you will want to know more about.

You’re a Worthwhile Person in More Ways than a Million’s structure is incredibly

intriguing to me because it works, and it is clear and concise, but it is not linear in any

way. The author tells stories in every chapter about everyday people whose lives make

a difference. At the end of the chapter, the people in the stories are also compared to

others in similar fields to remind us how vital everyone is in our community. The book

also celebrates black inventors, which was eye-opening. It was surprising and

refreshing to learn that black scientists and inventors invented many items that we use

every day. Each chapter also begins and ends with famous quotes from notable people

in history.

The angles that are taken in this book to show the importance of everyone’s worth are

enlightening. It is great to see blue collar workers celebrated in the same way we

celebrate doctors, lawyers, and politicians. It is like the author, Simeon Johnson, can

feel the heartbeat of America and what makes the whole country tick. This book oozes

with empathy and will automatically tap into your soul with that hopeful energy.

Simeon W. Johnson is an accomplished author, and it shows in this polished piece of

work. It takes someone of extraordinary talent to combine three books into one and

make it flow as well as this one does. The book is short but, that is fantastic because it

is the kind of book that you will want to read multiple times. The positivity that Mr.

Johnson brings with this book seems to be sorely missing in our world right now.

It is my sincere hope that this book sees mass circulation. It needs to be read by

everyone across the country, from high schools to the capital, to remind everyone that

we all have a purpose in this world, and not one of us is better than the next. I can’t

endorse this book enough, and I know that I am a better person for reading it.

I gave several copies of this book to a local teen group home. The kids really found it helpful and inspirational. One said it made her feel positive about things. Easy to pick up and start reading.

I’ve not been a student for a very long time and read Chris Korb’s book just to see how it’s observations compared with my personal experience as someone who occasionally entertains residents of eldercare facilities. Everything I’ve seen, and been astonished by, happens over and over again as the wonder of music helps lift people out of depression, restores (at least for a while) memory and memories and brings joy to people who are often very lonely, sad and confused. I don’t play guitar or piano but do sing and join with a local jazz duo to visit and entertain these beautiful elderly people. When we begin to sing they come alive! They sing along as words come back to them to songs they’ve got tucked away inside. Those of you who are considering making careers in music therapy will be doing terrific, meaningful work. Go for it!

This book highlights what too often gets overlooked in society: the work that the ‘little guy’ does. It reminds you to give credit to people that don’t receive recognition, that may be on the lower rungs. These people form the fabric of our society and our lives would be much worse, if not completely unmanageable, without their help. In sum, treat everyone with respect.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. Buy it for yourself or as a gift – you won’t regret it!

This book provides a journey through life and still showing up powerful. Thank you Simeon for sharing your story!