99% Perspiration: A New Working History of the American Way of Life

by Adam Chandler Narrated by Adam Chandler

Overview

An enlightening and entertaining interrogation of the myth of American self-reliance and the idea of hard work as destiny

“Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” This phrase, arguably Thomas Edison's most famous quote, has been drilled into the minds of generations of Americans. A fairly straightforward iteration of the idea that innovation, discovery, and ingenuity are the result of drive and grit above all, it has also come to represent much darker myths: that hard work always leads to success and that achievement is the product of individuals and not communities. In this model, those who come out on top are there because they earned it, and everyone else needs to buckle down, glove up, and, maybe one day, they'll get there too.

As the wealth gap widens, communities crumble, and Americans work more for less, Adam Chandler raises the question: What happens when perspiration isn't enough? To answer it, he crisscrosses the country interviewing mayors, teachers, generals, pastors, construction workers, and entrepreneurs, to reveal just how untenable relying on “perspiration” as a strategy has truly become. He also delves into America's past to reveal how our government, education system, and culture at large have woven the idea of meritocracy deep into the fabric of American society and how some of history's most famous so-called bootstrappers really built their wealth. From George Washington to Seattle,Washington, Jay Gatsby to Bill Gates, 99% Perspiration unpacks the misguided obsession with hard work that has come to define both the American dream and nightmare, offering insight into how we got here and hope for where we may go.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

01/27/2025

“Hard work has never been the single galvanic force with which the hand of destiny has lifted up the deserving,” according to this pointed treatise. Chandler (Drive-Thru Dreams) recounts how despite possessing a rigorous work ethic, nearly half of the Mayflower Puritans died within a few months of arriving in America. Elsewhere, Chandler discusses how George Washington’s and Thomas Jefferson’s reliance on slave labor upends notions of the founding fathers as “self-made,” and how Thomas Edison’s penchant for pilfering ideas from rivals undermines his reputation as a singular genius. Contending that venerating overwork makes “our communities wobbly, our faith weak, our lives lonely,” Chandler suggests that long hours in the office mean less time for building personal relationships, resulting in alienation that politicians exploit for their own benefit. The history deflates myths of American meritocracy, and stories of ordinary individuals drive home the ill consequences of believing that anyone can succeed if they try hard enough, as when Chandler discusses the exasperation North Carolina mother of two Nakitta Long felt after paying her way through a master’s degree in criminal justice only to struggle to secure a well-paying job in any line of work. The result is an eye-opening complement to Alissa Quart’s Bootstrapped. Agent: Sarah Levitt, Aevitas Creative Management. (Jan.)

JANUARY 2025 - AudioFile

Journalist and author Adam Chandler uses meticulous research and interviews with people from all walks of life to debunk a powerful American myth--that success can be achieved only through the drive, grit, and hard work of individuals. Arguing that significant achievement almost always involves the collaboration of teams and communities, he reveals a remarkable grasp of history that encourages listeners to look at all forms of success more broadly. He's also a gifted narrator whose performance makes this audiobook an engaging way to refresh our ideas about effort and work. With his natural diction and perfect phrasing, his detailed research and broad grasp of cultural dynamics provide an enlightening alternative to the tropes and myths being promoted about work and workers in America today. T.W. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2024-10-12
A respected journalist explores the evolution of work and its social meaning.

Work has always been a central part of the American character, with the idea that success comes from effort, persistence, and ingenuity. But Chandler, a journalist and an author, argues that much of this is a myth. Climbing the socioeconomic ladder has never been as easy or as common as its advocates claim, and in the past two decades it has become almost impossible. The majority of working Americans are stuck in low-income jobs, Chandler says, and job security has been replaced by unfair contracts and the gig economy. He covered some of these issues in his 2019 book,Drive-Thru Dreams: A Journey Through the Heart of America’s Fast-Food Kingdom, and it is certainly true that the minimum wage has not kept pace with inflation. As we saw during the pandemic, it made more financial sense for many to collect unemployment benefits and stimulus checks than to look for work. The book can at times make for grim reading, but Chandler argues that social crises have often presaged wide-ranging reforms. He favors a Universal Basic Income, although there does not yet appear to be much support for it. However, his thesis is valid: Work is simply not working—for many, if not most, Americans. Some new thinking is needed.

A welcome call for a return to fairness and common sense.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940192502464
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	01/07/2025
Edition description:	Unabridged

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