4/11/2000
Ciulla, professor of leadership and ethics at the University of Richmond, presents a fascinating exploration of the meaning of work and its relationship to life. The Working Life begins by tracing the history of the idea of work, considering the values and attitudes associated with it over time. Ciulla then examines the struggle of freedom and control that results from working for others both from the employers' and employees' point of view. The book wraps up with a discussion of the ways in which work and consumption have grown to dominate our lives. Ciulla, whose own background combines academic research at HBS, Wharton and Oxford with stints as a waitress and cook, presents a historical and cultural framework that will encourage readers to explore their own sense of the meaning of work.