The Red Rubber Ball at Work: Elevate Your Game Through the Hidden Power of Play

This entertaining, pocket-sized book builds on Carroll's self-help series with profiles of 33 successful workers who illustrate the value of ""productive play"" (as opposed to ""playful play,"" not serious enough for work). Most of the subjects are in fields where the value of play is obvious: 12 are artists or performers, 11 are in design and marketing, and six are founders of public interest organizations. Advice from a professional wrestler, alchemist, graffiti artist, futurist or ""director of user experience"" may not apply to readers with more conventional jobs, but most people will be able to identify with at least a handful of subjects. Though the larger lesson seems to be self-apparent (the way to have fun at work is to choose a playful career), the book is nevertheless inspiring and clever, with a lively layout and energetic writing.