cover image The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't

The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't

Robert I. Sutton. Hachette Audio, $24.98 (0pp) ISBN 978-1-59483-867-5

Expletive or not, by the end of this book, listeners will be desensitized to the word ""asshole,"" which is said hundreds of times in this audiobook. Sutton's premise seems pretty simple: get rid of arrogant jerks in the work place from every level of an organization. Through each chapter, he explores a different aspect of assholes, from identifying the type to dealing with them to what one should do if they believe they are an asshole to why it may be beneficial to keep one or two around. You'd think with a title like The No Asshole Rule, some humor would follow, but that's where the book falters. It's too serious and often too simplistic in its resolutions for curing the asshole problem at work. Sutton's reading of his own words lacks conviction. The interview with the author at the end proves interesting since his answers feel more candid than the rehearsed words of the audiobook.